We can all feel discontent sometimes, especially with our living situations. We want it to look different, function better, feel more ___________ (fill in blank).
But loving the home you’re in can be easy if you align it with what makes you feel good. You’ll know you’ve got it right when you FEEL GOOD.
Design can be an intuitive process and if you check in with yourself, you’ll be surprised with all the answers you already have.
Here’s 5 tips for aligning any space for how you want to feel.
5 tips for aligning your home with how you want to feel
- Walk in, pause and feel. What comes up? Anxiety? Stress? Tension? Holding? All from walking in a room?! Yup. It’s that powerful and just noticing and becoming aware of how the room makes you feel is the most important tool you will learn when it comes to design. Pay close attention to what it is specifically that causes the unwanted feeling/s. Too much ______? Not enough _______? Focus on the feelings first and determine from there what works and what doesn’t.
- Think ahead to the finished product and how you feel sitting in the finished room. What is the goal? How do you want to feel? What do you want to accomplish in this space? Relaxation? Rest? Creativity? Motivation? Let the feeling you are looking for drive the whole design process.
- Keep what works and remove the rest. There is no point in having items in a space that cause stress. Whether that is clutter, colour, furniture, etc. If you don’t like it and it doesn’t serve a purpose, say goodbye. We don’t have room in our lives or our minds for extra stuff. Marie Kondo, Feng Shui, whatever you need to do to pair down your items to only things you use and love. The space you will gain both physically and mentally will be so freeing.
- Reuse or repurpose and avoid the guilt. Perhaps the old writing desk doesn’t function well in the office but could be painted and styled for a hallway table in the entrance. Just because it doesn’t fit in a particular space, doesn’t mean it won’t work elsewhere. Also, paint and wallpaper are miracle workers and sometimes a refinish is all you need. See how you can work with items to repurpose them and make them fit the new concept. Find your inner DIY and make it work without sacrificing your style.
- Create a system for keeping the space how you want it. Whatever that looks like for you. If you are clear on how you live and function in the space and how you want to feel there, you can design it to suit your needs. Need to see things out and in your face to remember them? Maybe a bulletin board is your answer. Does clutter drive you crazy and cause you unwanted stress? Maybe a drawer organizer is for you. A one-size fits all approach will not be the solution here. Create your space to serve you, not the other way around.
The design piece of the process is important and fun for sure but don’t forget to check in with yourself and actually get clear on what the space is for and why. This will allow you to design sustainably and not only create a space you love, but also one that helps you live.
Live well,
Cher
