Before you design your interior… Do you know your WHY?

Before you design your interior…

Do you know your why?

Do you feel stressed when you think about designing your space?

There is no reason that this process cannot be fun and exhilarating for you!

There is one deep secret that I need to share with you dearest reader.

Identifying your deepest desires is the key to good design.

You too can create a beautiful connection to your environment by focusing on how you want your space to feel. Deep down you need to hold this high above everything else. Use it as your northern star BEFORE beginning a new design project.

I know first hand from my clients, when they first come to me, how stressful thinking about creating your space can be. It’s so easy to be overwhelmed with; how do I even start, what do I focus on, is what I like even “correct”, and how are all of these pieces going to work together? We are all inundated by “perfect” spaces created by “perfect” people, it almost seems unattainable to create a space that looks like some of these rooms.

But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

(and if you struggle with perfectionism you will like this article too!)

I’m currently working with a lovely client who easily gets bogged down in all of the details, easily overwhelmed, like most of my clients! It always takes me getting them to get clear on what they actually want and more importantly how they want to feel until we can get anywhere. We are working together to outline what the big picture deeper desires in his space are to help alleviate some of these stressors. Keeping focused on the general big feelings help to make sense of all of the seemingly disparate parts of a new space in the beginning. Its the golden thread that runs through all of the choices and ties them together! This is exactly what will make all the specifics easier.

All talented designers are always riffing….

They can do this only because they love design so they have already gotten crystal clear on what they deeply love and how they want spaces to feel! Over years and yearss and yearssss of being obsessed with things like fabric and furniture. The big picture (their aesthetic) has been created through deep study of their own desires.

This is why I hate the traditional Designer/ Client relationship because it goes a little something like this…

Client sees beautiful picture of a room (which took countless hours of painstaking work and photo filters, born from a mind obsessed with their own vibe, born from a lifetime of deciding what they desire and like!)
Client decides I want that. Do that for me. Client pays designer money.
Designer recreates THEIR AESTHETIC for their client. As they have for every client they have ever had. Because they think (and the client thinks unfortunately…) that its their desire (aesthetic) that matters… SO WRONGGGGG

It’s YOUR DESIRE, dear client, that matters.

Shouldn’t you find out what your own why is instead of letting your designer regurgitate their own?!

Most design industry leaders focus on the things that you can see instead of the deeper feelings from their clients. I think when people just see these beautiful rooms without any deeper context at all it can seem really overwhelming to begin! It also doesn’t describe how deeply healing and meaningful a space can become when created intentionally. A great disservice to design in my opinion.

Im here to tell you. The best secret to effortless design is getting really clear on WHY you are re-designing your space.

When you focus on your deeper feelings and get clear before you begin, the little design decisions along the way become so much easier to tackle.

Have a plan in place before you dive into the details! From the big picture down decisions become effortless because each detail either fits in to your overall vibe or it really does not! Decisions begin to make themselves for you.

What’s at risk If I don’t figure out my big picture?…

If you start with the details without having the big picture illustrated, feelings felt, and overall vibe outlined, you are at major risk for getting buried in tedious detail decisions. Details that hold no meaning or purpose for you!! Decisions that make you feel like your back is against the wall, because you have no idea where you want to end up!

It’s exactly like the Cheshire Cat says… “If you don’t know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter which path you take.”

If you read that quote and think, Well what the heck, I DO care where I go… I want a beautiful space that I love and supports the life that I want to live…

Then prove it! Settle in and get quiet and figure out your big picture end game BEFORE you begin, and before someone else tells you what to love…

There are so many ways to do this, a lot of fun activities I have already written about on my blog that will get you headed towards and uncovering your WHY like:

But I also want to outline here some good things to think about before you start your design process!

Who:

Think about who lives in your space and the things that light them up! Are there ways to incorporate these things into this space. What are their favorite colors? What are they drawn to? Have everyone who’s going to be sharing the space bring their own inspiration to the table. A well designed space speaks to the people that live there and good design starts from the inside out. Anyone outside the homes opinion does not matter in the least! You are the maker of your home.
What:

What are the feelings that you all want to feel in this space? Everyone should share at least three adjectives that describe their perfect environment. Like bright, comfortable, classy or collected, warm, inspiring. If everyone could get more detailed around this idea the better. These word are the litmus test against you judge all of your design decisions! If something doesn’t fit then its out!
Where:

I think that this is super important. It may be easy when you are thinking about one room, but this is more complicated than that! When thinking about one space you have to consider the rest of your home too. How are you planning to use this space? Is this the best space for these activities? According to how everyone involved would like to live, should you be thinking outside the box in regards to this space?

4. The main event WHY…

Why are you starting this process. Ask yourself this question before you begin!

Hot tip: Think about how your Why feels… If your answer to this question has anything to do with, “My space makes me feel inadequate” “I want to redo my room because relatives judge me for how I live” “Im forced to re-do my space because of repairs” “I’m pressed for time because I have bigger things to worry about” Basically anything that when you really think of it, it causes you stress or worry, now is not the time to redesign your space. If you start here with these negative feelings… trust me… this is not going to be a fun process for you.

-Notice how each of these above Whys do not consider your own deeper desires or feelings, you cannot get to a fulfilling design for your space from here!

If any of the above attitudes reflect where you currently are on this I would strongly suggest finding a new why first!

Some Why’s that actually support your desires:

“ I just bought a new home and Im excited to create the perfect space for my family”
“I know that Im not using my space to its best ability for the things I like to do, I want to revisit my environment”
“ I want my space to reflect my personality”
“I recently decluttered and I need some new ideas to utilize my new found space!”
“Some recent repairs revealed some disfunction in my space, I’m ready to create a space that really speaks to me and I’m ready and willing to make the right decisions to create my sanctuary”

These reasons speak to a deeper desire of your own! Perfect whys to build your design around.

These Whys inspire creativity and give you the perfect environment to imagine a new space that supports the deeper you!

Let’s compare and contrast two of these Whys to clarify and see how they feel!:

I’m forced to re-do my space because of repairs: I need to fix my floor after a leak and so I might as well re-do the bathroom, I never loved it but it worked ok for me. Since I’m pressed for time I picked some floor that’s in stock but I don’t think it goes with the rest of the space now… Maybe I should just repaint the tile and the cabinet to match… That second light fixtures blown out, maybe I should replace that too? How am I supposed to know what works? Is this all going to look ok? I’ve always liked lighter tile, maybe I should re-do that… Should I paint the walls? What color will work, what color do I even like? Will what I like work??

or…
Finally something gave me the push to re-do the bathroom I hate! I’ve been imagining that lovely spa white space and I can’t wait to do it. I’m not sure how to incorporate all of the elements yet but I definitely know how I want it to feel! This dream helps guide my choices. Since I had to replace the floor asap I picked one that fits my vibe. I deserve a relaxing, organized, and light space. I love white cabinets and marble. Maybe I should hire a designer to help me realize my dreams?! I cannot wait to show them my inspiration!

Hmm does #1 or #2 feel better to you?!
These are the same situation.

One focuses on their deeper desires and the other focuses on their limitations.

Put yourself first here and reap the rewards.

You have this. You really only have to ask yourself one question Why!

Heck I’m the kind of person that would definitely say that that’s the only question you really EVER have to ask.

Get quiet, focus on your inner being, and find your path. This path is meant for you and only you can do it!

Let me know if this was clarifying and helpful for you guys, or if it helped spark any ideas I love hearing from you.

Again if you would like any more activities or posts that support you in your own WHY journey here are some other articles that could be fun and helpful for you!

Thank you so much for reading.

When engaging with this process remember…