Greetings!
After last week’s trend/not-trend blog, I thought it might be helpful to have some design guidelines to share when you are working on your own home. These are some helpful hints that I have learned over the years. Although I do not consider myself a rule follower, I like to have a place to start, before I break a rule. I am going to use the example of my living room, which I have been re-working, for reference. Let’s jump right in.
1-Determine the purpose of your room.
For each space, determine your activities, how many people you would like to accommodate, and how you would like the room to function. This information will help you determine the furniture and items needed. Try to list everything that you would like to do in the room. Our living room has a front door, a fireplace, and a tiny coat closet. The function of the room is: entry, room for coats and shoes, small gatherings with friends, larger gatherings by pulling up dining chairs, listening to music, reading, blog writing, and meditation space. Wow! That’s multi-functional! Someday, I hope this room also includes a working fireplace.
2-Take a picture of the room.
Take a picture and get a clear picture of your room. Photos can show you what is happening better than eyes. This is because the camera does not rationalize or fill in spaces like the brain does. Photos can point out issues quickly if you are open to the information. Some things that it will tell us are wear and tear, dirty windows, clutter, and perhaps an incoherent color palette. So many easy things can be fixed with a discerning eye to the photograph. Then create a checklist, remember patience, and knock those items off the list! You also will be able to determine what furniture you need, and what needs to be edited.
3-Determine a focal point.
Another trick from the photo process is seeing the focal point in the room. Typically when looking at a photo, my eyes start at the bottom and then move around the photo in a circle counterclockwise. This process helps me determine the focal point. The next question is do I like the focal point, or does it need to be enhanced? Another example of this is looking at the fireplace, considering the color, material, and art, would it look better another way to be more cohesive with the room?
4-Choose the rug first.
You may have guessed that I would say this is a design rule. I think that rugs, specifically hand-knotted, wool, vintage, and one of a kind are the jewel of any room. Upon this piece of art, we can build a color palette for the walls and furnishings. Also make sure that the rug is the right size, to hold your furniture for easy conversations.
5-Take your time when looking for furniture, and try not to compromise.
Few things irritate me more than my impatience. Ask my family, friends, and co-workers, I can be a bulldog when I want something! This trait of mine does G.S.D (get sh*t done) but it does not always work in the long term. To be satisfied with a space, we need to believe that the room works functionally, is comfortable, beautiful, and is of the highest quality that we can feel comfortable with.
We got our new vintage sofa in Philly at lostine.com. Love this place!
Once we determine the function of the room, we can list the furniture that is needed. In my living room, I feel like I need a rug, a sofa, a pair of chairs, a coffee table, perhaps a console table behind the sofa, a drink table, a stereo, books, a basket for shoes, and some art and pillows. Every year during the holidays, I move the sofa, so the tree can fit. I finally decided that my sofa was too big for this room, so I moved it upstairs. Then I sent some inspirational pics of smaller green sofas to consider to my husband, Ed. None of these pics were quite right. However, Ed found a beautiful green vintage sofa in Philadelphia! We both have family in Philly, so Ed decided to go up there and return with a sofa at New Years! Such satisfaction!
6. Enlist help.
A beautiful and comfy home is not often made solo. At BD, we always get a better result when we collaborate. It can be a very small detail that makes all of the difference! Ed has a magic power for finding really beautiful vintage pieces, often at a bargain. After getting my new vintage sofa, I invited my friend Rebecca over. Rebecca’s home in Grant Park is full of treasures and I wanted a different perspective on the space. She had some good ideas and even managed to find the perfect Noguchi-style coffee table at Scott’s Antique Market! Life is very busy and sometimes even a designer needs assistance with her own home!
7. Allow the magic to happen.
Lastly, remember the words of Elsie de Wolfe-one of the first female decorators in the U.S. “Somehow the feeling of hominess is lost when the decorator is too careful.” So true! I like to call this feeling by the Japanese term of wabi-sabi or perfectly imperfect. This is why catalogs may be lovely, but never feel like a home. They are missing a soul. The soul comes when someone lives there and adds their own point of view through art, color, texture, collections, plants, and a bit of wear and tear. The French call it “je ne sais quoi”. This feature of a home is not even designed, it just kind of magically happens, if we let it.
8. Have fun!
To wrap up this design rules list is the most important rule in my book-have fun! This is your space, a place to feel safe, reflect your personality, be comfortable, and enjoy friends and family. Try not to let yourself (myself) get too serious or too precise in choosing things. That stressed energy emanates in your home. The surprises and quirks are what make your home memorable! Sometimes (always) I will move furniture around just to try it and see who notices. Having fun with your home is part of the joy of having your own space.
As you may have guessed, this rule book is anything but! Rather, it is a bit of friendly advice to help you enjoy your home even more.
Until next week,
Stephanie
