The Rhythm of the Everyday

Hello friends!  I hope you are well and making it through this cold February with a smile, at least mostly. I often struggle with February, wanting warmer temps, a tropical vacation, and feeling a comedown from the holidays. I give February a hard time, and I have for years!  In my 20’s, I would move every February because I felt some boredom or loneliness, and I felt that moving would make it better (it didn’t). Over the years, I have gotten more positive during this month, but I still can feel the emotions that I associate with February-melancholy, and a desire to go someplace warm.

I was reminded of this feeling this week.  A close friend recommended a Japanese movie called Perfect Days.  This movie unfolds simply by watching the daily routine of a middle-aged sanitation worker in Tokyo.  He rarely speaks, has few interactions, and lives in a tiny apartment with few possessions. He does have lots of books, a camera, and little pots of seedlings that he tends to.  This movie, being so slow and seemingly simple, made me curious about his motivations and his desires and wondering if he was lonely.  Although this movie has virtually no plot, it is also like a masterpiece painting, the more you study it, the more it unfolds.  We begin to understand him through watching the rhythm of his life.

Definition of Rhythm: A strong, regular, repeated pattern of movement or sound.  Some synonyms are cadence, flow, and pulse.

During my childhood and young adulthood, I had fought routines and rhythms, saying that I had too much to do in this world and that  I had no desire to get pinned down or predictable (ever).  I was a Rebel without a Cause scenario.  The same goes for my love life-always looking for Mr. Right and then later realizing my mistakes.  When I met my husband,  Ed, (a routine kind of guy) I was surprisingly swept off my feet by him doing exactly what he said that he would.  He would call when he said he would, he would make a dinner from a recipe and go grocery shopping for that meal.  All of these things that I felt were rather mundane, yet he would do it so well!

When I began Balance Design, I was all over the place. So many things to do I would swirl in my head and accomplish very little.   After about  10 years (good grief)I finally began to see that consistent, methodical work was much more effective than creative bursts of genius.  Although I still struggle, I try to make 1-3 hours of creative time in 25-minute bursts.  A rhythm that gives me satisfaction and perhaps even something with beauty. There are still emails to respond to, sales appointments to make, issues to resolve, and networking to do, but if I methodically make time to be creative, I feel so much more fulfilled.

Our homes also need to support our daily rhythms.  We can encourage our daily flow through how we design our spaces.  This consideration can touch each of the senses: sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing.  The beauty is that we can set up our homes to encourage these personal rhythms of everyday life.

For example, in my mom’s home, she has a large space to easily do her art, whereas her husband has a table at the ready for the current puzzle that he is working on.  One of my clients has a beautiful music room with a grand piano that she plays regularly. Another client has a listening room with high-fidelity speakers, an Eames chair, and tons of records.  In our house, we have a side table set between 2 chairs for a chess set, which Ed has developed a passion for.   I have shelves and coffee tables full of books that satisfy my need to read in any extra moment that I may find.  I also have a special spot for all of my coffee-making accoutrements so that each morning, I can make the perfect cup of joe.

Supporting our senses may mean always having tea on hand or a cozy throw to nestle into. You get the idea. Rhythms are personal, so take some time to explore yours.  Perhaps a bath each evening with candlelight?  Or simply a spot to read near the soothing sounds of a snoring dog.  Your rhythm may also be more active, say in your home gym or collecting your family at the dinner table each night.  Whatever your routines may be, pay attention to them and encourage the flow through the design of your home. Creating space for these patterns in your life creates value every day!

However, one other critical part of the rhythm in our homes is the disruptors.  We need disruptors so that our homes do not become boring or too predictable.  In our house, we use art and color as a disruptor.  In Ed’s office, we have a large encaustic piece by our good friend, Rusty Walton.  This piece has a topless woman devouring a hunk of raw meat with her partner in a Renaissance still lifestyle.  My kids have remarked how weird it is, but Ed and I both found it intriguing.  We had no doubts about this purchase,  and we have a story to tell because it stands out.  Like jazz music, we listen to harmonious notes for a while, and then the musicians throw some strange sounds to ensure that we are paying attention.  These disruptors make the flow of your home surprising and yet still allow you to enjoy your daily life rituals.

Speaking of still lifes, I thought I would add a new segment called “on my coffee table” to share books, notes, and anything else that may be hanging out.  A still life in time to see what my coffee table is saying about me.  This week, it is saying that I just worked out (socks), and I have been sifting through my journals and my favorite orange planner. Ed is planning to beat everyone at chess.   And I am planning an upcoming trip to France (in April!) More about that in the weeks to come!

As we end this month of February, I wish you warmth, kindness, and a beautiful flow until next week!