Personal Design is Personal

Everyone has a history.
Everyone has things that define their own history.
You don’t need special, trendy, or expensive things to have a truly well designed space.

What makes it authentically personal is that it reflects you, your life, your family, and your view of yourself.

How you put it together isn’t the whole trick, it’s being honest with what you have. Honesty about how your belongings create an atmosphere of shelter or shame.

I know that this sounds surprisingly significant, but making your home about you requires some ‘emotional inventory’ of your furnishings and mementos.

To start this exercise, ask yourself ‘Do my belongings bring peace, calmness, and good memories’?
Are you keeping pictures of your ex on the fridge, or in a frame? How do these things bring peace to your life? An elderly friend of mine continues to display pictures of her children’s ex-spouses. This is just because her children are in the photographs! If she were to really give the idea much thought, she’d realize that it brings uncomfortable feelings to her family, and probably unsettled feelings for herself.

What about expensive items? Sometimes, we keep things because they were costly, or a pricey gift. Do your belongings own you? Do these things help you recall good memories? Do they tell others (and yourself) how you see your life? When a couple marries, the gifts just keep coming. Sometimes they can be pricey, from fancy stores, but still lack any attachment to the receivers.

I had friends who married and combined homes. One thing that they couldn’t find a place for was an expensive six foot tall silk tree. One of them had spent so much on this fake tree, they couldn’t see past the money spent. They ask me my opinion about placing it in their new home. Honestly, the tree wasn’t that attractive, and the new had worn off long ago. Knowing that it wasn’t really favored by both the husband and wife, my first question to them was “Do you own the tree, or does the tree own you?”. (Ah, Yoda! Your question, it is good.) The real issue was not where the tree would look best, but did it really belong in their home. That idea had not occurred to them. By setting the tree out in the garage, for a future yard sale, they freed themselves up from the responsibility of keeping something that was costly, but not loved.

By thoughtfully creating your own living space- thinking about how each item connects you and your family to the life you want- you can create a home that is personal and authentic.

What does this look like in real life? Consider some common home accessories- Photographs and art.
By displaying photographs of people you love, you recall happy memories and good feelings. Art work can encourage, challenge, and calm. It can also be depressing, childish, or poorly rendered. What message would you want to be communicated in your home? Books can also send us subtle messages. Books that feature places and things that give you fond memories or goals of places to explore are positive. Books that just use space and might represent difficult times aren’t very good at giving you a positive message. Do old college text books, or travel books best represent who you are now?

Creating your own personal space, that offers you love, calmness, will afford you a place of refuge.

The photograph shown is from a calendar that was styled by Jeffrey Evans. It illustrates how a collection of personal momenetos can give a space a calm and cozy feeling- when they are meaningful.

Decorating Magazines; how to use them

This is a snippet of a conversation about excessable ideas for decorating a friend's family's new home.

TE:
My wife and I are in the middle of building a home. What resources would you recommend for us? We don’t want to make any major décor or design mistakes.

JE:
My first suggestion is to buy up a stack of design magazines. Pull out the pages that appeal to you. Not just the rooms on the page that you might like, but anything that appeals to you.

TE:
We’ve been doing that. Looking at the home decorating magazines makes us feel so overwhelmed.

JE:
What makes you all feel so overwhelmed? Is it information overload?

TE:

Kinda- it’s the details- like where am I supposed to find the 6” green and yellow teapot- like in the picture- so that our new kitchen will be cool and in style?

JE:
Remember not to get bogged down in the details of the accessories. Accessories for homes change with trends. Trends are just that- trendy! Not long lasting in the style department. The accessories that will last are those that are interesting to you, and to your family and how they hold up to your real lifestyle.

TE:
How are these mystery accessories chosen?

JE:
It’s not so much a magic list of accessories. It‘s an issue of fashion and passion. It’s about the fashion of the day, and the homeowner’s own passion in collecting or their life story. It’s a little bit of make-believe too- Designers will ‘dress’ the rooms for these images. Believe me, the perfect bowl of apples, the perfect houseplants – all these things in the pictures are just set up for the photograph. Don’t let these images intimidate you. Give yourself a reality check. Having the perfect teapot, bar of soap or flatware isn’t going to make your home ‘it’.

TE: I like to hear that. It’s not magic secret list. And it’s about us, not the stuff.

JE:Exactly! It’s about your home. Not the hit list of ‘it’ items to own. Nothing dates an interior faster than unfashionable accessories. People spent a lot of money and time getting the right things for that moment. Then fashions change, and then, there you are stuck! Think of all the brass stuff that people had to have in the 1980’s. Can’t give it away now! Often, the text that goes along with the photographs can tell you the reason why a designer chose specific accessories, styles of furnishings, colors and even art work.

TE:
Cool! So, it’s like shoes or a handbag or the latest electronic gadget. These things just change as fashions do. So, tell me how you would go about reading the magazine, so that it’s a good experience and not like I fee like I’m in detention for not knowing what I should already have in my home!

JE:

When you start out, look for the ‘featured’ articles, often shown on the cover. These featured layouts are in the back half of the magazine. The first half are monthly columns and lots of ads. Leisurely look thru the articles and see what is interesting to you.

TE:
This is just to get a feel for that issue, or what I like?

JE:

Correct- just to see if there is anything that speaks to you. Then, look through the magazine the next time with a goal: What colors are the designer’s using? What paint colors am I attracted to? What are the common threads between the different homes shown?

TE:
So, this information will give me clues about what colors I might paint my house. What is common between each article that I like; stuff like that.

JE:

You got it. You are looking for clues, like an archeologist. Ask yourself ‘What can I discover in this article, which translates to my home’. The third time you thumb through, look at fabrics. See how they are used. What textures are being used, and where. Does this designer use different details on window treatments? How is the upholstery made up? What details do you find charming?

TE:

These tips will really help when it comes time to make decisions about window treatments and new furniture!

JE:

It’s a bit like window shopping. I always suggest going to the best stores you have available. Learn the about quality and good style. You don’t have to buy, just learn. Then as you go on about your project, things will pop out that are similar. You’ll see ideas and objects that will show up with great style, but without the expense. And in this case, find the best design magazines you can locate and learn what is out there.

The photo appeared nationally in Decorating Magazines, featuring Fabricut fabrics. The photo was styled by Jeffrey Evans Design.

First Time

This being my first posting, I am both excited and apprehensive. Excited to be able to share my ideas for living well, and apprehensive to write in a way that readers will be able to be entertained and apply some ideas to their own lives.

So, here we go.

One of my goals is to share ideas and images from work that I have done, and share some ideas from other talented folks. Also, I want to illustrate these ideas by sharing photographs that may inspire you to take the ordinary and make it special.

The funniest example for adding that 'special something' to a party, was at client's island themed party. Instead of the typical corny (and corny can be fun) Hawaiian/Island theme with hula girl paper plates and grass skirts, I wanted to knock it up a notch and surprise the guests.

Since the party was to be both inside and around the pool, and cocktails were to be served at the pool, I wanted something special in the pool!

So, having fun with the Island idea, I came up with the idea of having a mermaid in the pool during the cocktail hour!

The mermaid made her way to the pool before guests arrived. Then, as the guests made their way outside they were surprised by the fantasy mermaid lounging in the pool, flirting, and splashing water at the kids.Then as a surprise to me, the children jumped into the pool, joining the mermaid! They were fascinated by the mermaid. They were quizzing her on how she arrived, what she eats, and what her name was. The adults were equally charmed with a 'live' mermaid. An overall hit!

The guests were wowed, surprised and had great memories of a special night and something to talk about the next Monday at work!

To make a special event out of your party, think about the different activities you are planning. Where would the biggest WOW be from? At the end of a meal with a special dessert with a beautiful presentation? At the door when you great guests with a favor- like a party hat or lei? Just thinking of the ordinary things you do, and 'knocking it up a notch' will make your event one that will make memories for the ones you love.