I hear often from homeowners that they do not love their homes, something that makes me sad and determined to change.
There are many reasons why they may not love their home, ranging from not knowing where to begin to decorate, to not having the confidence to make decisions, to not having the budget they think they will need.
What does “love your home” mean to you?
Ideally, your home should be a place of refuge after a long day, a place where family gathers and creates special memories and — very simply — a place where you belong.
There are many emotions tied into your home, how you perceive it and how you and your family live in it. We all have a range of feelings about our home and what is inside.
Part of what drives me is the desire to help you create a space that you love and that reflects who your family is.
The power of clutter
Clutter is something we all live with. For some it takes over their home and feels overwhelming. Trying to figure out where to begin to tackle the clutter can be stressful.
Your home and how tidy it is or isn’t impacts how you feel. Having an overly cluttered home has a direct correlation to what is happening in your life — perhaps there is an illness in the family, a death or divorce.
I can tell you from personal experience that once you begin the decluttering process, it is empowering! Start small — a drawer or closet — and then once you get in the groove you can move on to a room.
Taking control
We are so critical of our homes, how they look, whether they have the right furniture and accessories. Some consider their home a show of success. As a result, something that started as a small thing you didn’t like about your home can years later turn into something that really bothers you.
I want you as a homeowner to take control of your home.
Take a long look at what is frustrating you, especially if you have lived in your home for a while. Then cast those negative emotions aside and give some thought to what you can do to improve your home to make you smile again. Most times these changes are not as costly as you think, like painting your cupboards to give your kitchen a new look:
- Before
- After
In another example where painting made all the difference, one family I worked with loved their home, but the family room’s fireplace was a stressor for them. They didn’t like the colour of the brick so we decided to take charge. We selected a neutral grey, they spent a weekend painting and now they absolutely love their fireplace. We turned a negative into a very big positive.
- Before
- After
Need some direction?
If you’re not confident in your own ability to create a home you love, that’s where I come in. My goal as a designer is to create the feeling that when you put your key in your front door you can’t wait to get inside.
- Before
- After
The clients who own this kitchen purchased a fabulous home in a retirement community and were initially very happy. After a few months they realized their kitchen didn’t work for them; it was laid out contrary to how they wanted to use their space.
We sat down, made a list of things they wanted, and together designed a kitchen that worked for them. They were ecstatic and love their new space.
Figuring out your style
One question I always hear is, “How do I know what my style is?” The easiest answer I can give is to look at what you enjoy doing, your hobbies, your favourite colour. These are the forms of inspiration that we can bring into your home to help you love your home.
The key is to create a space that makes you smile. Don’t worry if what you like isn’t “trendy” — trends come and go quickly; your home is with you every day.
Take this master bedroom, for instance. It evokes the feeling of calmness and serenity that the homeowners were after. Everything was selected with great care to create a special place where they could go at the end of the day and unwind. The paint colour, linens, curtains, cushions and lighting all work together like pieces of a puzzle.
Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of helping thousands of homeowners bring their personality into their homes. It’s been so much fun getting to know them and seeing the huge transformation of their homes as well as in themselves.
I’ll leave you with one of my favourite quotes from celebrity designer Nate Berkus: “Your home should tell the story of who you are and be a collective of what you love.”
I hope that you and your family enjoy the journey of how to love your home.
