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!
-
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.
August 14, 2024
Before you design your interior… Do you know your why? — Catherine Rose Design
maximios Design
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!
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.