Home and design has always been a big part of my life. My dad was an architect, and I grew up with the oddest furniture in our house. Only now I realize it wasn't odd, it was special- a RAAK floor lamp, Eames Chair, MCM walnut cocktail table, and loads of other pieces that have been knocked off over the last few years. It was always understood that I would grow up to be a designer, which I did, graduating top of my class from Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida- one of the most beautiful cities in the US.
I've been a designer for a really long time now, and the more I worked with clients to design their homes, the more I realized that, while they came to me with pictures of trends, they didn't actually want them. By asking questions I found that they wanted a home that reflected them, their family, and their values.
It seems obvious, but you'd be surprised that a lot of folks think more about design styles than they do their needs. Design has become a tailoring of trends to fit architecture, not the creation of style for an individual. If we all designed for clients, there wouldn't be trends. They do have a place and are often what lead people to embrace design, but things get sticky when trends replace design. If you've taken a look at my portfolio, you know just how important that is to me, because no two projects look the same. I find inspiration through my clients and enjoy discovering who they are. The puzzles I solve aren't about the space, they're about my clients. For me, design isn't just about creating beauty for the sake of beauty, but about creating beauty with purpose. There's no denying that our environment affects our emotional well-being, for better or for worse, but shaping it to support my clients' emotional and psychological needs is the essence of design.
So I started working on a new philosophy, the Emotional Home, that looks at design projects by looking at my clients and how beauty works in the brain. I tested it out through a few lectures around town to various groups and was astounded by the response. One gentleman pulled me aside to tell me he finally understood why his wife wanted to renovate their kitchen. Progress!
Earning my real estate license became incredibly important, (check!), which was followed by earning my Myers Briggs certification, (check!), because those two disciplines are inextricably connected. When a home is evaluated for financial reasons, it's all about the numbers, but all that time in between real estate transactions belong to design, livability and how happy it makes you.
There is still a lot to do. This is an evolving philosophy, but I hope you'll join me here and on Facebook and Instagram and be a part of the conversation. I think it would be fun, and I'd love the company.
