focal points

Once you've identified patterns of what you love within your home, it's time to shift your perspective. Notice the things that no longer stimulate or inspire you. This could be clutter, spontaneous purchases, something inherited, a space that doesn't work well, or even what your tastes + style have outgrown. It's a good idea to make a list of it all, both subtle nuances and obvious offenses. And ask:

{1}Is there clutter you can clear? If so, DO.

{2} Could any items or current room arrangements blossom somewhere else in your home? Think creatively. Sketch out any thoughts you have, especially those initial glimpses.

{3} Is updating an item (a fresh coat of paint, a vibrant new fabric, a full restoration) an option? Magazines + blogs are excellent resources for discovering countless possibilities.

{4} Have you moved anything around to replenish the space? Try it. Live with something different for a day or two. Better ideas are often in the margins of seemingly bad ones.

{5} Could a room be used differently? If a room is neglected or ignored, figure out what would make it inviting. You deserve to enjoy your home's abundance rather than  just a couple rooms. 

{6} If change is an option, what do you envision? And how much will it cost? It is surprising what we will attempt + can afford when we know precisely what we want. It's the ambiguity that makes change feel impossible + out of reach.

I have learned there is no real satisfaction rushing results. Ideas need time to simmer. And the thing with creativity? It perpetuates itself. So, freestyle a while with your ideas. Forget wrong or right. And because this is a fertile process, keep a notebook handy to capture all the options you fancy along the way.

We lived in our home an entire year before I came up with the collective ideas for the lovelies' playroom…

{BEFORE}

Asking myself the very same questions, I identified what made me swoon:  books within reach + bold color + as much natural light possible + a let-the-good-times-roll feel. Only when I had conceived every idea I thought possible did I heed the ones I couldn't forget. Which is where I started and the rest marvelously came together. The most brilliant part of the experience?

 

{AFTER}

It's a space the lovelies have grown into…spending hours playing + pretending + staging their days…and where everything you see absolutely reflects their spirit. While the room didn't start there, I sensed its potential early on. I made LOVE the only standard.  And the room defined itself by that boundless intention.