Does this sound familiar? You just spent a long day at work. You drive home, eager to set aside your to-dos and relax, but when you walk through the door… your home brings you anything but peace.
Maybe your spaces are dark and dated, as older Vancouver homes tend to be. Maybe you feel the weight of projects to be done or furniture not to your taste. Or maybe you can’t put a finger on what exactly is off, but you know for certain that your home doesn’t inspire pride, joy, or contentment.
If this scenario is part of your daily routine, I want you to know there is a better way. I have personally experienced and helped clients transform their environments, and I have seen the impact. The difference in how you will feel and enjoy your time at home will be life-changing. Let me say that again…
The difference in how you will feel and enjoy your time at home will be life-changing.
How do we do it? How do we create a home that supports your ideal life with your family? By designing for function and flow and by expressing your unique personality, lifestyle, and values.
Today, I’m showing you how we do the latter…
1.Use Your Favourite Items and Places as Inspiration
In every space we design, we usually have one “inspiration piece” that inspires the rest of the design. Think inherited furniture, collected artwork, a rug you brought back from your travels, etc. Your favourite items usually have a meaningful story behind them and reflect you and what you love.
When we use those pieces as the foundation of the design, that story and your personality come to life in your space.
In the Kitsilano Urban Cottage, our starting point was our client’s treasured antique chaise. We kept the rest of the space light yet muted in tone so the chaise would remain a sunny focal point that feels personal and makes our clients smile every day.
In this Hotel-Inspired Bedroom, you guessed it, our clients’ favourite hotels and travel-inspired photography were our inspiration pieces. The result is a bedroom that expresses their calm yet adventurous spirit and sets them instantly at ease.
When we work together, we’ll discuss some of your favourite pieces and places, the stories behind them, and identify the right inspiration piece for you.
2.Display Heirlooms, Collectibles & Memories as Decor
Although this step sounds similar to #1, it has less to do with the foundation of your design and more to do with keeping items you love in plain sight. When you walk into your home and are greeted with joyful memories, the space simply feels like home.
These items could include photographs and art, heirlooms, items collected from your travels, and even books. Using these, we can create photo or art galleries, frame mementos in shadow boxes, create a custom display case or built-in, or arrange them artfully on your mantle.
We created this gallery wall for our clients with only their favourite family photos and found items.
However, keep in mind that your displayed items should only include items you LOVE. Which bring us to #3…
3. Remember that a Happy Home is a Guilt-Free Home
A space that feels personal and joyful is a guilt-free space. This means excluding inherited items or gifts that you do not love or that don’t represent you. While you may want to honour family members and friends who bestow you with things, remember that they are just things. You can still honour your loved ones with photos and smaller keepsakes without designing your home around them.
Feeling obligated to hold onto expensive items we don’t love is equally unnecessary. If it doesn’t represent you, there is no need to live with its constant reminder. Besides, you never know who else might enjoy that piece. Give it new life by selling it or donating it, and free up space for something you do love.
Lastly, remember that this is your home, and it should reflect you and your current family, not your guilt. You deserve to feel at home in your own space.
4. Make Room for Your Personal Interests
Having spaces that pay homage to your passions is another way to infuse your personality into your home. For example, I love to help clients dedicate underutilised spaces to their hobbies, such as a craft room, sewing room, or man cave. It doesn’t even have to be a whole room.
For example, in the Lynn Valley Modern Home, we created this dressing room that speaks to our client’s love of fashion…
Of course, we created a closet space, where she stores clothes, shoes, and accessories… but on the opposite side, we designed this space. With a comfortable bench, our client’s antique dressing table, and a dressable mannequin, we’ve made it easy for our client to while away the hours solo or with a bottle of wine and some girlfriends.
5.Express Your Personality through Colour & Pattern
Colour and pattern are difficult to get right without some knowledge and experience, which is probably why so many people are colour cautious. However, colour and pattern set the tone for a room and infuse personality into a space faster than any other design element.
If you’re thinking, “Oh no, Lori, I don’t like bold colour,” that’s more than okay. Embracing colour doesn’t mean you have to lean bright or saturated. We can combine different colours and patterns to achieve any look and feel, from quiet homebody to spirited outdoorsman to stylish entertainer.
In this West Side Family Home, we used warm woods and brass to create an inviting yet spacious entryway. Marble tiles in black and cream add a touch of everyday luxury to express our clients’ fun and chic lifestyle.
The feeling and personality we express through colour can also change by room. For example, you may want your living room to express your playful side, while you would prefer a bedroom inspired by your favourite relaxing spaces (like these clients requested in their hotel-inspired suite).
In any case, colour is all about you.Once we get to know you, we can create a design concept that expresses your uniqueness in a tasteful, elevated, and meaningful way. You can even start now by imagining some of your favourite places and spaces. What colours are present? What brings you joy? Let’s start there.
What’s next?
Infusing your space with your personality may be an exciting experience for you, or you may be happy to let an expert take the reins and do it well. What is certain, however, is that the result will be transformative…
…coming home and feeling more at peace. Having less stress and more energy for connecting with your family. Taking pride in your home and finally feeling excited to invite others to enjoy it, too. It’s all possible.
If you’re ready for a professional who designs with your personality in mind, I invite you to reach out to us. No obligation, no pressure. Let’s start the conversation and see what we can create for you.
Cheers,
Lori
