Design is apparent in every aspect of our lives, from our homes to our person.
We use our instincts and our emotions to place colour and function into our everyday existence. Sometimes there is no explaining that ‘wow’ moment when you see that item that you cannot live without. If it is in a store, you snatch it up with glee and smile all the way to the till to pay for your precious find and if it is in the home of a friend you might burn a little with jealousy at their good fortune.
The interesting thing about my job is that people are constantly asking ‘Will this look good’, ‘What colour should I paint my living room’ and ‘Do you think I will like this in 10 years?’
My answer is always (at first)…I have NO idea! Design is not an instant hot cocoa mix that you add water to create deliciousness.
Design is a process, a gentle harmony that is created with me learning about you and you discovering what you love.
Often, we have no idea what we may love until we see it and then our whole outlook can change. One of our designers just returned from Boston with the most heart stopping fabulous purse, it is teal and white with coral bright stitching. It has long stringy fringe on it and I want to touch it; I absolutely love this purse! Did I know that I loved it before I saw it? No way, I have never bought teal and white anything in my entire life but once I saw it I loved it and felt that little burn because she bought it in Boston and of course I can’t have the same purse as my friend!
There seems to be urgency, almost a panic in people I spend time with.
Generally people are not enjoying the process of designing their homes which is difficult to work with as it truly thwarts the creative process. When you are stressed or anxious your mind is in a fog of uncertainty and panic which completely stops creativity from flowing. Even if you think you have no design ability, you still have creativity inside of you and the pressure people put on themselves to finish their homes makes it a thousand times more difficult to make positive decisions for their space. You may not know what you love until you see it.
When you are beginning a project, go easy on yourself and take some time to enjoy an afternoon looking at show homes. Enjoy the process, go and look at beautiful accessories for your home (just look, don’t buy yet!) and gather a bit of information about things you love and how you want your home to look. Trust me; I will help you put all the pieces into place eventually. If you take some enjoyable time to look at projects either in person or on line you will be much more relaxed when it is time to decide than if you just started filing through 3,000 tile samples (believe me they all look the same after awhile).
The wow moment you need for a successful project may not come in a design store but may hit you in a beautiful hotel or friend’s home…or even a fabulous fringed purse!
Kim Meckler is an interior designer in Red Deer with Carpet Colour Centre.
