In thinking about the clients I've most enjoyed working with, I realized there were certain characteristics they had. They were typically the people who really wanted to dig in to finding a unique aesthetic that reflects who they are, and they were happy to do the work.
They seemed to have an innate understanding that their home was more than just a place to lay their head at night, and that putting time and attention into it would serve their lives in much deeper ways.
I coined three "personality types" that I think can find value in my content
Dreamers
Drivers
Deep-thinkers.
Here's how to know which one you are (or what combo) and how you can set up your home to suit your personality and behaviors...
Dreamers
You are:
Sensitive
Romantic
Nostalgic
Daydreamer
What you can do in your home:
Create vignettes
Vignettes are like "staged" areas that cue you to take a certain action within them. I gave a couple examples in this post.
The key to getting a vignette right is making it a sensory experience. Put things on display that make you imagine the smells, tastes, and feeling of being in a moment. That's why we would put bath salts in a clear jar rather than keep them in a bag under the sink. When we see them, we'll smell them in our mind and get a hit of dopamine just imagining the scenario of soaking in them.
Drivers
You are:
Driven to achieve
Future-thinker
Planner
What you can do in your home:
Design your home as though you are living in your desired reality
Whatever your goal or vision of success is, you need to first get clear on how you'd be living, if it were your current reality. Then you'll want to make changes in your home that signal the desired scenario. For example, if your goal is to climb the corporate ladder, you'll want to focus on making your office feel like a boss works there. Whatever that means to you. Maybe you envision a dark, masculine color scheme, bookshelves styled perfectly, and a desk that faces out into the room with two chairs in front. Why not prioritize bringing that vision to life?
If you're striving for a stress-free, joyful life, this is even easier! Think about the things in your home that cause overwhelm or annoyance. Is it the pile of shoes by the door that trip you up whenever you walk in? Find an attractive storage solution that is easy for the entire family to use. Perhaps you're bothered by the lack of storage in your kitchen and you have things falling out of cabinets when you open them, or too much clutter on the countertops. Think about whether you have things stored in your kitchen drawers or cabinets that don't need to be in there. You may find that you have vases, platters, and other large serving pieces you only use once a year in the kitchen. Consider moving them to a piece of furniture in another room. There's no need for them to be in your kitchen!
Deep-Thinkers
You are:
A questioner
Someone who needs to find meaning
Reflective and introspective
Into self-improvement
What you can do in your home:
Take time to define an aesthetic that reflects you
If you're a deep-thinker, you're likely to feel on-edge or constantly dissatisfied with your home if you decorate in a generic style or just piece things together without much thought. You may not realize what bothers you about your home, but it will be the fact that your home doesn't feel like "you."
Deep-thinkers should craft their home's design style by first writing a list of traits that reflect them. Next, write down how you want to feel in your home. Then you'll want to do some investigation and analysis about what types of furniture, decor, and room styles would reflect your character and make you feel the way you want to feel. There are no right or wrong answers in the analysis. It will be critical that you use your gut in the process.
Once you've got the answers, you should keep a list of specific style characteristics, furniture items, and so on that you'll want to incorporate in your home. Ideally keep the list on your phone so you'll have it with you should you be out shopping. I also always recommend creating a mood board or a concept board when you're designing or redecorating, but it's even more critical if you're a deep-thinker. It'll give you a vision to work towards and keep you on track to crafting a home that lights you up.
Stay tuned for an in-depth guide to creating your personal interior aesthetic. If you want to get notified when it's ready, enter your email in the subscription box on the main blog page.
Have fun with this, friend! And let me know how I can help :)