HOW DO YOU WANT TO FEEL IN YOUR INTERIORS?
I’ve been walking a lot recently. Getting into nature. Moving and feeling good afterwards is what I’ve been enjoying.
Fortunately I’ve got a lake nearby that I can stride around, while the hoards of water birds sit happily in their nests. But aside from noticing these white birds with long necks and beaks, I’ve also noticed that my fellow walkers seem a lot more fascinated in their surrounds too. I’ve seen people taking out their cameras to take photos of these birds (rather than selfies!) and even stop and watch in awe while a family of ducks waddle past.
I’ve never noticed this before. Sure, you see it when people have just spotted the Eiffel Tower for the first time. But this slowing down, admiration and awe of local surrounds is really lovely to watch and to experience. I’m really liking it.
I believe this is what your environment should do. It should create a response. Evoke a feeling. Now not all surroundings will necessarily give you a great response. You might feel overwhelmed by the size or darkness of a room. Or find it cold and intimidating. And, of course the reason why you are there will also contribute to how you feel. Like making your first appearance in a daunting courtroom as a junior lawyer (memories)! Then there are the fantastic feelings we have like staying in an amazing hotel for a weekend away. Or that little cosy local cafe you go to after school drop off to have your morning latte.
But the point is that it’s all relevant. It will help you determine how you want your home to feel.
Here’s a simple task you can do:
1. Think about a place that you visited that had an impact on you. It may be a friend’s home, a restaurant, a hotel. Think about how it made you feel. What were your feelings? What made you feel that way? Was it the colours, an art work, a meal, an experience?
2. Now take that above experience and then think about a room in your home. How does that room make you feel in comparison? What is missing? How do you bring that feeling in?
By answering what is missing, for me, this is the first step in getting clear when designing your home. It helps create your home and not a home like your next door neighbour’s. It’s so easy to buy something that looks good but does it feel right?
For help on getting clear on how you want your home to feel, please contact me at katie@katieriddell.com.au. To receive helpful tips and inspiration direct to your email inbox, please sign-up to receive my “All Things Interiors” newsletter.
