Home is where you feel… you.

How do you want to live? It is a worthy question and something that isn’t about how you want to project your lifestyle to others; it is more about “how do I want to feel when I pull in that drive after time away from home”.

Sometimes inspiration pictures can’t add up to add up to the adjectives clients are sharing in a photo. I just finished an initial consultation at a home that was purchased for the location and potential. In the room previously called “family room” they had a very large farm table; as well as soft seating and a fireplace. The owner called it the "gathering room" and despite them wanting to remodel it, they wanted to keep the use the same and change how they gathered in it. Because of the current climate, the children (high schoolers) were around the house in various spaces and in this remodel the objectives would be based more on the family than the products, and more about the architectural feeling you got when in the room.

If you are thinking of your current space and how you want to transform its feel while keeping its functionality the same, there are some questions you can ask yourself that will help provide a clear direction to a more authentic home life!

• What do you want your home to DO?
• If you could put a list of adjectives together about how you want to feel in the space, what are they?
• What are the deltas in practical, traditional and whimsical/artistic pieces?

Here are some descriptions that might help you find the real you.

Relaxed

This is a home where sandy feet and dog hair can be tolerated; either because you know a vacuum can reign it in at the end of the day or don’t care if there is dog hair on the floor (I’ll let you pick who is who at my house). You want others to feel comfortable and maybe you enjoy an open concept for sharing space. If this feels comfortable then you can expect that the finishes you choose will likely get a little more wear and tear so we should be mindful of that with floors, counters and cabinets that are chosen

Creative

Usually creative people don’t mind color, a little clutter and interesting design elements that will help “up the uniqueness game”. You may also enjoy rather than settle for asymmetry. You are excited to explore solutions that include a pun or play on words.

Welcoming

This is a home that both families and guests are excited to walk into because they will instantly feel a sense of both joy, peace and discovery. Whatever the combination of vibes-it is a home where people know how to help themselves, where they can find a comfortable seat and nothing is too precious allowing a sigh of relief that a spilled drink can’t be cleaned up.

Organized

Usually these homes have a lot of space for built-ins, closets and cabinets to hide the clutter and everyday living.  The focus in these designs is not primarily square footage, but it needs to be well-designed to take advantage of places to have things put away. Organized spaces do not have to be void of comfort, color and creativity they just need ample ways to keep the chaos at bay for the calmness of day to day living.

There are plenty more adjectives out there… and often there are different persuasions in every home… so play the adjective game with your family before your next renovation!