In a rapidly changing world with our increasingly stressful lives we are all yearning for a sanctuary where we can feel safe and comforted. We need to look past pure aesthetics and reintegrate the human element into our home interiors. We need our home to speak to us both rationally and emotionally; to be practical as well as tell our unique story. Yes, we need our homes to be functional, but we also want them to feel human.

Our experiences shape us; where we’ve been, what we’ve seen, done, and who we’ve met. Our story is what makes us unique and who we are, so it needs to be celebrated and expressed throughout our homes. The first step to creating a home you love is pinpointing exactly what makes you who you are.

As Rebecca Atwood said in her book LIVING WITH PATTERN “Your story is a way to remember what you love; realizing its components is the first step to surrounding yourself with meaningful patterns, objects and environments.

The overlap of your collected experiences is where things get interesting. The contradictions, the way time has changed those memories, and how you want your life to move forward can all be expressed in your home. It’s not about collecting empty souvenirs or following trends, but rather about bringing in elements with meaning.”

By taking the time to explore your past, present and future, and define your story, you build a tool box full of ideas that you can use to create a home with heart. You don’t have to use every momento or memory you uncover, but it’s all there, ready when you are, an arsenal of exciting finds with meaning that you can call upon when you start your interior design journey.

If you are thinking of doing any work to your home in the future, don’t start without putting in time and energy to explore your story. I cannot stress this enough! If you want a home with heart, a sanctuary that is your piece of paradise then start now. Start gathering images, scribbling down notes, taking photos of textures, patterns, and colours, gathering materials and objects that tell your story; the past the present and the future.

Once you build this toolbox, you’ll be able to use colour, pattern and texture in your design scheme in a way you hadn’t imagined before. There’ll be no looking back!

Join me for my next blog where I walk you through step by step on how to explore and define your unique story.

Click here to find our more about creating a home with heart.

Contact Auckland Interior Designer Hayley by heading over to the Strategy Session booking page.

Talk soon

Lou Brown Design