“The words you speak become the house you live in.”
—Hafiz

This quote is usually used in the context of describing how our self-talk has an impact on our self-worth or self-esteem. But what if we consider it more literally? Give some thought to what the items we choose to surround ourselves with say about our personality, our lifestyle, even our soul.

What words would your home use to describe you?

What words does your house use to describe you? Unfussy? Classy? Old and Tired? Unique?

If you’re thrilled with the way your home is telling your story, congratulations! You can stop reading. But, perhaps you’ve taken a look around and realized that what your house is saying about you is not a true example of who you really are. 

This happens to all of us at some point.  That table of your mother’s has been a placeholder for so long that you forget what you were originally going to put there.  The wall color was perfect for when your kids were younger, but now with an empty nest you feel the need to let a bit more of your non-maternal side shine.  (Same story with any child-friendly furniture.) Maybe you’ve gotten more in touch with a particular esthetic because it rings true to you in one way or another (not just because it’s trendy) but you have yet to implement any new ideas.  

What’s holding you back?

What’s holding you back?

The first response we always give is money.  The second is not knowing exactly what changes we want to make, or how to make them happen. They usually go hand in hand. So we do nothing, and our homes keep telling our out-of-date (or even worse, untrue) story.

1. Money

If money is truly the biggest concern, one of the best ways to change up your visual story is with a fresh coat of paint. Paint the room yourself, and you’re out about $100.

Beware: Beige is a safe color (and its friends Taupe, Khaki, and Tan).  There are appropriate times to use it, but unfortunately, it usually ends up becoming the default choice because we can’t decide what color to use that accurately depicts our true emotional side. 

I challenge you to think outside your comfort (safe) zone and reflect on the stories of your life that are meaningful and real, and speak of the best part of you. What color are those stories? Don’t shake your head at me.  You know exactly what I mean. What colors appear when you think of these memories?

Now get thee to Sherwin Williams and be off with you. (Use my color consulting service if you want some help selecting the exact shade.)

2. Indecision

With the second most popular concern, frustration and impatience are frequent emotions when we don’t really know what changes we want to make.  Rash decisions ultimately lead to design mistakes and regrets. I bet if I gave you a million dollars to redesign your home, you wouldn’t know exactly where you would start. 

What exact sofa would you buy and in what color?  What room would be expanded or added on and how?  What about the exterior? Would you even stay in your current home?  If you can’t answer these questions all the money in the world makes no never-mind. 

You need to know your history first. And you need to take the time to discover how to use the walls around you and the objects within to spell out your loves, your values, and your life story.  

Confession from someone who understands…

Confession: I’m still working on learning and defining what I want my home to say about me.  I’ve uncovered several important details by taking myself through the Design From Within process, including some truly surprising and eye opening moments that even my best design knowledge and execution could never have uncovered.  It’s these moments behind the premise of Design From Within that reveal to us the truth behind who we are, what we value, and what we truly want to project to the world. 

Our life’s theme, if you will, is discovered. Once we know the theme, the rest of the parts fall into place.

Remember that one million dollars I was going to offer you?   Once you know your theme you will have no trouble spelling out the details on how to spend it. Your decisions will be based in truth, and your needs addressed without question. Now, I can’t help you with the money issue, but I CAN help you discover your theme so when the time comes you can hit the proverbial design ground running with confidence and security that you are making wise spending decisions. 

Stay tuned next time as I take you through my own living room re-creation to better reflect my own history, or, to let the words my house speaks become my home.

Yours,
Monique

Are You Ready to Design from Within?