Article originally posted on La Petite Fleur Magazine https://lapetitefleurmag.com/articles/
Have you ever entered someone else’s home only to marvel in amazement at the warmth, style and character that seems to radiate from every nook and cranny? And then proceeded to sink into despair when you think about your own home and all the work it needs? Whether you are a mom living in a house you own or rent, a college student in a dorm, or a high school student living with your parents- the truth remains that the spaces we live in shape and form our thoughts, attitudes, work, and recreation. And I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to be the next Chip or Joanna Gaines to love the space you live in.
As the oldest girl in a large family, I can’t remember not sharing a bedroom with one or multiple siblings. When I was a teenager, I craved the ability to design a room all on my own, a space with my unique touch. I was infamous in my family for finding hidden, unclaimed places around the home to adopt as my own- the crawl space under the basement stairs, the small storage room off the girl’s bedroom, or the extra-large closet on the top floor. Now, as a new mom at home with my young daughter, while thrilled that I have an entire home of my own to design, it’s caused me to reflect on the importance of intentionality in shaping the space where I live. Through this opportunity for interior home design, I have discovered a bit about the artistry behind making a space your own.
Just like our clothes and personal style outwardly reflect our personalities, our home also demonstrates who we are. In our homes, we are our own artists, crafting the kind of place where we want to grow, work, and welcome others. The first step to making a home your own is to work with what you have. Before you rush off to Target to purchase some of those tantalizing arrays of home goodies, stop, look, and maybe even dig a little into what you already have. Maybe there are some old frames in a drawer somewhere that just need a family photo. How about the beautiful painted dishes or bowls that are collecting dust in your cupboard that could transform your kitchen table? Or maybe that cute basket that is currently holding your husband’s knick knacks could serve a more aesthetic purpose on the living room shelf? Taking the time to work with what you already have not only saves money but allows your creativity to flourish by discovering how to give new purpose to an old item.
My next piece of advice is to arrange and rearrange. Let yourself play with what you already have! Don’t be afraid to put something in a place you aren’t quite sure about. Just leave it there for a day and watch what new ideas come from just relocating the item. Maybe seeing something in a place where it doesn’t quite belong will help you realize what the space needs or what it doesn’t. Any real artist will admit that they need to make messes, play around and experiment before they are satisfied with their masterpiece. Playing with your space will allow you to follow my next piece of advice, which is to shop with specificity. I know what it’s like to walk into a Home Goods or Target and blindly purchase what you think your home needs. However, this often leads to spending more money and forgetting your personal style as it gets swept up in Target’s vision for your home. You are the best creator of your home and with a little intentionality, you can figure out what your space needs. What I like to do is keep a running list of different home items to shop for on my phone or somewhere accessible so I can add to it as ideas come. Then, when I go to shop or happen to find myself in a thrift store and I see that perfect vase or frame that I have been looking for, I don’t feel guilty about the purchase because I know exactly how I will use it in the home. This small habit of intentionality prevents you from purchasing a unique item that just doesn’t fit your home décor style. Furthermore, it allows your artistic touch to shine through by fulfilling your inimitable, creative vision.
Hand in hand with shopping intentionally comes the need to think about the spaces in your home with intention. Before redesigning a space, ask yourself how you currently use it and whether you want to change or adjust its use. Thinking about how you want to use a space will allow you to design it towards that end. Do you use the space for prayer or play? Is it a multipurpose space? If so, how can you design it to meet more than one need? In addition, thinking about the current circumstances of your life, such as whether you have small children, pets, etc. will also help you create a space that is both practical and delightful.
Lastly, its most important to be able to adjust your home to new seasons. This means being open to amending your original design based on the changes that come your way- from cold weather to a new child or seasonal holiday. Being flexible with your space will allow it to grow along with you and your loved ones and expand your inner artist to adapt to the challenges each change brings.
Our homes are sacred spaces where the divine work of sanctity ought to be nourished. As creative persons, we have the capability to shape the space we live in to not only meet our physical needs but shape our spiritual desires as well. As soon as we view ourselves as artists of our own homes crafting a space best suited to our unique mission, the weight of trying to impress or stand out can fall away. Our homes ought to capture the process of becoming and not the attainment of completion. We are allowed to play, make mistakes and dwell in the creative space of experimentation. But ultimately, if we remember that the design of our homes should flow from our divine destiny, our homes will be able to serve a purpose beyond the practical and become a path to our final resting place and heavenly home.
