Jess & I met a few years ago in the ceramic studio at our university. She is one of those souls blessed with a brilliant and gracious perspective on all things. Also turns out she's a bit of a homebody. Here are some of her thoughts on home...
I grew up with very modest means and once I left my parent’s home, like many young Americans with disposable incomes, I started to acquire ‘stuff.’ After graduating college, getting married, and moving across the country, I have been much more inclined to streamline ‘home’ and become a minimalist of sorts, searching for pieces that are functional but also reflect my style and provide a calming energy for my home.
The recent recession has caused many Americans, myself included, to rightfully reexamine our spending habits and accumulation of material goods, but I don’t think that that necessarily translates to neglecting a peaceful sanctuary at home…even on a strict budget. Home is the place where you come to recharge, to explore yourself, and where much of your life happens. I have sought to keep clutter out of my house because it truly clutters my mind. I have learned to look on Craigslist for nice pieces, like a one year old Ikea couch I purchased for less than a quarter of the price, and spruced up with a new cover to make it my own. Sometimes, of course, this means thinking outside the box, but I have found the process of creating my home to be very rewarding.
Another example of this is a recent project that I started with a bread rack that my husband used for his hockey equipment. As he slowly sold hockey gear he did not use anymore (yay for reducing clutter), we eliminated our need for a storage closet, and I saw promise in the bread rack, which is now my industrial/ shabby chic art supply and book rack, a funky representation of my style personality.
Finding beauty where you are at, minimizing clutter, and finding a few great pieces to make your place your own can truly be a centering experience. Those things are not easy feats, though, and that’s why I love what (re) design is offering…an opportunity to re-frame what you already have and enhance it, creating a place that you love to come home to.
The recent recession has caused many Americans, myself included, to rightfully reexamine our spending habits and accumulation of material goods, but I don’t think that that necessarily translates to neglecting a peaceful sanctuary at home…even on a strict budget. Home is the place where you come to recharge, to explore yourself, and where much of your life happens. I have sought to keep clutter out of my house because it truly clutters my mind. I have learned to look on Craigslist for nice pieces, like a one year old Ikea couch I purchased for less than a quarter of the price, and spruced up with a new cover to make it my own. Sometimes, of course, this means thinking outside the box, but I have found the process of creating my home to be very rewarding.
Another example of this is a recent project that I started with a bread rack that my husband used for his hockey equipment. As he slowly sold hockey gear he did not use anymore (yay for reducing clutter), we eliminated our need for a storage closet, and I saw promise in the bread rack, which is now my industrial/ shabby chic art supply and book rack, a funky representation of my style personality.
Finding beauty where you are at, minimizing clutter, and finding a few great pieces to make your place your own can truly be a centering experience. Those things are not easy feats, though, and that’s why I love what (re) design is offering…an opportunity to re-frame what you already have and enhance it, creating a place that you love to come home to.
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