"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts"- Aristotle.
Can you think back to the most interesting person you have ever met? When they walked into the room, their presence made heads turn. The sophisticated style of their outfit paired with the perfect combination of shoes and accessories was not over-planned. Each piece is crafted and thoughtful, adding to the story of who they are and where they may have been. When you finally have the opportunity to hear them speak, their words are intentional, respectful, and thought-provoking.
Curating rooms with the same depth and personality is an art form. It takes skill to coordinate an outfit or a room. It takes years of practice and intentionality to curate a home.
Explaining the importance of this process can be hard to put into words. Sometimes, clients come to us asking for help coordinating finishes. Sometimes, they want help with layout and flow. Oftentimes both. But what we do is more than that; what we do is better described as placemaking. Using architecture, layout design, fixtures, finishes, furnishings, window treatments, artwork, and accessories, we curate a complete collection that tells a story. The best books written unfold slowly, revealing more about each character in each chapter. A home is similar in that it shouldn't all be laid out in front of you from the moment you enter. It is better to discover and connect with a home and each room in it one step at a time.
Let's look at a single room and break down its parts. The bathroom. A room that you visit multiple times daily. When you first open the door, what do you experience first? The floor tile's unique pattern and in-floor heat are like walking outside along a pebbled path on a sunny day. The stunning textural wall tile that appears to glisten with fresh morning dew catches your attention next. As you walk up to touch them, the view out the window allows for a moment to daydream about the possibilities of the day. Then, you close the shades, dim the lights, bring up gradual music, and turn on the shower to experience the pulsing sensation of rain and sunlight created by the showerhead. What a cleansing way to begin a new day. Each one of these elements is beautiful on its own, but together, they create an atmosphere that connects with your soul.
As we move into the fall months and add a few extra layers to our wardrobes, let us consider how to skillfully and intentionally add extra layers to our homes. The simple go-to solutions are pillows, blankets, and candles. These add functional warmth and texture and allow us to more fully experience a room when we use them to curl up and read a good book or watch the leaves fall outside the window. Let's take this approach a step further. Instead of a matching set of furniture, we replace an armchair with a natural leather wingback chair and ottoman. Then we add textured wallpaper to the walls instead of paint. Next, we remove the carpet and replace it with hardwood floors and a patterned wool rug that reminds us of a place we've been or a place we want to visit someday. Turn up the heat literally with the addition of a fireplace as the focal point and cleverly disguise the TV as a picture or, better yet, behind a mirror that renders it transparent when the TV is turned on. Layered lighting is the final element that, when designed appropriately, will infuse the room energy or support our emotional desire to cocoon.
"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts"- Aristotle.
Don't just live surrounded by beautiful things; create a beautiful place to fully experience living each day.
