Where there is a will, there is a way.

Adapt and overcome.

Don’t take no for an answer.

Though I fear I exhaust the people around me, these are the mantras that drive me each day. I don’t give them actual thought, but they are there. I can see evidence when I look back on an accomplishment or an idea come to fruition . An idea comes in and it must come ooooooooooout. I’ve carried six babies. Gained 40-50 pounds each time. My hips go out of whack. Walking is painful, sleeping is painful. Near the end, it feels as though my insides are going to fall out (TMI?) but I know the feeling of being pregnant. The joy of life and the ache of wanting it out to experience. The baby must come out, it’s only a matter of time. The same goes with an idea; be it for my garden, my kitchen, living room… goodness… even my wardrobe. I ache with it. I am heavy and pregnant with creativity. It MUST come out. Then it can be loved and nurtured into its next phase.

It’s not always that easy. Of course.

The challenge comes with the budget, time, and materials. Ideas for our Everyday Chateau are often very slow to materialize. I thought this home would be a five-year project, but there’s no way we will be done come our 5 year anniversary this December. It drives me batty, but that’s the way it is. Sometimes this delay saves me from an idea that wasn’t well formulated or from a creativity surge that was a bit more impulsive – other times this delay allows me extra time to fine-tune the idea and treasure hunt for the right pieces.

(Oh, the treasure hunting… My heart rate increases at the thought. But I’m getting sidetracked.)

I know I’m not talking to everyone here. Some of you are ‘one and done’. You style a room or invest in working with someone to style it for you — It’s finished and you’ll maybe redo it again in 10-15 years. I’ve done jobs like that for customers – we’ve gone from mauve 1980s sofas to red rooster toile and they have no PLANS of touching the space again until red rooster toile is a serious faux pas.

For those of you who like to knock it out and be done with it – Well done.

That sounds like such amazing sanity and boredom at the same time.

Know thyself. One and done is simply not me. That’s Ok – I suppose when it comes to a finished product versus ongoing creativity I’m speaking more to collectors, DIYers, and people like me who use their homes as one giant form of self-expression. Like a canvas that you’re always working on simply because it brings you pleasure. Someone once asked Monty Don why he was always making changes and adding to his garden – his response was basically. “You don’t get it.” That killed me. But I’m getting off course again…

Let’s talk about “the idea” and what it should do for you. À mon avis.

An idea for your space that’s been brought to fruition should bring you excitement, relief, and occasionally improved functionality. If you’re outsourcing your ideas, the person helping you should be able to crawl into your brain and find a look that you like, (even if you didn’t know you’d like it. ) This most likely will require look books, magazines, showrooms, samples, and more to get a feel for what floats your boat. They should also know how to push you gently in the direction of things you never thought of. But when it’s all said and done, I’d hope you were excited (about the new look of your space), relieved (that an ugly space was now beautiful) and I would hope that the functionality of the space had been improved upon (even if it’s as simple as a room getting used more ’cause everyone in the family wants to hang out there now).

What are you working on in your home? Are you saving for a project or in the middle of a room design? When it’s all said and done will you be excited to use it? (Why go through the pain of the change if it’s not going to add some fun drama to your life?) Will you be relieved that something once ugly or out of fashion is now beautiful? Will functionality be improved? These are three easy questions you can ask yourself to make sure you’re on the right track.

Excitement?

Relief?

Functionality?

I look forward to hearing what you’re doing in your own home. If you are a Society member -Please CLICK HERE to see the full version of this post and the three design challenges I’ve faced in this house and how I answered each of those three questions in each space.

I appreciate you being here!