How Do You Want Your Home To Feel?

I think I’m obsessive.

Okay, I know I’m obsessive.

I have a pattern of rapturous focus throughout my life to whatever my current fascination might be.
Thankfully, there have been periods where those obsessions lasted long enough for me to become a decent master of my interest (20 years in music and 8+ years in photography).

My current obsession is all things home design. (Though I’m ready to retire my obsession after I finish my own home. No plans to deviate career paths like the other interests aforementioned! 😉

The process of starting from scratch and drawing up a floor plan that meets our family lifestyle needs, to searching for the perfect building material has been quite exciting.

As with any project I undertake, I am very concerned about the “meaning” behind things.

I don’t want to design a house that is trendy and make all my decisions based on the current fashion.

I was so delighted to stumble upon The Inspired Room, Melissa Michael’s $2.99 ebook

“Not a DIY Diva: How to Create an Authentically Inspired Life In A Pinterest World”

How Do You Want Your Home to Feel?

Such a great thoughtful book. One of my favorite parts of the book was her exercise of writing down the words of how you wanted your home to FEEL. Not just how you want it to “look”, but what are the actual emotions you want experienced for those living and visiting in your home? Those answers will then direct all design and decor that follow.

So What Are My Words?

Simple. Cozy. Classic. Relaxing. History. Accepting.

I know that I want my home to feel like a coastal cottage home.

I love the feeling of being in a vacation cabin or cottage and having all the clutter of regular life completely gone and all that is left is the invitation to relax and live more simply. The building materials are often more natural (woods, metals, cotton, linens, etc.) which tip their hat to nature and encourage a more simple and organic life. I want my life to feel simple. Modest. Aware of nature. I also want others to feel cozy, accepted, and aware of the beauty of simple things.

As such, I’ve decided that my personal style is a mix of cottage+colonial in look and feel.

I love old traditional design. I currently live in a charming hundred year old remodeled bungalow (an old/new house) and the only way I can part with this house of character is to design a new house that feels old. Finding antiques, using reclaimed building materials and looking at classic design hardware has captivated my thoughts. I just love the feeling of history and permanence that come from that design.

We’re off to a good start!

The foundation is in, and we have a lovely basement (with lots of concrete that makes a fabulous natural reflector of light! Better take advantage of it before the roof goes on and my sky lightbox is gone!).

What are your words for your house?