Tell Your Story

       When it comes to decorating, for many it's hard to know where to begin.  Thumbing through magazines, coffee table books, and catalogs is a good start to discovering the look that suits your taste, but the look should evolve beyond being a replica of tearsheets or showrooms. You may even attempt to copy what someone else has done, choose themes (style of a particular culture) or higher a decorator to do what they do, and although there is something to be had by these means, it's more original to ultimately implant your own footprint by making your space a space of your own.  There are many nicely decorated homes to the lay eye, but when you look deeper there is an absense of personality as if the house was a model for rent; providing the bones, but no organs and muscle and therefore no dimension or layers that says something about the occupant.  Even if the preference is minimilist, the choices should be conscious and representative.  In taking the theme route for instance you may get a semblance of what a person likes, but if the totality of the room represents a culture or country and not the person per se, all you have is something trite and trendy, and like all trends evetually fatigues.  I've seen way to much culture overkill in my time which simply comes off as excessive and ill decorated. Don't get me wrong,  I love to implement different textures and styles from around the world; not to create a theme or be ostentatious, but for the genuine love of the particular design and or material.  An example of this is my love affair with wood.  I am inspired by many aesthetics where wood is widely used such as Bali  and Africa.  This is a way to not only put furniture in a room, but to add works of art.  Wood work is broad and sculptual, and being a diletante of sculpture fits right in to my personal taste and interest.
       The first thing I look for in a room is how interesting it is and what it says about the person. (Sometimes you can see how a person dresses to give you an idea of how their place will look, but I digress).  I look at the choices of furniture, accessories (if they exist), the art or lack of and basically the thought behind the choices.  I quietly examine the room to often find little imagination, just pieces to serve a function.  Your home is your santuary and a reflection of yourself; taking the time to put together a space that represents you gives visitors a feeling of welcome and comfort.  It's all about having the confidence to make your space how you want it where you can feel at home with your choices and surroundings.
         When you walk through the door of ones home the pulse of the occupant is instanly felt.  There is an energy that determines if it's inviting, comfortable, and warm; giving truth to the phrase, "lived in" (without sacrificing style of course). This can be achieved first by attention to lighting where using lamps rather than bright ceiling lights illuminates the room as if you were using only candles, therefore establishing a mood of relaxtion.
       Having artwork is a great indicator of the story being told, whether it's an interesting print or originals from friends, off of the street, galleries, exibitions, or even your own if that's something you do or have attempted, as long as it suits your taste. I once purchased from a young artist on the street in Soho, a New York subway map drawn over in graffiti style with the word New York and a drawing of a subway car.  I framed it and put in my son's room to lace his wall with a funky piece of art suitable for a childs room. A stroll through Soho or any arty neighborhood can be rewarding; finding interesting artwork that's reasonably priced.
      Accessories inherited from family, flea markets, antiquing, or pieces you've aquired from travelling are all part of the text. Travelling is one of the best ways to add a personal touch, as what you've brought back is in itself your experience and therefore a conversation piece that tells a story of where you've been, what you like and even to a degree who you are.  When the sun sets, it's nice to know that your surroundings are not a fabrication of someone elses ideas, but an illustration of your way of life and what you enjoy about it.