I had the good fortune to meet a remarkable man while attending a local art show last year. He asked me what I liked most about my interior design work, to which I replied “Changing people’s lives.”

He was quite intrigued by this response, and from there, proceeded to ask me some important questions about my approach to design and how I run my business. He is a life coach and in the business of helping people change their lives. I sometimes forget that… that this is my business. For me, design is a natural part of everything I do and how I see the world. It’s about paying attention to the things that matter and being mindful of how our surrounding can shape and define us, for better or worse. Our environment has a huge impact on who we are and how we operate in the world.

I think many people lose sight of this, or they feel limited by their expendable income. While we may not have control over much, we do have choices when it comes to how we live. It’s not about what we can afford to buy, or whether or not we live where we want, or with the one we want, in the house of our dreams, we still get to make important choices about how we live.

Our home should be our sanctuary, a place we feel safe in, comfortable, welcomed. It should be a place to rejuvenate, recharge and be inspired by. It may look different for all of us, but on some core level, we have the same essential needs. Home is an integral part of our well-being. It is what we make of it; where do we start?

There are decisions and choices to be made that will either enhance the essence of a space or detract from it. It may sound silly, but I do my best to “open to” and let each space “tell me” what it needs. By taking note of the architecture and history of the building, the entrance into the space, the orientation of the home to the sun’s exposure, window placement, and how much light a room gets… all these things affect the energy of the place and important considerations for how to best take advantage of the space. Just as much as who the people are who will live in, work in or visit the home/space.

For many people, important decisions are being made based on which wall the cable is on, or which room is the biggest, or where the nail holes were already in the walls. While all these things need to be factored in, or dealt with, I believe it is essential to start talking about more than just the physical space and how to fill it, but how we want to feel when we are in it, and how well it supports us and the most important activities of our lives.

How well does it truly reflect who we are, what’s important to us and how we want to live? Understanding that it’s less about the things money can buy and more about the decision to live with the things that matter to us. To experience something we have to create the space for it. Taking steps to pare down and simplify. Start small, one drawer, one closet, one room at a time it; it doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Give away what you don’t need, and make room for what is important. Do your best to relax the urge to just go out and buy something new, without first understanding what is missing, or essential. Then it is easier to see what you do have in a new light by rearranging your space to better suit your needs. Do some research, create an idea file. Get to know what it is you love and what you are drawn to. Pay attention to rooms you feel good in when you are out in the world–the colors, materials and feel of the place. Enlist help. If you can, seek the guidance of an expert who can help you make the right choices.

Make the decision to invest in YOU, and create a space you love. I look forward to sharing more about how you can change your space, and change your life.