Denver Home Living Huettner Capital Summer 2017 | Page 22

"White is
calming and
promotes clarity
and harmony."
DESIGN
SIMPLIFIED:
HOW TO DESIGN A MEANINGFUL
AND HAPPY HOME
WITH KELLY ANDERSON
T
rendy, modern, beautiful. Above all, perfect. If you look
through any home décor magazine, or surf through
Houzz or Pinterest, it appears as if that is what makes
for a happy home. But take a closer look, and you’ll
see that perfection works only on camera, not in real life. off-white for walls. White is calming and promotes clarity
and harmony. It also provides a clean, fresh backdrop for the
interesting and meaningful things in your life like artwork,
books, and collections. A happy home is one that shines the
spotlight on the people and stories in it, not the walls!
Your home doesn't have to be perfect, just meaningful to you
and your family. It should be your personal sanctuary that
nourishes and rejuvenates you, and it should enable meaningful
living. I define meaningful living as enjoying the experiences
and people that make life wonderful, like time with family,
entertaining friends, creating, giving, contributing, and, of
course, curling up in my favorite chair and being still. 3. PURGE, PURGE AND PURGE SOME MORE
You don’t have to become a hard-core minimalist, but
decluttering your home of things that have no meaning
to you will free up space for the things that do. Donate
anything that you do not use regularly or that is not, in your
eyes, absolutely beautiful or meaningful. Then put simple
systems in place to keep these treasured items organized and
functional so that your home life is never frustrating.
Figure out what makes you happy and then make your
space uniquely meaningful to you. Design needn’t be
complicated or costly. The secret to creating “the perfect
home” is to keep it simple, practical, and a reflection of you.
Here are ten simple ideas to design a meaningful and happy home:
1. DESIGN FOR YOUR BEST LIFE
Your home should functionally make your life better and make
it easier to be your best. So design your home to support good
habits and make meaningful activities easier. Arrange the
furniture in your living room for conversations, and hide the
TV in a cabinet or low on a bench instead of front and centre.
Set up a writing desk or a workout room in a rarely used spare
bedroom. Organise your kitchen cupboards and counters
in a way that encourages healthy eating. Keep electronics
and the TV out of the bedroom. Carve out a dedicated
meditation corner. Design for real life, not for perfect looks.
2. MAKE IT CALM
Colors that are soothing to you may not necessarily be the latest
trend that you see in magazines and blogs. In general, neutral
and muted colors that mimic nature are the most relaxing
and soothing to our eyes and mind. I’m a big fan of white or
4. BRING SPECIAL ITEMS OUT IN THE OPEN
Just as important as ridding your space of clutter is designing
it to include the things that will make you happy. Prominently
display your favorite piece of art, whether it’s the kids' drawings,
a famous print, or a crazy flea market find that makes you smile.
Put photos on display of those you love. Use mementos from trips
or special occasions as functional items. For example, use a special
bowl in the entryway for holding keys. Stack up your favorite
books by the couch as a side table. Bring the antique trunk that
grandpa made out from the storage room and actually use it.
Frame those worn T-shirts or sports jerseys from days gone by
to create a hallway display (and free up closet space at the same
time). Don't make your space a slave to design rules or trends.
5. GROUP YOUR COLLECTIONS TOGETHER
Grouping similar things together makes a bigger impact than
dispersing them, and it also helps reduce the clutter in your
house. Dedicate only one shelf for your antique bottle collection.
Display your vacation shells or sea glass in vintage jars grouped
together on the mantel. Arrange your antique postcards on a desk
or tabletop with a piece of glass over them. Remove the door of
an upper kitchen cabinet to display your beautiful bowls. Lean
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