Creating the story of your space + a questionnaire to help you get started...
Often times when I’m starting a new project with a client, they are anxious to begin. They can’t wait to change their space and want it done as quickly as possible. They’re ready for inspiring moodboards and samples and trips to the design center - and I don’t blame them - but it’s so important to start with the story you’d like to tell, and the best place to start is with the story of your home.
Ours began six years ago when we decided to move back to my husband’s hometown. We went to an open house and discovered that our house had been the childhood home of friends, and fell in love with it immediately. It was open and bright and had recently been remodeled, providing a clean slate for us to make it ours. Built in 1952, it has a mid-century/traditional/California vibe and two original fireplaces, which had us at hello. We designed it to reflect our specific tastes and lifestyle (compromises included!) and have given it a foundation from which to grow. We’ve made so many fun memories and celebrated important milestones with family and friends in the years we’ve been here, and hope for many more! There are still a few things I want to do, but the story will continue to unfold as time passes, so I’m taking it one step at a time.
What’s your home’s story? Is it architecturally significant? Where is it located? Is it a family home you inherited? An apartment or condo you’d like to redo? What do you want it to be? Where are you in your life? Are you just starting out or are you recent empty nesters? Maybe your everyday life isn’t as exciting as you’d like, but with your home you get to tell any story you’d like. You get to set the scene for the life you’d like to live and the space you want to see when you first walk in the door. That’s what interior design is all about - creating a space that makes you feel good, that delights you, relaxes you, reflects you and your tastes, experiences, and lifestyle. As an interior designer, my job is to help you tell that story so you develop your own sense of place, providing a foundation for you to live the life you want.
I have a questionnaire I always give to new clients and thought I’d share the key questions that I use to determine a home and homeowner’s particular story and the one we’re going to create together:
How did you find your home and how long have you lived here?
What do you love most about your home?
What would you like to change and why?
What are the specific architectural details that make your home special?
What are the inconsistencies in your home that don’t fit or that you’d like to (i.e. crown molding in a mid-century home)?
Where are your favorite places to visit? Favorite hotel/s? Why?
What’s the feeling you want to have when you walk in the door?
What are your three favorite colors?
What did you love most / like least about your childhood home?
Do you have any furniture that you’ve inherited or kept that you’d like to incorporate?
Who do you live with and what are your daily activities like?
Do you like to entertain? Cook? Read? What are your favorite things to do at home?
My questionnaire is a little more comprehensive, but answering these questions will help you discover the story of your home so you can begin to create a place you absolutely love. I hope this is helpful if you’re contemplating a major change or even just a few updates. Please comment if you have questions, need more ideas, have some of your own to share, or just want to say hello. I welcome your feedback and am so glad you’re here!
Thank you for reading Coberly Home and I’ll see you here next time…
C x
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