Design Rules: Chill Out, Slow Down – You Might Create Your Dream Home

The Heister’s home. They believe in buying pieces they love, and their home is a lovely and elegant example of “slow design.”

“Chill out, man!”

I used to hate it when people said that to me. I don’t get emotional at the drop of a hat – unless its this swanky hat that drops:

From a future Open House tour – it’s a good one.

So when I do get upset about something, let me be; I promise I’ll get over it (maybe). Having said that, with regards to designing your house -

Please.
chill.
out.

I speak from experience. Your space looks great, but you just need X (a sofa, a rug, a lamp, you name it) to finish it. This is a dangerous mode, because your design sensibilities go out the window, and you start hunting (often desperately) instead of seeing. And when desperation takes over, people lose sight of the big picture.

Point Click Home. I needed images for this post, but they don’t necessarily relate to this rule unless you think they do, in which case the image choice was subconsciously intentional.

Designing is an art, but seeking a piece just to “finish” a room (and is it ever really finished?) is like checking a box to complete the form on your clipboard. People with clipboards* aren’t generally very cool (and I apologize in advance if you happen to be reading this from a clipboard).

Hey, Pottery Barn’s got a rug on sale, and I need a rug (it says it right here on my clipboard). This rug is OK. At least it’s the right size (almost), and it’s nice. I sort of like it. No I love it. Here’s my Visa!

Mission accomplished, right? No, not really.

Metropolitan Home. Rooms like this come together over time, one perfect piece after another. Resist the urge to check the box.

Because when you do find the perfect piece, you’re either going to buy it anyway (which means you’ve paid for two pieces when you only needed one) or you’ll decide not to buy it, because your inner Poindexter vetoes it. Then you’re stuck with that ugly, rug that’s a little too small for the space.

So Design Rules #4 says slow down – you just might wind up with the space you love.

*Don’t bother, I already bought the domain name.

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