24 April, 2019

Three Simple Steps to Successfully Make a Life Shift Through Interior Design

Making a Shift

I was at my daughter's violin lesson recently when her teacher prompter her “How do we make a shift? What are the three things we need to know?”
Where are you coming from?
Where are you going?
How are you going to get there?
This seems to be a great metaphor for life shifts as well. It struck me and made me reflect on how often we are working with our clients to accomplish a shift in life.

A New Phase In Life May Require a Shift

Often, it is a new phase in life that prompts someone to want a new space or a new home. A shift in life that requires careful thought and intention to support the new phase in your life in multiple ways.
The shifts our lives take over time are so varied. Here is a brief list of life changes that often lead to a client reaching out to LiLu Interiors.

For any of these changes, you can need or want a new environment that supports the change in your life and allows you to thrive through your life transition. You may also want new clothes; a new outlook, a coach or a new hairstyle to see you through these changes, each may require a different expert.
With any of these life shifts, LiLu Interiors uses a process that parallels the violin teacher’s advice.
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First we find out “Where are you coming from?”

This will involve finding out why you are making a change to your home. Whether you are remodeling, redecorating or building a new home. First, we need to find out what in your current home doesn’t work for you. That often involves finding out where the pain is? What doesn’t function well and what makes you unhappy.
Equally we find out what does work and what may be a just neutral for you.
We ask so many questions, you might get tired of us. We ask questions in person and in writing.
A short list of questions could look like this:
-What do you love about your current space?
-What do you like about your current space?
-What do you feel dissatisfied with in the current environment?
-What can you no longer tolerate in your current home?
This will give you a good idea of where you are coming from and what your current home lacks.
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Next, we assess “Where are you going?”

This is where we ask what changes to your life might have motivated you to want a new space or home. We ask if you have a particular goal in mind…like entertaining more or going back to school, that you need your space to support.
Much like any goal in life when you are changing your environment the first question you should ask is “Why do I want to make this change?” Once you know why it usually follows that you understand where you want to go.
Why do you want to entertain more? Perhaps you want to connect more with family and create a casual welcoming home. Perhaps you want to have business associates to your home more and need a specific look that will impress at the right level.
Maybe your family is growing and you are building a new home. Then, we would talk about where you are going in terms of how big your family will be. We seek to understand changes that occur over time and how your home can accommodate these changes.
There are as many places to go as there are families and individuals but you get the idea.
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Then “How will you get there?”

This, for most clients, is the most fun part of the shift. When you take a road trip, you need gps or a road map to get where you are going.
For a new environment, you need a design plan. The plan has three main components.
1-A drawn plan, elevations and renderings
From a furniture floor plan to a full construction plan every project should have a complete set of drawings. Drawings allow everyone involved from the homeowner to the contractor to understand the destination of this journey.
2-Written specifications and notes
These documents support drawings with written descriptions of the materials that will be used to create you space. Written specifications make sure you get exactly what you wanted…not something close.
3-Furnishing, fabric and accessory selections
The final piece of your environment will be the chair you sit on or the television you mount on the wall. Selecting all of these items before you create your home will ensure that you arrive where you intended to go. Not to an adjacent neighborhood.
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For more post on Intentional Design and How it can support your life. Check out the following posts.
Design Sucess with your New Years Resolutions into your Home
Designing a New Life and Home for the Empty Nester Phase of Life
Newly Weds New Home

Comments on Three Simple Steps to Successfully Make a Life Shift Through Interior Design
  1. Leslie Carothers says:

    Hi Lisa ~
    Thanks for helping me/us think about what life situations might require a shift in environment to help support our new goals. This was really helpful.

  2. Judith Taylor says:

    Making a shift, although challenging is very exciting. Most of us stay stuck for a very long time until a catalyst comes along. Once the change has occurred, we tend to wonder why it took so long. I enjoyed the read.

  3. Nicole DelaCruz says:

    Great post and especially love the Making a Shift reference. It really speaks to my time in life currently. Thank you! xoNicole

  4. Linda Merrill says:

    Wonderful and informative post Lisa – and such a great reference to life’s shifting circumstances!

  5. Sheri Bruneau says:

    Such a timely post. Making a Shift is a great way to think about moving forward. Thanks for this great post!

  6. Wendy says:

    Great post! There are so many things to think about. Thanks for breaking it down.

  7. Janet Lorusso says:

    Great post, Lisa! I love how you have distilled the thought process!

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