Why impatience is your enemy-lessons in achieving the perfect interior

by Lisa Peck, ASID
We live in a hurried world, as things speed up our expectations have changed. I sometimes find myself wanting people to speak more quickly, respond to email immediately and walk speedily. Then I quiet myself and tap into the wisdom of mindfulness and what I know to be true. Sometimes for the very best things to happen, it takes a little time. In truth, I would prefer well formed thoughts to come back to me in my email. I appreciate a sensitive response and know that slowing down a little is good for me in many ways. I often find myself saying to my children "Have some patience, I will be there when I am done with....." I know that waiting for things to be done well and with a thoughtful approach achieves the best result.
This is true in the work we do in the LiLu studio. Some industries have sped up stamping out identical widgets at the speed of light and shipping them overnight. If a book strikes your fancy, it's available for download from the comfort of your home and you can be reading in minutes...no pesky trip to the book store involved. Your experience of the book may be different but you are reading. However, designing custom interiors that are unique to a client can't be done quickly. We need time to think about the perfect solution for you not just a good enough solution.  Architecture and design doesn't happen without thought. Many of the things that are in our built environment are still made by hand. Fabric is carefully appliqued, rugs are hand-knotted. A craftsman in North Carolina, California, Maine, or half-way around the world in Belguim, or Nepal is making something just for you. If you are working on a custom interior you are engaging in a process that takes time to unfold. Quality lasts and it takes time. Waiting several weeks or several months for an environment to be creating give you time to anticipate and savor the anticipation of creating something that will last a lifetime, if it's done right the first time. For more on the joy of anticipation read an New York Times article about travel. The same pleasure of anticipation can be true for many things including building your dream home or remodeling a room you will enjoy for years.
 

A hand-knotted rug on a loom in Nepal.