Design has always been part of my life. I see the world in patterns and am highly sensitive to the environments that I am in.
When I was around 4 years old, I remember noticing the couch in our family room had tassels at the bottom of it and in my mind, those tassels were NOT the same length. As a valuable contributing member of my family, I decided to take matters into my own (not so capable) hands. Brimming with good intentions, I found a pair of unsuspecting scissors and proceeded to cut the tassels into a more pleasing arrangement. (Note: At this time in my life, I did not know anything about hand-eye coordination skills or that scissors are something that one needs to practice with.) Pleased with my efforts, I waited for my mother’s return. Upon seeing what I had done, I was swiftly banned from ever using scissors without supervision! Thankfully my skills have since improved. I see my attention to detail and desire to create an aesthetically pleasing environment as an integral part of some of my earliest memories.
Around that same time, I had a favorite uncle who would visit occasionally and happened to be a doctor. I was in awe of this profession that brought needed healing to the pain and suffering that I felt all around me. I decided that I too would be a doctor and also run the hospital because even from a young age, I dearly loved telling people what to do. As I daydreamed about this future, I began sketching out hospital floorplans. I created a secret passageway for medical staff to be able to avoid all of the bereft people in the main hallways. Creative problem solving and consideration for different people’s needs played into my earliest designs.
Being the youngest of three, I often ended up with the repetitive task of setting the table, which I did not enjoy. However, when we had guests coming, I had a chance to add flair! I would quickly place the table cloth, plates, etc., and then scour the house for things that I could use to create elaborate centerpieces. Various pieces of fabric, vases, water, glitter, candles, could all be transformed into an eye-catching display. One particular guest, an interior designer, who shared our table complimented my centerpiece design. His comment of validation is something that I still carry close. Repurposing items and making time to create beauty for a special experience are things that bring me great joy.
These are just three memories that convince me that I am where I am supposed to be. I can’t wait to see what stories I have in 5, even 10 years from now. Maybe it will be a story that includes your space! If you are interested in working together to create an optimized environment, feel free to reach out.
