I have asked this question hundreds of times: when you put your key in the door at the end of the day and step inside, what do you want the room to do for you?
Not what do you want it to look like. What do you want it to do?
The answers are remarkably consistent. Most people say one of three things. Calm. Warm. Alive. And most people say it immediately. They do not need to think about it. They have known the answer for a long time.
The three feelings homes are for
Calm is the most common answer. The feeling of the volume coming down. Of the noise stopping at the door. For paintings made toward calm, read my posts on blue and green wall art and art for a calm bedroom.
Warm is the feeling of being held. Of a room that is specifically for you, that knows you. For paintings made toward warmth, read my posts on green wall art and the collector story about LOVE and PEACOCK.
Alive is the feeling of entering a room and finding that it has something to say. That it has energy and movement. For paintings made toward aliveness, read my posts on abstract wall art for living rooms and what alcohol ink art is.
What your home is currently telling you
Your home is already communicating something. A home that is primarily beige and neutral is saying: I will not cause problems. It is not saying: I am yours. For more on why rooms feel flat even when they look right, read my post on why your home might feel flat. And for the distinction between a room that decorates and one that holds you, read my post on the difference between art that decorates and art that holds you.
How to move from what your home is to what you need it to be
It requires one thing: an anchor chosen for the feeling you need rather than the visual it provides. For help choosing, read my post on how to choose wall art you won't get bored of. And for making the room feel specifically yours once you have chosen, read my post on how to make a room feel like yours.
Leave a comment