A prospective client, asked if she could look at my home before I came to hers. Later, as we drank cups of tea in my living room, she told me that she didn’t think I could decorate her house. Her husband was not into “shabby chic”, and she worried that her home would be too formal for me to work with. I hastily told her that if I redesigned her house it would not be a reflection of my style, it would be her belongings that I would be working with. She still wasn’t sure.
A year later, after many cups of tea, we put the finishing touches on her newly decorated home. We joined my ideas with her style, we found the perfect balance for her home, together.
Honestly, most of the homes I go to are more formal than mine, the most common complaint being that they are not “comfortable” enough. The rooms are generally avoided until they are pushed into use for the Holidays, or some other special family occasion.
If your home is unhappy in its formality, don’t run screaming into a casual direction. All it may need are a few personal touches, and, more often than not, a little imperfection to welcome people in. Maybe a lamp that doesn’t quite match, or an interesting collage of photos on the wall (instead of an unsteady selection on a side table, poised to fall over at the slightest movement). People can be intimidated by the thought of having to move a pillow, or put a drink down where there is no coaster. Make them feel that it’s ok to sit down and read a magazine, that you care more about their comfort than the way your home looks. It can be as simple as moving the furniture into a more cozy arrangement or, add some humor with a little gnome unexpectedly tucked between your crystal glasses.
Formal beauty does not have to be sacrificed for comfort, the combination, in fact, can be quite magical!
For more by Wendy and the Blue Giraffe, go to: http://www.thebluegiraffe.com/