Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Looking Ahead…And Living Well

A recent article in the January 10 issue of Parade Magazine gave me a needed refresher on where we are and where we are going.  (“Living Well With What You Have” by Lynn Schnumberger, Parade Magazine, Jan. 10, 2010)

The article talked about living well with what you have.  Sometimes that means giving up the things that you thought you could not do without.  When your priorities change, sometimes your outlook on life changes.  The things that once held such great importance seem to fade and we find that the simple things around us, things (or people)  that may have always been there, have taken a new place and new meaning in our lives.  We invest in people rather than in real estate.  We think of ways to help those around us who are less fortunate.  We learn to give up some things in order to have other things.  We learn that quality sometimes surpasses quantity.

After reading the article I began to think about how this relates to interior design and to the services I offer my clients.  I think that my role as a designer is to educate my clients and guide them in their decisions for investing in their living spaces.  I know that priorities have changed and people are hesitant to spend their dollars in ways that they may have before.  I appreciate the “good steward” attitude of using what you have wisely and know that I want be able to assist my clients in doing so.

Looking ahead into 2010 can bring some apprehension, but also a quiet confidence in knowing that we have all learned a lot. Some of us have personally faced financial challenges in the past year or have friends and loved one who have.  These challenges and experiences can cause us to move forward a little wiser,  a little happier and with a renewed appreciation for simplification in our lives.  I want to live well in 2010 and have a blast doing it!

I have a simple philosophy:  Fill what's empty.  Empty what's full.  Scratch where it itches.  ~Alice Roosevelt Longworth

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