Get Ready To Be You! By Ezinne Kufre-Ekanem
Someone once said that, “living is the pursuit of a lifestyle”. Lifestyle on the other hand refers to the way a person lives. So you see, you are central to both living and lifestyle. You are the defining factor, the central refrain. Your life should be authentically yours… from the way you live, work and play. In other words… the time to be you and live authentic to your values is now!
A lot of people opt to live the furnished life, there is nothing wrong with that but the time has come for you to be you! Furnish your life with the accessories that make sense to you. Your clothes should portray who you are. The same should apply to your home… because this is where you spend the greater part of your time. It is very important that you know ‘you’ enough and be willing to boldly surround yourself and your family with the things you love. Nothing is more authentic and nothing works better.
Basic Furnishing Principles
- Go with your heart more than any other thing. Do not look to trends or fads only.
- Know yourself and what will work for you. Set your own trend. This will help the interior designer work the finer details out to suit your home.
- Do not be indecisive nor undecided and yet desire all the “it” looks without considering if it will work in your space, your scheme or even within your budget.
- Aim for aesthetics that allow you function optimally within it. I dare say that the same principles hold if you are trying to outfit an office, a home or a hotel…or an outdoor park/garden.
Before you bring in the professionals ask yourself a few questions:
Who are you?
How do you live?
What is your life’s philosophy?
Who will you be in the next 5 to 10 years? (Life translates and so should your furnishing)
What should your home be or say?
Image credits: Storage Talk (https://blog.storage.com/diy-home-organization-living-room-hacks/)
These questions are important because otherwise you may end up like many who have a mismatch between their personality and their home. We see that all the time, done up spaces, looking expensive and starchy even the owner is kind of afraid to lounge and exhale. Made for display. Made to showcase but not made for living. Just like wearing the right dress on the wrong body type.
Rather than make your home look like the next movie star’s, surround yourself with pieces of furnishings and furniture that scream ‘you’. These will tell the story of who you are, where you are coming from and where you are headed, how you live(d), work(ed) and play (ed) plus a whole lot more. These pieces will gladden your heart each time you recall why and where you sourced them. Interestingly, stuff like these add to one’s overall wellbeing and ultimately enjoyment of life (subject for another day).
God went to great lengths to make you unique so be unique. Be bold and make a statement in your interior. Break the rules and/or make up your own. It works. It always works. It always will work. Your home is your canvass and you should layer it authentically such that it translates as you do.
Culled from tw March 2017
