It’s All About You!

While moving through the transitions of my new life, I realized that there were opportunities to express myself in a positive, creative way. I have always loved expressing myself through interior decorating; now, it was all about me in my home.

A home is an expression of who you are! If you are living alone for the first time or your status has now become “CEO of the Home,” take advantage of your new role and create an environment that pleases you. Not only is this empowering, but your home will also make you feel happy and peaceful. This is now your very own oasis. Unfortunately, many people never get to have the benefits of having their own oasis.

Get your creative juices flowing. Don’t let the task become overwhelming. This can become as simple or complex as you would like it to be. Many newly single individuals find time that they didn’t have before. This can be a very healthy way to spend that time while changing your space to reflect who you are. Those who move to a new home after their life changes will most likely already be doing this. I stayed in the family home that my family had shared for years. It benefited my children and me to make some changes.

The first change I made was the summer my divorce was finalized. The dining room, which held so many memories of extended family holidays and celebrations, needed to be redefined to serve multiple purposes. I had chosen the original décor many years prior. It was a formal room with ink blue toile wallpaper with matching window treatments. The furniture was of excellent quality and was gifted by my family. This furniture was going to stay and be part of the new décor. There are ways to keep original pieces or parts of the room while still changing things up.

I removed the wallpaper myself and with the help of a professional. The professional painter and I discussed new colors completely different from the original blue. I tried to remove that wallpaper, but after several days of removal, the paper won. The professional removed the rest. We decided to hand paint one entire wall with a patterned stencil of champagne, gold, and silver colors. It turned out beautiful! It’s our own unique design with colors we custom chose for the project.

I then decided to permanently remove the window treatments and keep the large casement windows bare. There is now an unobstructed view of nature, trees, and bushes. I also get the luxury of instantaneously seeing when yard work needs to be done, when before I was able to just shut those curtains. The benefits of those views through the uncluttered windows definitely outweighs any negatives. I prescribe to the uncluttered space helps to keep an uncluttered mind.

Next, I altered the furniture placement to create a new, inviting, hip space. Because of my current attachment to those pieces and my need to keep them, repositioning them in my room was the perfect decision. A very traditional china cabinet, which houses my china and crystal, was put on a much smaller wall tucked away in a corner. I replaced it with the server, showcased it with new artwork pieces, and set it up for informal entertaining with friends. The walls were also dressed up with my daughter’s original paintings, which were a nice mix of contemporary and traditional art. It gave the room an even more special and unique feel because of her contributions to it. Lastly, I took a very small family antique table and repurposed it from another room and topped it with beautiful large crystals that had been purchased on various family travels with my children. Everything in the room means something to me. They are daily reminders of the new joy in my life and are often used during my meditations and manifestations.

My two loving, devoted, loyal Pomeranians have set the tone for the house. There are no carpets or area rugs to be found. Just expansive, sprawling wood which helps create continuity throughout the adjoining spaces and rooms. The best part is...there are no doggie accidents.

This is one example of the many changes and projects I have taken on to create the ultimate space of my own. There have been many other changes, some larger than others. I will always cherish the old memories, but there are now new happy spaces to create new ones and create a “fresh start.”