Interior Design as Self-Care?

The New York Times is now dedicating a webpage and newsletter to ‘Smarter Living;’ offering stories, tips and advice that are all geared toward living a better, more fulfilling life. One article stood out to me as offering a great introduction to their definition of self-care in this context. I’m looking forward to seeing more and you might as well. See https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/03/smarter-living/self-care-routines-that-actually-help.html?

I strongly identify my life-work with the message of this article. The themes align with those of my own research and writing interests as of late. I hope to move the understanding of my work as a designer away from the realm of pure self-indulgence toward a deeper understanding of the purpose of design.

Designers can develop specific solutions for you and those can be very valuable solutions. I think we have to be careful however that we do not claim that pursuing design in itself leads to a better life. In some cases, it doesn’t. I think design is better understood as the metaphor for, or the reflection of, your life. A design solution can improve your life when it’s properly identified, timely and achievable in addressing the problem. Done well, it will amplify all of the good in your life that you bring to the process. If design is being pursued as a ‘solution’ to a deeper problem, it will only amplify that problem. Good intentions will be easily overshadowed by the starkness of an ill-fitting design solution.

Here’s a couple of examples: a new design is a great solution for the happy couple that decides together they want to invest in spending more quality time at home. It is not the best solution if one partner thinks the new design is going to improve or help one cope with a difficult relationship. Attempting to force a change and reallocating resources to that change may cause even more friction in the relationship. Similarly, investing heavily in a flashy new office design to perk up employees who are feeling under-valued and under-compensated is not likely to improve their morale and productivity; it may in fact build more resentment. It could also attract new employees, the addition of whom could only deepen the problems affecting current workers.

I don’t want to be the designer that doesn’t care about whether your life (or someone else’s life) is going to be better as a result of what we do together. It would not be appropriate for me to propose solutions for you beyond what I can offer, but I can step back and help you consider whether what I can offer is going to achieve your intended result. Having the judgment-free space I can provide to discuss your design objectives will yield an outcome that can indeed improve your life. Together we can create a design that will reflect the deepest care for you and the life you share.