A Little Peace of My Mind

Enjoying a lovely spring evening with friends the other night we shared our feeling as though we have ‘sand in our gears,’ metaphorically speaking. As a multi-year COVID pandemic tapers, a war to protect democracy rages whilst our domestic politics careen off a proverbial cliff of sanity. It’s easy to understand why we feel this way. If we’re paying attention and we care, it’s impossible to resume a comfortable life as we knew it (that is, if we were fortunate enough to have one).

Still, it’s very important (if not more important than ever) to very purposefully find joy in our existence. I have used the words ‘joy’ and ‘joyful pursuits’ in describing my own work for years. I was purposeful in using it because I felt the language was too scarce at the time. Today, I feel like I am seeing that language used everywhere. While the language is more pervasive, the actual experience of joy seems ever more scarce.

I have found it hard to write about interior design in my blog. Interior design is my joyful pursuit. It is something I find extremely rewarding and I find deep purpose in designing spaces that bring joy to others. When I sit down to write about it however, I can’t help but feel like it sounds trite to effervesce on the innovative use of beaded trim, or extol the virtues of well-conceived window treatments.

Starting my business following a difficult personal loss and within months of the start of a deadly pandemic provided a sense of clarity about what’s most important right up front in planning my business. Make no mistake however, creating beauty and joy in our world is absolutely critical as it has always been. What matters less is how we do it. As a designer I have my biases, but I celebrate any effort to bring joy and beauty into this world right now. I myself struggle to stay creative when I am also worrying about the many challenges we must face together in a world that grows more divisive. I partly use this blog as an opportunity to slow down, process and refocus. I realize now that is something we all find ourselves doing with more frequency.

I don’t want to sell you a new duvet by promising you joy in the purchase. I don’t even want to convince you that you need a duvet while you’re feeling strapped for joy in life. But what about the smell of a freshly laundered duvet in a crisp blue stripe, that’s been outside soaking up sunshine and the cool breeze (my absolute favorite smell). If you can, imagine that smell on your bed while you’re curled up reading a favorite book or snuggling with the ones you love. Imagine a time spent daydreaming, taking in that splendorous fragrance during a brief but lovely hiatus from a world that some days simply feels like too much. It’s not necessary to sell you that experience or your personal equivalent of that experience. I only need to convince you while it is necessary to acknowledge the privilege of having such an opportunity, it is vitally important to pursue it.