Today is Earth Day and I thought I might offer a few thoughts for your next remodeling project. Or, just some general ideas for how to approach modifications to your space.
In addition to my degree in interior design, I obtained a certificate in sustainable business. I have always sought to be eco-conscious and one of my challenges as a design professional is advocating for renewed spaces while understanding that the impact of our consumption is to harm the environment. There’s simply no way around that.
Here are some practical tips to balance a desire for changes to your space with environmental stewardship.
Consider whether a change is really necessary.
So that one’s obvious, but most folks gloss over that one and I understand why that happens. If something really bothers me visually, it’s hard to resist the urge to change it. I watch shows about house hunting and observe the same dynamic at work – spaces ‘need’ to be gutted simply because they look ‘dated’ and/or do not accommodate the tastes of the potential buyer.
The biggest culprits for the itch to remodel are kitchens and bathrooms. Because renovation is so expensive in these spaces, it’s tempting to go all-out for a showroom look when you remodel. Following the latest fad to look ‘current’ has its drawbacks. The most likely reason someone dislikes a previously – designed space is because someone chased a fad when it was put together. It’s more likely the space will “ugly out” before it wears out.
Resisting the urge to remodel until the point of wear and tear prompts replacement is a virtue, as can be finding creative ways to accessorize or resurface items to buy more time until a major redo. You can potentially mask an overt existing style and draw attention away from things you don’t like about it. You might get extra style points for doing so. I personally find this kind of challenge quite gratifying on several levels.
Choose Timeless Over Trendy
Building off the previous point, resist the urge to follow the latest trends – especially if it forces major expansion of your project. I can almost guarantee you that adopting trends without consideration of your personal style will make your space look ‘dated’ to you much sooner than you would like or expect.
Remember your grandparents home (or perhaps the home of an older person who has lived there for a long time)? I remember my grandparents and the character of their homes – how it reflected their personality and made me feel like I was a part of their world. Because they didn’t have a lot of resources and because changes weren’t a priority, their spaces remained unchanged for many years. They found this comforting, and I found it fun to be around. Some may have called these spaces design fails for their lack of intention over time, but I think they managed to capture a crucial aspect of any successful interior design. These spaces were truly home and truly loved – not for how they looked, but how people felt being in them.
There’s another upside to this way of approaching your space – less waste and more appreciation for legacy pieces that will last for years. Having the same things for a long time doesn’t have to make your space a time capsule. Think of it as a long-unfolding story of who you are and where you’ve been in life. It’s way more interesting than you give yourself credit for, really.
Don’t Go All Out for One Space
This problem I see a lot – someone with the resources to make a major change to one space ends up doing it in a way that is fully incongruent with the rest of their space. It’s a bad idea. This is the making of major mission-creep. That is, once you have your beautiful shiny space completed it will likely make you see everything else very differently. Suddenly, that bathroom adjacent to your new kitchen looks drab and depressing. Or, wow you never noticed how that medium oak trim stands out in the rest of your house now that your kitchen is in farmhouse white.
Even if you adhere to the style of existing finishes (an unlikely scenario for most people who aren’t in a position to remodel frequently) – making everything shiny and new will affect your perception of other spaces. So unless you truly need to do something major (like knock out a wall or install major plumbing upgrades, mold abatement and the like) I advocate for the gradual evolution of spaces to avoid the scenario of now disliking everything else nearby.
I have made a number of changes in my home, but most of the time people who visit take a while to notice them. Visitors are always complimentary about its appearance generally; saying “you’re home is always so nice” as if it never changes. So it’s super fun to have someone notice a change and then say “wow, that thing you put there is really cool – you know, it looks like it has always been there.” You might think this gives me pause as a designer that there’s no drama, but I take it as a sincere compliment. I don’t want big changes; I want a meaningful evolution of spaces to reflect the unique qualities of my family and our experiences together. Mission accomplished.
If you were to see photos of my home over time, you would see a dramatic change from start to today. But somehow it still ‘feels’ the same in a very good way. Having an aesthetic that can evolve with you means less investment in dramatic changes and excess consumption; it generates opportunities for more investment in statement pieces that stay with you.
And Yes, a Designer is Still Helpful
Designers have abilities and training to help achieve the objectives I describe, or any of your design objectives really. A good designer will create that dramatic new look you’re seeking; a great designer might do the same or try to talk you out of it.
If I am challenging someone about their design, it’s never (or extremely rarely) because something is in poor taste. It’s likely for one of the reasons above. Someone driven by sales might see dollar signs when someone commits one of the blunders I describe. I see a sad little planet asking for mercy.
Sara L. Hinkel, M.S.Ed. 