I first discovered the power of claiming my space when I was 18.
I had always promised myself that I would leave home as soon as I became an adult. But when I graduated high school, I decided to take a gap year to travel.
Even though I was living in my parents’ house for a while longer, it was critical to me that I function as an independent adult who could make my own decisions.
So I embarked on updating my bedroom to reflect how I saw myself. I would lay in bed at night envisioning what was possible. I envisioned bold colors and a studio apartment vibe.
Then I made the choice to make that vision a reality.
I designed an elevated sleeping nook that extended into the attic, and set up the lower part of the room as a lounge.
I did almost all the work myself: sheetrocking, spackling, painting, refinishing furniture.
Moving from a daydream to a design to a built environment was empowering. The process was an external expression of the internal desire to take ownership of my own life.
This is the exact process I use now with my clients: I help them identify and hone a strong vision, and then create a plan to make that vision a reality. (Learn more about my unique Vision & Planning process here.)
The family for today’s featured project already had a clear vision – and they weren’t afraid to get down and dirty and do some of the work themselves. (Though they quickly discovered that doing the work was harder than they thought!)
