DREAM, DOCUMENT AND DELIVER!

There is an endless amount of documented research on the power of visualization and manifestation.  From Maxwell Maltz's famous "Psycho Cybernetics" to every modern thought influencer, envisioning how you want to end up gets your brain working on how to get you there. That's a fact, Jack!

Michael Jordan made it real when I was a kid.  It was the only book my brother read cover to cover, so I know it well.  He talked about seeing himself holding the trophy when he was in high school.  And not the high school crappy one, the real deal. 

If you can see it in your mind DONE, before a shovel ever touches dirt, your chances are much better for getting a home you love.

I buy it and I’ll show you why.

I was home with my first born, feeling the walls of our 900 square foot bungalow slowly closing in on me when I started to dream.  Being an interior designer, I was pretty sure I knew it all.  But what I found out was that when it's your house, it's a totally different ballgame!

It was like herding cats in my mind.  I knew how many decisions needed to be made, and that was part of the problem.  There is so much crap was out there to sort through and I didn't want to decide wrong!  Would people judge me?  I was a designer after all.  I should be able to get it right, right?

I lost days, if not weeks to lighting websites like bellacor.com endlessly scrolling for styles and deals. 

Like a dog when you say, "Squirrel!"

I knew this could go sideways in a hurry, so I treated myself like my client.

I started with the basics.  What did I know I want....really want and need?

Step #1.  DREAM AND DREAM BIG. 

Envisioning your future dream home in all its glory is the most important thing you need to do in order to plan, execute and get the home you want.  If you can dream it, you can make it happen. 

I dreamed about mine for years! Three loooonnnngggggg years in a bungalow that felt so tight, every path I took was made easier by turning sideways.  I’d imagine not being embarrassed when thinking of being able to have “our” holiday on the family calendar and the space to enjoy everyone. 

I'd dream of where everyone would end up (the kitchen island of course) and the glow of pride as I serve my guests another drink from my command central spot at my prep sink.  Wine opener conveniently located in the drawer beside me, a perfectly laid out plan.

What are 3 things you would love to have?

They can be crazy ideas, like a 3 story rock climbing wall in the entry hall that never ceases to make my client smile, or the laundry room that just works for you. We sometimes forget that we get to pick. 

And it's a ton of money to build a house, so you should include something you could squeal about when you think of it.  You deserve it!  You certainly will when you're done.

Just Dream in Detail.

Every year my husband brought home the largest Christmas tree he could find.   It got bigger when we had a baby, much bigger.  I had National forest type trees, too big for our tiny bungalow, squeezed through the front door.  Needles flying everywhere.  He’d smile, knowing every year I'd complain about the marks it made on the ceiling, the space it took up and other Grinch-like complaints.  It was like he was torturing me.

So, once we decided to build, I tried to find a space for that damn tree.  For years, I drew it up and ..

It’s a wow factor for sure, 27’ceilings, a cool catwalk across from the window and an echo to rival the yodelers in the mountains when I yell, “Get down here and empty the dishwasher!”  But it didn’t really add much to the design budget.  Arguments over the tree are done forever!  See? Good design can create peace!  And manifesting your dreams is possible.  Just plan well.

Whether you've already started the building and design process for your home, or you're not exactly sure where to begin, take a step back to envision...

What does your finished result look like?

• How do you want to feel in your new home?
• How do you want it to look?
• How will it improve the way you live?
• How will it satisfy the needs that you have now?
• How will it satisfy needs as your family grows, changes?
• How will it bring you joy?
• How will it solve challenges you are currently living with?
• How it will feel to see yourself and your family in memories there?
• How will it keep your family safe?  Physically, mentally and financially?

Make it real with details!

Don’t make a list, there’s plenty of time for that.  Feel the space.  Close your eyes and allow yourself to imagine you are a year (or three or five in my case) down the road.  The construction is done.  You’re arriving home from a long trip and looking forward to being in your own fabulous space.  

As you visualize yourself walking to your new front door, imagine each of the spaces as you progress.  How do you feel when you open the front door?  Is the handle sturdy and sleek or rustic and beefy?  Is there a bench to take off your shoes, a mirror to check yourself before you leave for work or come in from the cold?  Is it light, cozy, spacious, welcoming and warm?  What do you smell?  Stop and feel the space in your mind.  

When you're strolling to the fridge at midnight in your PJs, how does the floor feel under your feet?  Is it smooth and warm?  Sleek and sophisticated?  What kind of cabinet doors do you close after your midnight snack? Is the handle modern and clean or is it a hammered knob?  Are there soft lights under the cabinets to light the way...

Where will you spread out and do that hideous science project with your second grader?  Do you see a giant island with seating all around for a girls' night of wine tasting?   What does it feel like, laughing and running through the house after a wet dog?  

Feel every inch of it!  

Success comes to those who can see the END result with great detail.  If you give yourself time to get specific about what it is you see in your mind, you will better realize your vision IRL!  You may make changes along the way as you learn and grow, but the feeling will remain.  Do this in a quiet place, over and over till you get that vision clear enough to act.

 Alright, enough of the hippie dippy, woo woo shit...lets get to it!

STEP #2 DOCUMENT YOUR IDEAS

Start making boards on Pinterest for rooms, products and vibe you like.  Find images and don’t overthink it, just pin!  Make boards for each space and edit after a few weeks of pinning.  When I create a Pinterest board for a project, I suggest you start with the big picture.  Pin images that convey the vibe you want without worrying that you, 'don't like that chair, but do like the window', etc.  You'll come back and edit later.  Just pin what you like!

Check out my boards and pins to see if there's anything there to help you along the way!  Remember, Pinterest is a search engine!  It's way more useful than sites that just show a picture.  You can find reviews of products, resources, artists and ideas .

What strikes your fancy?  Take pictures of any detail you see; a house, the color of exterior siding, a chair, landscaping, AN OUTFIT??!   Home design trends follow behind fashion, so look ahead!   Houzz.com is a good resource as well for creating folders that make it easy to share multiple images at once with your professionals. 

Watch home or real estate shows to see trends, ideas.  Some are better than others, but they are similar in the trends that they show. I could go on and on about which ones are my favs to watch but in the end, it's the same story.  My husband screams as he runs through the living room from yet another home show,

"Oh no, we got in over our heads, something went wrong at the jobsite, we need a home.  Will it happen?  Commercial break.  Tears and a dream home! 

And now back to my blog...

Make a mood board or what designers call a "concept board" in Canva (it’s free and so easy to use, so download it!) with colors, style and images.  Make notes on every space as clear as if you were there! 

Here's a simple concept board we put together on the spot while designing a closet in a showroom.  Seeing the pieces together as a cohesive picture helps to make the design make sense!

Once you have these images, every decision will come from that to create a design plan that has a clear and consistent path to getting exactly what you need and want!  

As you add to each space, you will begin to see themes repeating and this will help narrow your focus.  Delete and organize your choices as they develop and evolve.  You will develop a clear, cohesive vision and be able to share that vision with those you need on board!  

Once you have a have a firm picture to refer back to when you have a decision to make, You can say:

• Does this fit with my vision of our home?
• Is this consistent with how we want to live?
• Does the plan deliver the layout that works for our needs and lifestyle?
• Will the plan grow with us as our needs change?
• How will this make my life easier, better, more enjoyable?
• Is it consistent with other elements I must have in the design?

There’s a house in my neighborhood that makes me nuts.  I walk by it everyday and I want to scream.  They have done several remodels over the years and each time, a new style, shape or design for a new window joins the party. 

It’s like the scene from the bar in “Star Wars” 

Everything is weird now.  Does that make sense?  None of the windows can be special or thoughtful because the design isn’t.  Even though I know they paid a pretty penny for those windows, they look cheap because they “don't go together!” 

“As human beings, we have a need for consistency with how we perceive ourselves in our world."

I forget where I heard that, but it applies to your home as well.  If an element you like doesn't fit with your vision, style, or feeling for your home, it will stand out like a sore thumb. You'll learn to make choices to keep consistent with your design style or "rules".  And you can still break the rules, when you know why!  

There are many things in my idea books that aren’t exactly what I ended up with, but almost all resemble something that came to life in our home.  So keep at it!  Whether or not you 'know your style' at the beginning, it will shine through if you keep looking.

Step #3 DELIVER YOUR INFO

We all have different ideas, concepts and experiences when defining style.  There's no rule book, so...

Clarity is Everything.  This is muy importante!!! 

As the saying goes, a picture's worth a 1000 words!  So is manufacturer's specifications, drawing on the floor in a Sharpie and repeating yourself!

If there's a way to clarify details or explain some special request, use it.  

Start your planning with the architect.  Go armed with pictures, layouts, whatever conveys what you want. Materials too.  You will get accurate plans for your contractors to bid from, which means a budget that reflects what you want so you can plan properly and stay on budget.  

Copies of the specifications for the faucet in the hands of your plumber leaves no room for error on your part.  Measurements, model #’s and pictures help ensure you get what you want from your design plan.  Drawings with locations (real measurements, leave nothing to chance!) for lights or appliances and will help keep your team on the same page.

Chaz (Mr. Chaz, to my girls) is my favorite, fabulous finished carpenter.  He's built every custom wacky thing I could think of from laundry chutes, to window seats, custom closets, and my beautiful desk I sit at now.  But, if I don't have clear drawings, photos and the time to stand there waving my arms, it won't get done the way I want it.  We have learned over the years, what it takes for him to get me, a demanding customer!  And for me to get him. 

But you don't have the time to develop a long term relationship with each sub contractor on site. I do this for a living.  You are, hopefully, doing this for a year.  So your courtship with the subs is short.  Love 'em and leave 'em but Be clear!

The people working for you to make your dreams a reality need to know what your reality looks like in a way THEY understand NOW! 

So, if your plumber is like my mother in law on his flip phone, you're not going to DM him the deets about a faucet you love (eewww, I feel gross just typing that). 

 

Ask how and when he would like the info he needs on fixtures, sizes, locations etc. Then, give it to him that way and three other ways as well! 

If you want to make sure, say it again, ask again.  People forget, things happen.  Overcommunication may make you annoying but your message will be understood, and I'll take that. 

You're not in this to make friends, you're in this to build your home your way!

A client called me to help with a built-in she wanted designed.  We went through her needs, what she wanted it to look like and how to design it with her contractor standing by, half listening. I needed him all the way listening for some custom details we were adding.

I could see the look, "yeah, yeah lady.  I know what I'm doing..." 

I know that look. 

This is the way things get done and we will include your "ideas'' as best we can.  THINGS GET DONE OUR WAY. 

Nahhhh, this is your house, ain't nobody gonna tell you otherwise....

Unless you don't tell them first, 

so err on the side of

Communicating in ways that everyone gets YOUR message is key to your success!  Do it clearly, often and then again!

Dreaming, documenting and delivering that information to your architect, contractor and vendors is the clearest path to your perfect home.  So start dreaming....in concrete.

Best,

Liz

p.s.  Have a question?  Drop me a line,  [email protected]