Material Girl

I dealt with a personal struggle of materialism after a design consultation with a client regarding her kitchen remodel. She lived in what I thought was an already beautiful home that was about to receive a complete overhaul, and I was there to help her plan her new kitchen. This project is a designer’s dream, with budget-less, tasteful, and personable clients.

This remodel was also obviously the homeowner’s dream, because they were making the home their own, with their own personal flare and style. The timing was right for them, and they were bursting with excitement to get the remodel started.

But, while I was in their home discussing the plan and the scope of their project, all I could think about was my brother who lost his home in the flood. For him, at that point, it was a necessity to have a place to live, rather than a desire to make [what some would consider] unnecessary changes to an already-functional house. This is an example of two families who were at different places in their life with different priorities at the time.

 

I was reminded of an argument that took place with a friend in college regarding the “lack-of-importance and purpose” of my interior design degree compared to his “highly-acclaimed” engineering one. I somewhat understood where he was coming from; I was not going to be a teacher, or a doctor, or a police officer, or anything that he considered “vital” to humanity. Even though I give those professionals (and many more) all the credit in the world for the work that they do, I still defended myself and my profession during that conversation.

Ever since my brother has experienced his loss, I have had to remind myself of my purpose again while at work. Yes, my job can be materialistic and lighthearted sometimes, but that is one of the things that make it so enjoyable. It is also fun to be creative and help clients make their home into their very own sanctuary. Decorating and personalizing a home can invoke different feelings, and I want my clients to have good emotions and reactions when spending time at home.

In addition to aesthetic aspects of design, I can help to make their home safer and more efficient. As an interior designer, I guide my clients towards making the right decisions based on my product knowledge and experience. Designer friends, feel free to add your thoughts and memories!

And regarding flooding, fires, and all other disasters that can occur, I also help people replace materials lost during those situations. I love it when, after the initial reactions to damages, homeowners can see them as “blessings in disguises” if they end up with a home even more beautiful than what they started with.

 

Maybe my college friend was trying to get me to stick up for myself, and maybe that argument was another “blessing in disguise,” because it made me realize a PURPOSE for my own personal career path.  And that's a good thing, because I love design!

Note: These pictures are not specific to the topics of this blog post, they are merely representations of my past work.