I have always had an eye and appreciation for design. As a child, I would watch the background of the movie on the TV more than the plot. I once fell in love with a swing set from “10 Things I Hate About You” so much so that I was able to convince my dad to build it. We sat there and paused it countless times drawing the design out. I wanted to be married in the backyard of the movie “Father of the Bride”. I wanted to grow up in a house that was decorated like “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “Home Alone”.
To me, it is all in the details and I love details! When hosting birthday parties for my children I would pick a theme and research it. Then I would design all the details. They loved it, but when they started to outgrow themed birthday parties I switched gears to themes at my dental office (yes I am a dentist). Star Wars, March Madness, and Shark Week themes just to name a few. Then one day my sister was over to my house and she said: “As creative as you are why does your house not reflect that?” That really resonated with me. So I jumped in head first. First, a half bath, then a pantry, a hallway, a den, a staircase, an art room, a kitchen and outdoor space remodel, and a laundry room. Phew! The thing is I haven’t even reached the surface. Even rooms that are “finished” aren’t finished. I believe in the details and when you add details to a house there are always more layers that you can add.
I have spent countless hours watching the backdrops of movies and shows for inspiration, read articles and books on design, and scoured Instagram and Pinterest. Learned to create mood boards. Oh and countless sketches and drawings. For me design is expressive; something unique in a world where everyone seems to be promoting the same things.
Learning to make things myself has helped me to create designs that are truly my own. My children have learned life skills with these projects as well. They have been a part of the hard work and the process. They have learned that things take time, and to pay attention to details, and they have learned lifelong skills like problem-solving. Teachers have asked them how they know so much about construction. Their answer: “We do a lot of projects.”
So what started out as themed parties have evolved into full-room remodels with my family helping along the way. Follow along as I catch you up.
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