“Design is coming to grips with one’s real lifestyle, one’s real place in the world. Rooms should not be put together for show but to nourish one’s well being.” – Albert Hadley

It can be very tempting to decorate your home based on what you think will be appealing to others. How often do we choose colors and styles and artwork with someone else’s voice in the back of our mind, drowning out our own preferences? One of the most important things to keep in mind while decorating is that your home is about you. You are the one that needs to be comfortable there. You are the one that needs to look at the color of the walls and stare at the painting above the mantle every day.

While it is good to have a home that is visually appealing, you should not be designing your home around other people’s opinions and preferences. Your own desires should rule. Your home should represent your lifestyle, not a false image that you feel pressured to present.