That time I got “totally in to...” and other reasons I love design.
Do you guys ever get “totally in to…” something and then learn everything you can about that topic and purchase all of the necessary equipment to become proficient in said topic, only to be enthusiastic about it for a limited time and then move on? Oh good, me too!!! Here’s a list of some things that I’ve been “totally in to” over the last few years or so….
1. Being French. I’m definitely connecting with my French heritage. This involves eating lots of bread and butter, going to the Farmers Market and only buying food for two days or so (this makes for both really fresh food and really inefficient use of my time), lots of wine, multiple trips to Anthropologie (aka my happy place), the purchase of as many books about France as I can find…mostly from Anthropologie because they have great pictures and make really good coffee table books.
2. Making soup. This ties in nicely to “being French” and was a really big hit (mostly for me, not Josh), during the fall and winter, not so much during the summer. I even got Mary into making soup…she now does it much more frequently than I do.
3. Loose-leaf tea. I told a friend I was “totally in to loose-leaf tea” and he made fun of me for at least 15 minutes. I don’t blame him because I know it’s a bit ridiculous, but he can laugh all he wants while I sip on my perfectly steeped Moroccan Mint tea.
4. Friendship bracelets. I was totally in to friendship bracelets mostly because I like all the different colors of string and I love to organize them into rainbow color order (more on my obsession with color in an upcoming post). However, I did tackle some pretty elaborate designs…like this horse bracelet that I made for my nephew. He loved it, but he has diabetes and washes his hands all the time so he can check his blood sugar - which means that it ended up needing to be cut off his arm because it got really mildewy and smelly… that’s unfortunate because I’ll probably never have the patience to create such an intricate friendship bracelet ever again. Le sigh.
5. Painting With String. This is just my attempt to make cross stitch/embroidery not sound super lame. No offense to people who like cross stitch/embroidery…I’m 100% with you…but, as with most of the things that I’m “totally in to,” I got made fun of enough that I tried changing the name of my latest passion project, which, like La Sagrada Familia, still hasn’t been completed. Josh thought it would be funny if we cross stitched a tiger but altered the pattern so that it was cross-eyed (which I thought was hilarious so I immediately purchased said tiger project). He promised to help. He hasn’t crossed a single stitch of our tiger but is now claiming that coming up with the concept was contribution enough. Which, I suppose he’s right, seeing as how Painting With String is my thing, but it helps to have a scapegoat when you’ve enthusiastically started a project that you still haven’t finished.
6. Drinking lots of water. On the surface this sounds like a good thing. However, I am not your average water drinker. I consume so much water in a single day (6-8 liters), that it prompted my doctor to test me for diabetes (excessive thirst is an indicator) and then when it turns out I don’t have diabetes, he commanded me to cut my water consumption to around 2 liters a day. Impossible! I’ve compromised with a happy medium of around 4 liters. Baby steps…
As you can see, I love trying new things and learning as much as I can about new topics. I definitely like to mix things up and try to do things in new ways. That’s why I love design so much and that’s also why Spruce has a Refresher service. Each project and each client is a completely new experience. I get to transform spaces in different styles and then move on to the next project and the next style. Refreshing a space doesn’t always mean you need to gut it and start from scratch. Often times rearranging pieces you already have and inserting one or two fresh new finds is all it takes to breathe new life into a space. I am always on the lookout for interesting decorative objects; I get bored and just have to rearrange. I’ll add new throw pillows and then invite friends over and think, “I wonder if they’ll notice my new Peruvian handmade embroidered llama pillows,” while simultaneously thinking, “I hope Josh doesn’t notice our new Peruvian handmade embroidered llama pillows”… hahaha! JK guys… but seriously. Sidenote - West Elm has some pretty adorable Peruvian handmade embroidered llama pillows.
People are always asking me what my favorite style is or if I have a specialty. My favorite style is constantly changing. Right now I’m “totally in to” CA Modern, but that could change at a moment’s notice. If you walked into my home you definitely wouldn’t see the CA Modern style even though it’s so of-the-moment - that isn’t what my space calls for. I love decorating with new styles and I feel very strongly that the style in a home should compliment the architecture of the house, the location, and the people who live there. I don’t ever try to force a style on a space. I think the space will speak and let you know what it should be…ok I know that sounds like total BS, (sort of like the time Josh went for a haircut and the stylist said, “I’ll let your hair tell me what to do” and then Josh left with his hair feathered, looking like Scott Baio – hilarious!) but it’s true.
If I’m designing a house 5 blocks from the beach, I’m not going to try to turn it into a log cabin. The space informs the design and so do the people using it. I want the space to look like and have a connection with the people who live there. It shouldn’t be a cookie cutter house that anyone could step into and live in. Which is why in my house I have things like a giant popcorn maker and a dream catcher and a bunch of photos and artwork that mean something to me. Nothing is permanent and you can always swap things out when you get “totally in to” something else! Just call up Spruce and we’ll be happy to give you a Refresher! So tell me, what are you guys “totally in to?!”
