We all need to ask a simple question: What rules constrain us or do they at all serve a purpose? Whenever I begin a design challenge, the very first thing I ask is: Where is the surprise? How can I break the rules in unique ways that are elegant solutions but unexpected? What assumptions are typically made in this situation? Are they truly needed? Do they hold meaning for this individual or business?

Before adding anything new, I first look at what is already there. Existing materials, architectural details, even pieces destined for landfill often contain possibilities that simply haven’t been recognized, yet. This to me, is a sensible designer’s job. Or speaking frankly, “This is what separates the designer who says they’re sustainable and those that walk the talk!”

Sometimes the most meaningful decisions don’t come from buying more, they come from seeing differently. A stack of old buttons become a wall installation. Weathered lumber becomes a textural wall. A discarded object used well, becomes the very element guests remember long after they leave. Rulers as wall trim? Why not? When you bend the rules, then interiors become art.

I believe the most memorable spaces are created with my clients, not merely for them. Design should never feel like a mystery performed behind closed doors. It is a conversation, an exploration and often an adventure. When clients become participants in the process, they begin to see their own surroundings with fresh eyes. They discover that the familiar can become extraordinary and the objects they already own, hold the key to a space that is uniquely theirs, long after the designer is gone.

As you flip through these photographs, notice some things unlike anything you’ve seen before. That’s where I may have succeeded, not by following convention, but by stepping over the line, asking different questions and exploring new territories.

If you’re tempted to design for yourself, plunge into that lake. Trust your intuition. Take a chance. Break the rules. And if you find yourself tangled up along the way, give me a call. I’m easy to talk with and together we’ll sort it out. I promise.