Designing with intuition is easier said than done, but Cassandra Ellis, a New Zealand–born designer living in London, does it right.
We like Cassandra’s take on the decorating ideal: “The magic is that it isn’t officially interior decorated, it is instead a long and rambling poem revealing someone’s life,” as she writes about Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge, England.
1. Create a sense of place.
When you are welcomed into a person s home you hope to catch a whiff of who they are You want to understand their likes dislikes views and overall approach to life and hope that it chimes comfortably with the person themselves Of course you want to know what it looks like but once you ve got...
...over that your biggest impression will be how it feels Conversely when you welcome someone into your home you are showing them a visual and very personal manifestation of who you are Or you should be because your home should be your story teller the weaver of the red thread and a marker of you and yours
Photograph courtesy of The Modern House.
Accents like a bronzed leaf sconce tell the story of Cassandra’s own style from her former apartment in Battersea, London.
2. Consider your stylistic roots.
You must be aware of your own stylistic roots who you are and who and what has influenced you Remember what shaped and excited you as a child as much as your own adventures as an adult My childhood home...
...felt like home partly because our family pets were buried under the apple tree and it gave me a great sense of place This translates into my adult homes in that wild orchard like gardens and animals are always there
Photograph courtesy of Cassandra Ellis.
The fireplace in the Victorian Terrace house in Peckham Rye that Cassandra once renovated from a state of near disrepair.
When creating your own home it s super important to forget positively ignore what anyone else thinks you should do Your mother best friend monthly interiors magazine all have no idea of that particularly unique thread...
3. Tune out the noise.
...that you need They are looking at your home from their own perspective of you or in the case of some media what they want you to buy to neatly fit in with this seasons trends
Photograph courtesy of Cassandra Ellis.
Often what you need is something you already own.
Before you start you need to know what fills you up and what brings you down man What sparks joy and what depresses you Red will never find its way into my home and I personally struggle with the concept of super spec d kitchens Plus I don t own a telly I do love ephemera sheepskins curtain free windows and dogs and always have Some or all of these may make you break into a cold sweat Just remember that one s approach to creating your home is not...
4. Be honest with yourself.
...better taste or on trend more than someone else s and who cares anyway I often visit or read about the homes and creative spaces of thinkers designers and makers who emphatically chose a very personal way of living I may not like their choices or their aesthetic leanings but it is encouraging to understand the freedom they had from creating their own visual world It doesn t mean you should replicate what they do rather give yourself the thumbs up if you dive head first into your own personal passions
A kitchen with the markings of Cassandra’s style created from reliable favorites: sconces from Artemide and Charlotte Perriand, Henry IV marble, oak countertops, and small framed portraits.
5. Create a storyboard.
Creating something that is a visual curation of what you want your home to be is a great way to begin And where you start is with a Storyboard not a Pinterest online image board rather a cut out and keep how do I want to live in my home and how do I want it to feel storyboard Like all simple and pure creative processes you just need a really large piece roll of card glue tape a stack of printed material some writing tools and scissors Pull out...
...images words and colors from the magazines catalogues brochures tickets postcards from exhibitions poems paint charts anything that speaks to you Print off anything you ve stored on your phone or computer too Note that this storyboard isn t the place to create a shopping list of things you d like to buy you can do that later Try not to use images of anything that s on trend because what comes in goes out I m talking to you dark blue kitchen with a Carrera marble worktop and brass handles
Cassandra’s snapshot of one of her storyboards, a photocopied cut-and-paste collage.
Photograph courtesy of Cassandra Ellis.
Then create a visual board of what home is to you something that shows an outward expression of what it should feel like Cut things out move them around and paste a collage together You can lay it...
6. Edit, edit, edit.
...out and take pictures with your phone and move images around before you finally commit Write on it if you want to Add some color swatches whatever it is that makes this board a representation of your home
Sticky notes prove useful.
Photograph courtesy of Cassandra Ellis.
7. See the story emerge.
Once you have done this you ll very clearly see a story emerging Involve everyone in your home in this process It isn t easy but it is worth it I think that this is the very best place to start understanding how...
...to create a home that reflects you Put it somewhere you can see it every day Live with it change it but take your time to know that it s you Because creating a personalized space isn t a race it s your home
Cassandra’s own Chesterfield Sofa and Big Chair anchor a living room composed with lighting, objects, and accessories accrued over time.
Photograph courtesy of The Modern House.