Keep Calm & Throw It Out

The feeling of calm is something that can be in short supply in our busy lives--and it is the feeling that most of us long to create in our homes. 

Should be easy, right? 

The mistake we can make is thinking that to improve a room, we have to ADD something. But in this case what is missing is CALM, and to create this much sought after feeling, we most often need to take something away. 

Because we are such busy people, we often have a lot of STUFF out in our homes and don't realize how this changes how we feel each day. 

You see, when we have a lot of stuff sitting out, it is almost like having a group of people all talking at us at the same time. You may not really "see" all of those items on the shelf or stuck on the refrigerator anymore --it may have become white noise to you--but trust me, they are still trying to get your attention and causing a commotion every time your eye glances over them....

What things around your home can be taken down, donated, thrown out, put in a drawer, or stored in such a way that it gives you some visual rest? Having less on the surfaces in our homes automatically makes it feel more settled. It helps us to feel more calm. 

And peace and calm is what I wish for you, dear friends! 

Whoa--there are some fun changes going on around here!

We aren't even three weeks into 2017 yet, but there are so many fun changes and exciting things going on already that I can't wait to share with you. 

First, the picture above is of a new addition that I designed for a long-time client last year. After many months of planning and dreaming, the new space is becoming a reality! I stopped by at the job site yesterday to see how it is taking shape, and it is just soooo exciting to see the walls and roof being put in place.

SECOND--back in October I received a call from a new client who was interested in my help with reworking the island in her kitchen.

She had selected the countertop, paint color and backsplash in a rush as the room was being built a few years ago, and had never been happy with how the room came together... 

I got to see how things were progressing yesterday, and I was so glad to hear her say how much SHE LOVES the room now!

As you can see below, we redesigned the cabinetry so now she has a level counter--providing much more usable space. We also selected a gorgeous soapstone countertop, which compliments the granite around the perimeter (something she and her husband did not want to change) and goes so well with the historic character of her farmhouse.

The backsplash and new paint have not gone as of yet, but when they do, this room is really going to sing! The granite around the perimeter of the kitchen will no longer have to compete with the busy small tile above it, and the new colors will soften the room and make it more soothing--as well as compliment the gorgeous stone found in this old farmhouse.

And the last but NOT THE LEAST of all of these new changes is this very website you are on! 

I am so excited to reveal Revealing Redesign's BEAUTIFUL new website that was just completed in the last days of 2016!

I am SO PROUD! You can read all about how this new site was created by my amazing friend Elizabeth Fanslow right here. 

So many amazing things in the past two weeks--looking forward to seeing what the rest of 2017 has in store!

What if it were possible?

I think this is the best time of year to ask ourselves this question. I really do. 

We are just a few days into a new year--a time when many people long to make a fresh start, to make big changes, to feel the thrill of possibility. 

What if ________ were possible??

Thrilling, right??

One of the most important things I learned a few years ago, during a time of intense personal growth, was to ask myself this very simple question when I came upon something that seemed like a roadblock or a limitation (which happens a lot when you are really stretching yourself).  

For example, if in 2017 you are thinking of changing jobs, getting the pet hamster you have been dreaming of, embarking on a home renovation (my personal favorite! :), or some other life-altering undertaking, you may find yourself saying limiting things like:

I don't have time for this!

That is too expensive.

That will never work for me.

I'm too old for this kind of craziness!

I can't stand cleaning up hamster poop.

This negativity will happen. You know it will. SO this is the time when you simply step back and ask yourself this question: 

What if it were possible....?

and you then fill in the blank :

"What if it were possible that I could easily find the time/money I needed to accomplish this?"

"What if it were possible that I am at the perfect age and time of my life for this to happen? "

"What if it were possible that I could toilet train my new pet hamster?"

I mean, who's to say it isn't??

It isn't important to answer this question, just to ask it. Write down your question and leave it somewhere where you will see it often. Read it out loud. Allow yourself to ponder the possibility. :)

May the year ahead be one in which we all stretch and grow, dream big and keep putting one foot in front of the other. And as we go along, let's keep asking ourselves and those we love this question that is so full of possibility:

What if it were possible...?

(AND if you are wondering just what is possible in your home--just how beautiful, nurturing, and pulled-together can it really be?--don't forget to check out my special offer that is going on right now, and will end in just a few days. CLICK HERE to learn more. )

Is yours a YES, or a no?

This is the time of year when we start thinking of all the things in our lives that we wish were just a little--or maybe a whole lot--different. 

A new year, a new start? 

I have friends that have a wonderful tradition of picking a "word of the year," a single word that encapsulates all that they hope 2017 will be for them--an ideal to work towards, a touchstone to bring them back to what matters, a mantra to focus on when they feel they are getting off track. 

I know others who are focusing on changing just one behavior. As it is said, change just one thing, and see all of the amazing results that can come from that one simple shift... 

But what about your house? How does this environment that we spend so much of our time in contribute to your vision for the new year and beyond? In reality, it can either hold us back or help push us forward, each day it can either encourage or discourage us in the things we want to do and long to create. 

When you picture your home in your mind's eye, do you have the gut feeling of "YES!"--or maybe do you get a weak, milk toast feeling of "no"...?

If you have ever been to one of my workshops, you know that I often start the class with a guided meditation of sorts where we picture one of your life's "best places," a place where you felt the most like yourself when you were a kid or young adult.

You should see the serene smiles on people's faces when they revisit these beautiful locations in their mind. This is what a YES looks like. 

If you know that you want to make a change in 2017, and want your home to be a part of creating that meaningful shift--if you want that YES-- I have just the thing for you! Here is a special tool to get you off on the right foot as we turn the page on the calendar. 

This will only be available for the next two weeks, so don't delay--CLICK HERE to check it out. Happy New Year!!

All That Darkness--That Little Mighty Light

Last year at this time someone told me a story about a person completely enveloped in darkness, locked in a room so dark they couldn't see their hand when held just inches in front of their face. That darkness seemed all-powerful, omnipresent...that is until someone lit a candle. 

As dominant and dire as the darkness had seemed, it was completely powerless against the small flame of a single candle.  The light was small, but it was mighty. 

We have just lived through the shortest, darkest day of the year, the Winter Solstice--a cold, dreary time of year when things can feel pretty bleak. BUT NOW the days will be becoming longer and brighter. Little bit by little bit we are moving toward the light. 

May each of us live into our potential to be a small but mighty source of light in a world that can indeed be very dark at times --and may our homes be sources of comfort, healing, beauty and rest so that our light can shine all the brighter. 


The darkness will be powerless against it.