Design Lessons from Creatives I Admire
That anyone can apply to create their own singular home
Over the holidays I was starkly reminded of the difference between a home and a place where someone lives. My in-laws, who were visiting from England for three weeks, rented an apartment in our building, and I say this in the most generous way, the contents were pretty generic; there to serve a practical purpose but devoid of any soul or personality. It worked just fine for their stay, almost like an Airbnb, but it was difficult for me to imagine living, like really living, in a place like that.
Creating a one-of-a-kind home — and helping others to do the same — is my lifelong mission. It’s not just that I think homes with character and warm touches are more aesthetically pleasing (and I do), but most importantly, I believe that they support the inhabitants in living a full, and meaningful, life. When you’re surrounded by what you love, your house becomes a home where you can thrive and truly make every day special.
Many would agree with this aspiration but might not feel equipped to achieve it, or think it’s only possible with an interior decorator and a big budget, or being an artist themself. That’s one way, for sure, but not the only way. Anyone is capable of creating a Singular home with time, patience, creativity, and ingenuity, and I’m going to show you how.
I’ve spent January revisiting some of my favorite creatives and interior inspirations. For as long as I can remember, I’ve gifted my mom a ‘Christmas book’, generally a gardening or interior coffee table book, that she would devour in the gloomy winter days. I’ve now adopted that tradition, and this year’s books offered a visual feast and wealth of design wisdom.
Reading and immersing oneself in the worlds of truly creative people is, in my opinion, the best way to learn and train your eye. Their homes have come together through a lifetime of experimenting and collecting. It’s a reminder to me that homes that are professionally decorated in a year are the exception, not the rule. I actually find the prospect of a lifelong creative project exciting; I mean, how boring in a way for it all to be figured out. I don’t know about you, but I live for the chase, the fact that a discovery of something I didn’t expect could be lurking around the corner. As well, I love the idea of my home being my life’s work.
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sense of spen• cer
noun [sɛns, əv, ˈspɛnsər]
Reflecting one’s identity through their interiors
A home with character and soul
When a house becomes a home
The drawing room in Veere Grenney’s Engli home The Temple
A bathroom in Nicky Haslam’s home
Another realization I find comforting: some of the best designers are self-taught, and they aren’t pretentious — their work is underscored by creativity and originality, and by taste. Because they trust their eye and think outside the box, they can pair something high end with something inexpensive or upcycle a promising piece of furniture with a lick of paint. They aren’t rule followers, and that liberates them to come up with unexpected combinations or details. A great many of them had a background in antiques and collecting, and while that might sound highfalutin, I’m talking about trekking to far-flung places and picking up bits in markets, or stopping by junk sales and strapping pieces on the top of their car.
The point is, anyone can have an individual, cozy, interesting home no matter how much money you have or whatever your circumstance (including renters like me). I feel passionately about this point, it is the essence of Sense of Spencer.
So, I thought I would share with you what I’ve learned from these creative people. This feels like a good a place as any to kick off Singular.