This past year changed me.
It held one of the highest highs – marrying the love of my life – and also one of the lowest periods I’ve experienced. I went through new-onset anxiety and panic attacks that ultimately forced me to slow down in a way I never had before. I stepped away from a comfortable 9–5 job and gave myself space to reflect on how I was living.
I didn’t realize how hard I was pushing myself until my body asked me to stop.
Over the past few months, I’ve intentionally simplified my schedule, my expectations, and eventually, my surroundings.
That shift has shaped how I think about home and design.
How a Space Feels Matters More Than How It Looks
We live in a world of constant stimulation – notifications, emails, social media, news, to-do lists that never seem to end… It often feels like we’re expected to be “on” at all times, reacting instead of being present.
I believe this overstimulation seeps into our homes more than we realize…
I’ve learned that how a space looks is only part of the story. How it makes you feel is what matters most.
A home isn’t just a backdrop to life. It has the power to calm your nervous system or quietly drain you. When a space feels cluttered, chaotic, or visually loud, I feel it in my body – tension, restlessness, and an inability to fully exhale.
This realization is what led me toward intentional home design.
The environment we create around us shapes us in return.
— Winston Churchill
Calm Over Clutter
I wouldn’t define myself as a minimalist, but I do believe deeply in calm over clutter.
Intentional home design doesn’t mean empty or sterile spaces. It means thoughtful ones. Spaces where everything has a reason to be there. Sometimes that reason is functional. Sometimes it’s emotional.
Too much visual noise creates mental noise for me. When surfaces are overcrowded and drawers are overflowing, my nervous system stays on high alert. When a space is edited and intentional, I can breathe easier.
Calm is about giving the things you truly love room to exist – and giving yourself that same room, too.
Nature Is My Anchor
Nature has always grounded me. Time outdoors, especially in the mountains, has been one of the most reliable ways I calm my anxiety. Naturally, that influence has found its way into my home.
That’s why I’m drawn to bringing natural elements indoors: wood, stone, linen, plants, woven fibres, and soft, earthy colour palettes. These materials have a quiet presence. They don’t compete for attention. They feel honest and timeless.
I’ve also learned that mixing textures adds depth and warmth. So much furniture today is made from flat, hard materials that are affordable and functional (hello, IKEA – we love you!), but layering in natural textures creates a space that feels lived-in and human.
Timeless Over Trendy
I don’t love chasing trends.. in design or in life. Trends move fast, and I’ve learned the hard way that when I chase them, I get bored quickly. More importantly, it feeds into a cycle of constant consumption.
Intentional home design, to me, means choosing pieces that feel timeless and personal rather than trendy and disposable.
A hand-carved wooden elephant brought home from Thailand will always mean more to me than a trendy decor item I picked up on impulse. One tells a story. The other eventually ends up in storage.. or the donation pile.
(Do I love elephants? Yes. Is my true calling becoming an elephant keeper in Thailand? Also, yes.)
Timeless design is not only more sustainable, it creates homes that age with you instead of against you.
How This Shows Up in My Own Home
In practice, intentional home design has changed how I make decisions in my space.
I ask myself:
- Does this help me feel calm when I walk into the room?
- Does this piece have meaning or purpose?
- Am I choosing this because I love it, or because I feel like I should?
Some spaces in our home are still unfinished. Some projects are taking years, not weeks. And I’m learning that that’s okay.
A home doesn’t need to be complete to feel good. It just needs to feel honest.
A Home That Evolves
Our home is still very much a work in progress.. but it’s slowly becoming a space that reflects who we are and the life we’re building together. One that supports calm, presence, and intention over perfection.
That’s what I’ll continue sharing here. Not perfection – but progress 🤎
When you think about your own home, which spaces make you feel the most at ease – and what do they have in common?