5 Essentials to keep in mind when you move away and need to decorate a new room from scratch! Your home is your safe nest.
Last month in October, I have launched my second collection on my new online shop which I called, infact :“Cozy Autumn Collection”.
I am now at the end of my fourth year working professionally as muralist and illustrator, so I can tell you that while you develop your craft, you also realize what the purpose behind YOU making art is. After all, we all have our personal story and that will reflect on the things we draw, write and create.
ART TO ME HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT OUR SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT, FEELING AT HOME WITH YOURSELF WHEREVER YOU ARE.
The catalyst to becoming an artist was leaving my comfortable environment: my home. I did it because I needed a drastic change in my early twenties, and across the past decade, I moved to 3 different countries. Each room meant a different canvas, where I was the one responsible to make it feel my own, each time adding a new brick to a life story I was custom-making with a creative twist.
So, I understood the essentials that I needed to make sure I could have a safe “nest” to return to…even when I was starting out alone.
IF YOU EVER LEFT YOUR HOME AND STARTED FROM SCRATCH, HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN DO:
I put together 5 essentials you can always look back on when you need to start from scratch in a new place:
1 - PICK YOUR MAIN ROOM COLORS
Colors are associated to our psychology and they make us feel differently. Do you have some colors you tend to gravitate to the most?
It can vary a lot between your clothes or your room. I always wear black, but my room is pink, green and yellow and furniture is made of wood. I think of it as walking into a forest so I start from those 3 main colors and customize the rest of the decor so it matches them.
You can choose a palette, or be maximalist and put everything, just have an idea of the vibe you want to go for and take it from there!
Now that I have my own, they go everywhere: my website is one example, but I have my mugs, my bowls, my hot water bottle and bedsheets and pillow all going along!!! I fuckin love it, and you deserve to get this feeling too.
Pink water bottle with cherries, my autumn cozy mug and leafy bedsheets!
2 - CHOOSE YOUR LIGHTS!
If you are on my website reading my blog or came here because you follow my instagram, chances are you are one or many of these: a night owl, love cozy vibes, you are somewhat gay, and just SAY NO TO THE BIG LIGHT. Natural light is fine… but the big bright bulb on to of our ceiling is a tough no; and, if we need it, rest assured it is warm white, and not cold white like the hospital lights. It’s common sense, ok? For dim lights, I like to place them in strategic spots. One by the bedside table, a bunch of candles, a main lamp with warm light plugged by the floor, and fairly lights to frame my window and the book shelf. So they are evenly spread out around the room, I can still see BUT they are not overpowering. You can also get colored led strips, like pink/orange if you want some color.
3 - YOU WALL DECOR MATTERS.
As muralist myself, I cannot be anything but enthusiastic when it comes to painting or decorating a wall with prints, photos or anything that remotely removes the sense of empty dread. If you rent like me, chances are you cannot do much on your wall, or maybe you can but….you want to make sure if you leave, that art stuff stays with ya. That’s why I love art prints!!!! I make my own of course, but I like to collect some from local artists when I go to markets. Your walls need some love and creativity, and each piece is a story of who you are now and the people you met.
4 - HAVE AT LEAST ONE STAPLE DAILY RITUAL AND ITEM
I have many: my comfy wool sweater, my go-to coffee mug and coffee maker, my owl-shaped essential oil diffuser and a cherry blossom essential oil so the room smells nice. You don’t need all of them. Just ask yourself what would be your first home necessity in the morning or when you come home after a long day work. For me is a morning coffee: it tells my brain it’s time to get going, and changing into my sweater in the evening wires me to wind down or stay more chill. What would be yours?
5 - REDUCE CLUTTER, MY FRIEND.
Listen, I am not here to say what is in order or not. I am, in fact, loving a room that is not minimalist because I like to see people’s personality shine thru their house. I also believe you do not need to have dozens of “organizers” to put your stuff in, because they just add more stuff that takes up space. I have a small room. I can’t keep everything. Getting rid of what you do not need is a much more useful thing to do than buying those organizers which WE ALL KNOW will not be organized. Once everything has its place, even if it isn’t “Pinterest worthy” I guarantee you it will benefit your peace of mind.
I am also the opposite of the artist who likes tho thrive in a chaotic studio. I need order, with a small amount of creative mess but the level of chaos in my surroundings will affect how well I get things done that day.
