For Mother's Day I was asked by Domino to post on some lessons learned by my mother, design or otherwise. This would be quite a list to compile since not only do Dee & I work together, but she is my best friend. The lessons and time spent together have been endless, but here are a few of my favorites.
1) Less is more- my mother has always been sophisticated. She looks immaculate, even when wearing her nightgown. I've grown to understand that her style, with both design and fashion is simple, good quality lasts a lifetime. You don't need the latest fad to look great- a simple cashmere sweater or a classic chesterfield sofa will never go out of style. Accessories are important, but don't overdo it. One or two pieces of jewelry look polished as does a few, key pieces in a bookcase.
2) In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson; " Be silly. Be honest. Be kind." This quote always reminded me of my mom because it perfectly describes her. She has an inner glow about her that shines through. She's always smiling, always positive and can laugh with the best of them. She loves her friends, family, children and is obsessed with her grandchildren. This is apparent in the brightness of her design and her love for it's history.
3) Always have a Plan B- it’s great to be organized and it helps tremendously when trying to have a handle on design and life in general. Although, there are times when no matter how much you plan, things aren’t going to work out the way you expected. D always taught me to look forward and get on with it. When plan A doesn’t work, plan B can be just as good, if not better. If you don’t get into your college of choice, maybe that second option is less stressful and the campus is prettier. If that paint color is a little bluer than you would have liked, maybe it will make the high gloss white molding pop even more and now we get to use those great geometric pillows we were salivating over. If you can’t get that apartment you were dreaming of, maybe the one around the corner with the weird green bathroom will end up being even more perfect because you can customize it to your exact liking. Basically, just let it go… things will be ok. This motto is very hard for a type A person like myself to grasp, but as I get older and go through life I've come to realize…. mother’s always right. Happy Mother's Day, D... Love you!!
