The Role of Personal Values in Building a Soulful, Grounded Home
I want you to imagine that you’re starting from scratch and moving into a new home. We’re going to pretend that this is a brand new space, devoid of any character or architectural detail, with pure white walls and empty rooms.
Now imagine that you have to leave all of your stuff behind.
How does that make you feel?
Do you feel relieved to let go of everything? Or are you sad to say goodbye to the things you’ve collected?
The way you answer those questions gives us a hint at how you’re feeling about your life, what you value.
Why do values matter when designing a home?
Personally, if someone threw away all of my stuff and plopped me into a blank space, I’d be furious. Okay, I might be fine about having a blank canvas to work with. But I would be heartbroken to lose pieces I’ve carefully collected over the years.
This tells me that while part of me feels inspired and excited by a blank canvas, there’s a stronger part of me that finds a sense of safety and identity in my possessions.
I know that I value sentimentality, emotional safety, and the story behind all of the items in my home. Whether it’s part of my story, like a print I picked up as a souvenir in Scotland, or something I thrifted that had a whole story before I brought it home, my sense of style is constantly evolving based on the history behind the pieces in my home. Letting them go would be like giving away a piece of my heart.
Our values make us human
Learning about your personal values is a beautiful part of being human. We get to decide what is important to us, where we want to put our energy, how we show up in the world, and who we want to spend time with.
Values are also a vital piece of the puzzle in design because they can help us move through the process with intention and purpose.
Here are a few more examples of how our values can show up in our homes:
• Valuing sustainability and caring for the environment might influence what materials you choose, how much you buy, and where those items come from.
• Valuing community and connection could mean prioritizing space for gathering, like a dining table that seats six, even if you live alone.
• Valuing creativity could look like carving out space for your art practice, with good lighting, storage, and inspiration close by.
Let’s go back to that empty room
If your values are guiding your decisions, how would you decorate it?
Would you source sustainable and second-hand items? Would you want to build furniture and craft pieces yourself? Let yourself dream about the possibilities. Imagine how it would feel to know that every piece in the room is not only beautiful but also upholds the standards you want to set for yourself.
If you ever struggle with knowing what you want to put up on the wall or what furniture to pick out, keeping a list of your personal values accessible in your notes app or on a sticky note might help you make decisions. If saving for your future is a priority, you might feel validated in your decision to leave a beautiful but expensive piece at the store. If limiting waste and living a minimalist lifestyle is the goal, you’ll feel great decluttering and going through items you no longer have a use for, instead of being scared to get rid of things.
By the time your room is furnished, you’ll be able to look around and feel validated in your choices because they align with your values, not just an aesthetic.
Bringing It All Together
Aligning your values and your goals with the way you decorate your home means living in integrity with your truth. When we try to be someone we’re not — like if I decided to take up minimalism and threw everything away — we end up hiding parts of ourselves.
The sensation of living outside of your values is kinda like wearing a beautiful but slightly itchy sweater. At first, the itch feels bearable. But by the end of the day, you are ready to throw the sweater into a deep, dark pit because the slight itch has snowballed into a full-on sensory nightmare.
Our values are tools that we can use to come back to ourselves when the options and possibilities are hard to sift through. They’re a touchstone and a grounded place that connects us back to our inner knowing.
If you’re curious about how to explore your values so you can create a home full of soul, I’m giving away my entire design process for free (yes, free!) through my newsletter. My guidebook, Secrets to a Soulful Home, takes you through exercises, prompts, and templates to help you design a space that’s rooted in your truth.
I hope it helps you discover your truest and most beautiful self.
Need support transforming your home into your personal sanctuary?
My virtual holistic design packages are here to help. We will work together and consider style, function, and lifestyle to ensure the end result is not only beautiful, but also supports your mental, physical, and emotional wellness.
