--- title: Live Better NOW description: Defining the function is the first step in helping you live a better life regardless if we are starting with a vacant lot, or working with an existing structure. image: https://www.discrete-designs.com/hubfs/Smetana-%20Mudroom.png --- [Skip to the main content.](https://www.discrete-designs.com/blog/live-better-now#main-content) [![Discrete Designs](https://www.discrete-designs.com/hubfs/discrete-designs-icon-2025.svg "Discrete Designs")](https://www.discrete-designs.com) [![Discrete Designs](https://www.discrete-designs.com/hubfs/discrete-designs-icon-2025.svg "Discrete Designs")](https://www.discrete-designs.com) - [ Design ](https://www.discrete-designs.com/design) - [ Build ](https://www.discrete-designs.com/build) - [ Remodel ](https://www.discrete-designs.com/remodel) - [ Our Projects ](https://www.discrete-designs.com/our-projects) - [ About ](https://www.discrete-designs.com/about) - [ Blog ](https://www.discrete-designs.com/blog) - [ Contact ](https://www.discrete-designs.com/contact) Toggle Menu Toggle Menu - [ Design ](https://www.discrete-designs.com/design) - [ Build ](https://www.discrete-designs.com/build) - [ Remodel ](https://www.discrete-designs.com/remodel) - [ Our Projects ](https://www.discrete-designs.com/our-projects) - [ About ](https://www.discrete-designs.com/about) - [ Blog ](https://www.discrete-designs.com/blog) - [ Contact ](https://www.discrete-designs.com/contact) [Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thediscretehome/) [Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/thediscretehome) 2 min read # Live Better NOW [![Picture of Jessica Soldner](https://www.discrete-designs.com/hubfs/3Z5A6407-1.jpg) Jessica Soldner ](https://www.discrete-designs.com/blog/author/jessica-soldner) : Dec 9, 2022 4:57:26 PM ![Live Better NOW](https://www.discrete-designs.com/hubfs/Smetana-%20Mudroom.png) What is preventing you from living better? Some common reasons that may be holding you back: you don't feel as though you deserve it, you don't know how to solve the problem, you have a hard time visualizing new possibilities, you don't have any idea what it will cost, or you don't feel confident pulling it all together.  Here is our process of finding solutions for our clients: ### Space planning This includes defining the function and creating flow. Defining the function is the first step regardless if we are starting with a vacant lot, working with an existing structure, or focusing on a single room. Designing without defining the function is like joining a dating site without listing the qualities you are looking for in a mate. You need to clearly define what you need from each room in your home. What are the tasks that will be performed in that space, and what is the emotion that will be conveyed? We need our homes to do/be a lot. They need to provide a space that make utilitarian tasks of everyday life enjoyable, and they need to fulfill us emotionally. We are products of our environments. Our external stimuli, what we see, hear, smell, touch, and taste, become our unconscious experience. Because 95% of brain activity is beyond our conscious awareness, it is vital that we are intentional about the one environment that we have control over; our home. After you define the function, you can lay out the space for optimal flow. This is the flow of people and energy. Think of round-a-bouts vs. stoplights. Where is the bottleneck in your home, and how can you open it up to move more freely? A common example is too much clutter. Clearing out the clutter can help increase the energy flow in a space. Empty corners expand space, allowing you to breathe more deeply ### Budget It is time to address the elephant in the room. A budget makes the dream real. This is the step where we list it all out. What are the products and labor that it will take to accomplish this vision? This is the point in the process where you can clearly see what it will take. ### Curating Curating a collection is an art. The world is full of talented artisans and just as many cheap knockoffs. Sourcing the right products for each design element takes time, research, and mindfulness of how each element will harmonize with the others. Remember to select products that match your function goals; this includes the utilitarian and the emotional functions. ### Coordinate the finishes Most products are available in multiple finishes. These finishes shouldn't all match. Instead, choosing finishes that all coordinate will give more depth and infuse the space with personality. The color, texture, and pattern all play key roles in the holistic design. ### Strategic placing Strategically place each element. This is the time when patience can be a virtue. Everything may not happen all at once. We do our best to look ahead at lead times and plan projects according to each. When doing a project yourself, it may come together over time, so be patient and stick to your plan. You've done the work in the previous steps. Stay the course. The reward will be worth the wait! When you intentionally create your home environment, you gain control over your daily sensory experience. Your subconscious is fed precisely what it needs to live better. Dr. Claudia Miller of the University of Texas School of Environmental Medicine in San Antonio says: "Architects and designers have a greater ability to improve public health than medical professionals."  Why not start Living Better NOW?   [![START YOUR PROJECT](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/4768470/d719be0f-b4e6-4e5f-a821-1c1b23b284c0.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/4768470/d719be0f-b4e6-4e5f-a821-1c1b23b284c0)   ### Subscribe Here! ### Recent Posts - [The Emotional Rollercoaster of Construction](https://www.discrete-designs.com/blog/the-emotional-rollercoaster-of-construction) - [The People Behind Your Home](https://www.discrete-designs.com/blog/the-people-behind-your-home) - [Roadblocks: What's Really Holding You Back From Loving Your Home?](https://www.discrete-designs.com/blog/roadblocks-whats-really-holding-you-back-from-loving-your-home) - [MAKING SPACE](https://www.discrete-designs.com/blog/making-space) - [The Art of Coming Home: Inspired by My Travels](https://www.discrete-designs.com/blog/the-art-of-coming-home-inspired-by-my-travels) ### Share This [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.discrete-designs.com%2Fblog%2Fstarting-anew.-the-ritual-of-bathing%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on LinkedIn](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/linkedin-24x24.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.discrete-designs.com%2Fblog%2Fstarting-anew.-the-ritual-of-bathing%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.discrete-designs.com%2Fblog%2Fstarting-anew.-the-ritual-of-bathing%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.discrete-designs.com%2Fblog%2Fstarting-anew.-the-ritual-of-bathing%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Starting%20Anew.%20The%20Ritual%20of%20Bathing.) [![Share on Pinterest](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/pinterest-24x24.png)](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.discrete-designs.com%2Fblog%2Fstarting-anew.-the-ritual-of-bathing%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dpinterest&media=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn1.hubspot.com%2Fhub%2F158015%2F305390_10100548508246879_837195_59275782_6882128_n.jpg) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.discrete-designs.com%2Fblog%2Fstarting-anew.-the-ritual-of-bathing%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.discrete-designs.com%2Fblog%2Fstarting-anew.-the-ritual-of-bathing%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) 309 MAIN STREET COLD SPRING, MN 56320 320-200-7788 - [DESIGN](https://www.discrete-designs.com/design) - [BUILD](https://www.discrete-designs.com/build) - [REMODEL](https://www.discrete-designs.com/remodel) - [OUR PROJECTS](https://www.discrete-designs.com/our-projects) - [ABOUT](https://www.discrete-designs.com/about) - [BLOG](https://www.discrete-designs.com/blog) - [CONTACT](https://www.discrete-designs.com/contact) - [PRIVACY POLICY](https://www.discrete-designs.com/privacy-policy) © 2026 DISCRETE DESIGNS [Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/thediscretehome/)[Houzz ](https://www.houzz.com/pro/jessica-soldner/discrete-designs)[Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/thediscretehome/) Return to top ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "LocalBusiness", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressLocality" : "Cold Spring", "addressRegion" : "MN", "postalCode" : "56320", "streetAddress" : "309 Main Street" }, "description" : " Defining the function is the first step in helping you live a better life regardless if we are starting with a vacant lot, or working with an existing structure.", "geo" : { "@type" : "GeoCoordinates", "latitude" : "46.8257297", "longitude" : "-95.8708095" }, "image" : "https://4768470.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/4768470/Logos%202025/Copy%20of%20Discrete-Logo-Full-Color.svg", "name" : "Discrete Designs", "telephone" : "320-200-7788" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "WebSite", "description" : " Defining the function is the first step in helping you live a better life regardless if we are starting with a vacant lot, or working with an existing structure.", "image" : "https://4768470.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/4768470/Smetana-%20Mudroom.png", "name" : "Live Better NOW", "publisher" : "Discrete Designs", "url" : "https://www.discrete-designs.com/blog/live-better-now" } ```