Each September I go through a ritualistic closet reset. I pull the sweaters and wool trousers down from the top shelf and tuck the lightweight linens toward the back. Standing in front of my closet, I decide what actually earns a spot on the rod for the new season. Not everything makes the cut. The remaining pieces include a mix of statement pieces, tried-and-true anchor pieces, and clever accent pieces, ideally a perfect balance of pattern, texture, and quality materials that reflect my personal archetype: classic with a touch of romantic artisan.
The fun part about a wardrobe is that we can reinvent ourselves daily. Curating a home doesn’t happen as often, so it takes more thoughtful consideration and careful planning, but the same principles apply.
The phase of design we call product specification is really home curation. Home curation is often mistaken for decorating, but they are not the same thing. Decorating fills a room. Curation asks every single element to justify its place in it. And just as importantly, asks what needs to be removed so that the remaining pieces can be seen and appreciated. Someone who is decorated wears a costume; someone who is well dressed effortlessly displays style, enhances their figure, and conveys a bit of their personality.
When curating a wardrobe, it is necessary to consider the person’s frame that it will clothe. At Discrete Designs, home curation is much the same. A home’s proportions define the room's proportions; millwork must align with the room’s proportions. Dressing to accentuate your figure is like adding the correct proportioned doors, windows, and millwork. Divided light transom windows, beamed or coffered ceilings, tall baseboards, and crown molding are well suited for classically styled rooms with soaring ceilings.
Much like scale, good flow should appear effortless. A room can be full of beautiful elements and still fight the people living in it if the path from the kitchen to the patio grill, or the kitchen table, cuts through where the dog beds down. Like sliding on your favorite pair of jeans, the right flow allows you to move effortlessly through the room. Sucking in your gut to button up your pants is like cramming an antique bureau into a tiny corner; it may be a beautiful piece, but it doesn’t belong in the room.
Once we’ve defined a home's framework, we select the individual fixtures, rugs, lamps, furnishings, art, and accessories that become like the layers of an outfit to enhance the home’s archetype.
When determining the criteria for these layers, we consider your home’s personality and the personality of the people who dwell in it to decide whether it should convey a modern, classic, natural, dramatic, artisan, or romantic archetype. We spend a lot of time gathering everything that fits, then assess what makes the cut.
A great outfit isn't about one statement piece; it's the choreography between a few well-chosen pieces, each playing a role to either provide a backdrop, a pop of color or texture, to ground, enhance, balance, or coordinate with the others. A home works the same way. The curation isn't about one bold statement piece, having less for the sake of less, or overlayering. It's about making sure everything is carefully curated to convey a clear, harmonious expression of style.
So this month, as you're editing your own closet for the season, take a lap around your home with that same eye. What's earning its place? What's layering well with what's around it? And what might need to come off the rack entirely so the pieces you love can be seen and appreciated?