Active Rest
I the pursuit of life I believe that at one point or another, hopefully more often than not, the question “what is it that I am seeking?” pops into almost everyone’s mind. This moment of reflection allows for clarity when pursuing a new endeavor and keeps you centered along the path that will get you there.
If you follow @BlackHouseSeven on social media you're probably aware of our ‘hiatus’. This week I made the decision to take a formal step back as I focus more consciously on my clients and my daughter. Although I am not an ‘influencer’ (which is in part the problem for the amount of time allocated to the platform) I announced it and everything, just like the pros. The truth is that this sort of announcement isn’t anything new and I am proud of the collective in recognizing and honoring the uniqueness that social media is. Our social media accounts have served as an immeasurable tool for connecting with those, quite literally, all over the world. However, it has also intertwined itself with how we conduct business and at times, in an effort to ‘stay consistent’ on those platforms we lost sight of our true mission; supporting our clients as they build their homes.
That being said, I plan on spending more time creating content ‘here’, home base for Leslie Tyler Design and HomeStore and I hope you’ll join me. While I am proud of what our small but mighty army has built since our conception in 2019, I look forward to seeing the evolution and growth to come.
Less than three years ago I got serious about one thing. Serving old home owners in a way that supported their unique voices and homes. Although the home renovation industry was booming I found very few mainstream outlets that understood and encouraged homeowners to embrace their uniquities. Not in a “that’s pretty trim, but I want an open floor plan” but in a “I love all the quirks and need some place to hang my pop art” kind of way. Clients have shared with me that prior to working with our firm all they heard was, “replace all your windows!”, “your floors aren’t level!”, and “there is no way that pink bathroom can work!”. We changed this narrative for the better and now, it is my sincere belief, that homeowners are afforded a choice where they we before told to believe a monolith.
Maybe it is my stubborn, prove you wrong attitude, but I was convinced that I could make a difference, and in turn, in some small way help preserve some of these historic homes for at least one more generation. I believe we are doing just that and more, and I am so darn proud of it. However, over these last few years I have uncovered a much broader problem and needed support. Because of that I am getting even more serious about what Leslie Tyler is today and what we will become tomorrow, and I am so unbelievably blessed to have you along for the ride.
I thought a post from a few weeks back was poignant today, and that is Defining your Why. Whether it is your home, with your family, or with your career, clarifying why you're doing something at all is the first step in creating the result in which you seek. Take a moment to read through the first three steps I take when working with clients and give them a try for yourself!
DEFINE YOUR WHY
So often we start a project and we don’t consider the why. We jump in assuming that “it’s to make it pretty”. In reality, making a space pretty is the easy part but also the most superficial. Defining why a space means something to you and what it is you are trying to accomplish will ensure that the feeling is authentic and true.
CONSIDER ANY ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS
Our firm specializes in working with historic and period homes. For us this consideration is a must. Whether you are in a new or old home, understanding the space as it is will help you make decisions that support it. Much like a hairstylist will advise you to make a decision about your hair color based on your own skin’s undertones, understanding architectural details will help you do the same. Work with the bones, not against.
DEFINE THE FUNCTION
What do you want the space to actually do for you? This past year has been enlightening in so many ways but I feel that the most prominent is the fact that our homes, for the first time in a while, had to work. We were working, learning, and playing all at home. Bedrooms became the gym. Dens became school rooms and offices had to be strategically positioned far enough away from all the action. For the vast majority of us we are inching back to ‘normal’ but the lessons we have learned remain. Our homes are more than just the four walls that we retreat to at the end of the day, but a capsule that our lives are lived in. Consider how a space will work for you, what do you need it to do, because like I said before…
That is the whole point
As we evolve into our new season as a firm I hope to share that journey with you. I want to hear your wins, your struggles, and in what ways Leslie Tyler can show up. We are a collective, a community and I will forever be grateful for witnessing the greatness that is you in this world.
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