Change is Overrated…

Images via loft life

Anita Calero’s loft is one of my all-time, without a doubt, favorite spaces.

I’ve filed away iterations of Calero’s home from every shelter mag I’ve spotted it in, and (these are the types of things I do for fun in my rare spare time, in case you’re wondering) I pulled them all out recently to see how it’s changed over time.

It hasn’t. Not much.

Sure she’s made some tweaks, added a few lovely things, moved objects around, but (and this is a rare and highly admirable trait in my opinion) her style and aesthetic is so consistent, her vision so clear, that it’s essentially the same space, only better.

I feel seduced by the need to “change” far too often…worried that my house will fall into some sort of design rut, like a haircut way past its prime, and start getting itchy to make things look totally different. Usually when I go this route I fail…miserably.

I’m always more successful when I resist the lure of “change for change’s sake” and instead embrace what I already have, just tweaked to feel fresh…

Can you tell I’m starting to gear up a bit for the spending hiatus?

In this spirit, I also recently re-read this article, first spotted on Stephanie’s blog, about the rise of taste and restraint during times of economic strain and was again taken with these passages:

"Austerity is a good thing - an inspiration, not an impediment to genius. It forces more expressiveness and more interesting choices. The tighter the discipline, the more creativity flourishes.”

“The must-have items and fleeting celebrities would fall by the wayside, replaced by objects, experiences and individuals of lasting value.”

Objects, experiences and individuals of lasting value…Exactly.