Transitions and your environment:

An Interior Arranger can help
By Cheryl Clifford, IADA, RES

Oct. 2004

Brentwood News, Monclarion, Piedmonter, Alameda Journal, Berkeley Voice

"Everyone deserves to live in an environment that is comfortable, joyous, and complementary to their life, surrounded by the things they love and have chosen for themselves" Cheryl Clifford

Interior design services have evolved to a point now that suits the real world and reflects that philosophy. Interior Arranging is one of the new design services that has developed from that evolution. As an Interior Arranger I am able to provide the client with the instant comfort of familiarity in a home, and in addition, the excitement of a new environment.

Interior Arranging, by it’s nature, lends itself to many situations and I have found this is especially true in my work with clients who are experiencing life transitions. It is a different way of looking at our environment. How does this make a difference to a person who has had a life transition?

First, does our environment effect our emotions on a day-to-day basis? Of course it does! Can small changes in our environment then somehow change our emotions? YES! Can a change in your environment help you to move forward after life changing events? YES!

I have been able to experience that change first hand, in my own life, and in the lives of my clients. I have worked with people who have had major changes in their lives for various reasons, and have come to me to help them create an environment that represents their lives now. It is very important that our environment reflect who we were, who we are, whom we want to be. We are affected by lots of experiences, special times, and more importantly, special people. We have all acquired, inherited and collected furnishings and accessories that tell a story about who we are and where we’ve been. Moreover, these are things we love, things that make our house a home. Lets look at some examples:

A couple meets in mid life, both have been married before and they are starting a new life together, sometimes with children and pets and all of the stuff from both their previous lives. Combining households can be a very emotional and difficult proposition. Interior Arrangers specialize in using primarily what clients already own. So, when we have clients who are combining households, we tell them that their home should reflect their new life together, but still honor the lives that they had before they met. Most of the time this is not easy to do, so having an objective 3rd party can make a world of difference. We discuss with them how they use their home, what are there favorite things, what they truly would like to keep, what they really hate and want to get rid of, and then, we create an environment that reflects their new needs, but honors their past. It is possible to put together a variety of styles to create a comfortable and stylish environment. The couple then has an environment that includes their past, but is a refection of what they see for their future. So, the changes they have made in their lives have effected their environment, and now the environment reflects those changes, and helps to produce positive hopes and emotions.

Another example of a life transition that effects our environment is the death of a loved one. This is, of course the most difficult thing we experience in our lives. I have had numerous clients who are at that point in life, and have decided that they are ready for a change in their environment, because their lives have changed so much. There is a fine line to walk when making changes in a way that represents and honors their past and creates a new environment, that helps them to heal and move forward. Each client has a different interpretation of how they want to do this. Taking time to talk with the client to really understand what they want is the most important step of the process. Some clients want to have many things around them that remind them of their loved one, some clients want to have just a few things, special things that spark specific memories. After the client makes the huge decision to make changes, it is important to honor that difficult decision. It is also important for the client to have fun with the decision too. If you are thinking of making this kind of change, making a personal connection with your Interior Arranger will make the process a special, positive and fun event.

There is one more example of a life transition that I want to talk about. We are now finding that more and more of us are having to deal with aging parents that can no longer live comfortably in their own homes, homes that have been in most of their adult lives. This is an extremely difficult time for them. Luckily, there are many new and wonderful senior communities that have been developed as an alternative to nursing homes. But, as wonderful as these communities are, they are not the same as our own homes. It is so important that we strive to make this life transition as comfortable as possible for our senior population. Children of these parents find it a very stressful experience too. How do you take 40 years of living and break it down to two rooms or if you are lucky, a whole apartment? Careful attention to the details will make a huge difference. Take into consideration whether the person is active and positive, looking forward to new days, or is that person feeling isolated and lonely? Talking with that person about expectations for their environment, what was something that was special from the environment they are leaving. Think about how you can reflect that past environment in the new environment. It maybe a photo sitting on the kitchen table, so they can eat everyday with that special person, or the warmth of a blanket that was a gift from a favorite grandchild. This is a time in life that we need those special things more than ever. Having patience and willingness to listen to the person, from the beginning, can make the transition easier.

Do changes in our environment effect our emotions? Yes. Can we make the changes we need to make and have it be a positive experience? Yes. Luckily, the design world now has the options to help you accomplish this.

Cheryl Clifford is a professional member of the Interior Arrangement and Design Association. Her business, A New View, serves the San Francisco East Bay.