I love this time of the season. Thanksgiving happens to be my favorite holiday. I have so many memories of my time with my mother in the kitchen making turkey for our family and not eating all day just in anticipation for all the delicious food that will be at the dinner table. One of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving is reflecting on what I am grateful for, something that I believe we all should do everyday.

Being grateful for our homes and those that we share it with can really help put life in perspective. Reflecting and having gratitude for where we live draws inspiration. Remember that gratitude is a mind shift. Gratitude for our homes allows us to:

• love the features that make our homes uniquely ours (like sentimental furnishings or accessories that we’ve collected in our travels)

• be better hosts to our guests

• not dwell on what we don’t have but what we are blessed to have

My favorite part of being an interior designer is walking into people’s homes and hearing how they use their space, or I should say how they would like to use their space after it’s designed. It gives me an inside glimpse of their lives and their interactions with their family. They share things they love about their home like the overall layout or floor plan of the house, the cozy fireplace in the living room or the private outdoor space. Often times they share memories they’ve had as a family in these spaces. I find this inspirational and valuable as a designer because each client has their own qualities that they love.

Though there will always be room for improvement when it comes to our homes, I believe that it’s always a good idea to pause and look around our homes. You will be surprised at the memories you remember and the inspiration this can bring. No matter whether your home is a 1-bedroom condo in a high rise, a loft in the city, a single-family home in the suburbs or a mansion on an estate, having a home that reflects who you are is a blessing which should not be taken for granted.

It would be a joy to hear about what you are grateful in your homes. Please share in the comments below. I can start…

I am grateful to be able to share my home with my husband and 2 kids. Our home is a safe place where we laugh, cry, play, work, entertain, meditate, and rest together as a family.

Your turn…

À la prochaine,