CHOOSE YOUR FILTERS

“Figure out what you want to see more of, and then make sure you look out for it.” Caroline Webb, How to Have a Good Day

We’re each living through the lens of our own private reality – one that is shaped by our automatic system’s attempts at allocating our attention to the right thing. We experience an incomplete,

subjective version of reality – one that may not

serve us. We can’t switch off our automatic system’s filtering function (it is, after all, automatic), but we can adjust the settings by being more proactive in defining our perceptual filters.

We consciously notice only a small selection of what’s actually happening around us, and filter out the rest. What we mentally file as important is

strongly influenced by our assumptions about ourselves and the world.

In How to Have a Good Day (Macmillan, 2016), Webb suggests taking some time to consciously set our filters each day by defining our AIM, ASSUMPTIONS,

ATTITUDE and ATTENTION.

By

AIM

Think about what’s most important to you on any given day. What do you most want to achieve? What matters most to you right now?

• Sample exercise: “What really matters to me today is to help my team get off to a strong start with our new clients.”

ATTITUDE

Notice and acknowledge the concerns that are dominating your thoughts and mood. Are they standing between you and your aim?

• Sample exercise: “I admit that I’m feeling grumpy and tired right now, and not necessarily in the mood to inspire others. I am irritated by the way the project is set up, and uncertain of its success.”

ATTENTION

Where do you want to consciously focus your attention to override your default attitude and achieve your aim?

• Sample exercise: “I can decide to set my irritation aside and consciously look for opportunities to help the team gel by highlighting common ground in our ideas. I choose to look for chances to inject warmth into the meeting.”

SET BEHAVIOURAL GOALS TO SUPPORT YOUR INTENTIONS

Now that you’ve chosen the most beneficial filter through which to view your ‘reality’, it’s time to define the behaviours that will support it. What tangible actions can you take to this end?

WEBB’S GOAL-SETTING TIPS

• Make sure your goals are about doing desirable things, rather than avoiding bad things. If they’re negative, consciously turn them around.

• Break your goals down into more manageable, bite-sized chunks.

• Create a ‘brain-friendly’ to-do list… - Write your goals down. - Keep only today’s tasks in view. - Make it satisfying to check off your goals. - Be realistic about what you can accomplish in a day.

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ARTWORK INSPO

SPACING- balance is key CLUSTERS - mirror the design

FRAMING - compliment the style

TEXTURE - create interest

MERAKI DESIGN STUDIO

Alcohol ink is a medium that creates the most unique designs each time it hits the canvas.

Incoroporating a unique colour scheme or adding some texture to your space in your artwork is easily achieved with these pieces.

Contact us to create your very own unique piece.

Chantelle Moss chantelle@merakidesignstudios.co.za 071 682 3754

artwork DECOR BLUE HILLS Equestrian Estate in your home

Your home is a space to reflect your personality, a space that should lend to relaxation and recharge you, and this largely shown by the pieces you choose to display on your walls and incorporate in the styling of each room. Choosing the correct piece of artwork for your home can complete your space beautifully.

In the past, owning a piece of art was a massive expense and status symbol that spoke to your wealth.

Nowadays, you can find a piece of art that fits your budget and can become an investment over time.

Here are our top tips for choosing art pieces for each space in your home.

STYLE

As we’ve said, your home is the place for selfexpression and the style of your space will dictate the type of artwork you choose to display.

Firstly, find the focal point of your room, this is where your eyes land as you walk in to a space.

To choose a style for your artwork decide, for example whether you want it to be figurative, landscape or an abstract piece. If your home is modern minimalist, then an Italian landscape framed in ornate gold would not be a cohesive design flow as such. This is not to say we cannot mix and match styles, but be sure to seek the advice of a professional as it can look out of place if not done correctly. Choose colours based on what mood you want to set in each room. Your bedroom is a place of retreat and reflection; your office space should keep you inspired and your living room hosts your guests as well as your family, so choosing a piece that provokes conversation and sets the feel and vibe of the space is essential.

Grey, blue and all earth tones are a wonderful palette choice as it offers a soothing and mellow ambiance and atmosphere.

Yellow invokes an energetic and playful mood and green brings the essence of nature into your home.

So, choose the palette based on the feeling what your guests and yourself to experience as you visit or live in that space.

SIZE

You should always take into consideration the size of the space you’re working with.

Placing pieces that are too small can make your room feel empty and using pieces that are too large can be overwhelming and make a room feel cramped and stuffy.

However, clusters of artworks in various sizes can work well in smaller spaces like a stairwell, because you don’t need to have a full view perspective of the space.

If you have a large space with high ceilings, try using oversized pieces of art as it can fill up the room making it feel more intimate and cosy.

TEXTURES

Textures create interest and draws a person in to closely admire the piece on display. Alcohol ink is still a relative new trend but it is creating a whirlwind of excitement within the world of art. With the ability to incorporate contrasting colours with metallics, creating a marbled effect, these pieces of art will adapt into almost any home or office space.

Alcohol inks are a highly pigmented, acid free, fast drying medium which can be used on non-porous surfaces. The ink seemingly has a mind of its own cause the artist does not have full control over the way the ink will mix or where it will go, making each piece unique.

(Contact us for your own unique piece for your space).

FRAMING

Framing should match the style of the artwork you’ve chosen. For example, if you have an abstract piece and your space is styled minimally, an elegant plain frame would work well as opposed to a large ornate gold piece. Colour choice should also compliment the

BLUE HILLS Equestrian Estate colours in your painting and not compete with them. Choosing the material of your frame should tie in with the furniture items you have in your space. Again, here you can play around with merging styles. Ask your interior designer for assistance.

PLACEMENT

This can make or break your space. One of the most common mistakes people make, is hanging the piece too high or not in the right position in relation to the furniture.

Keep in mind that it needs to look balanced and spacing it correctly is imperative.

Do not have furniture block the art, and make sure you hang it with purpose. Not every blank wall needs a piece of art.

Custom made art is a great way to ensure you have a unique piece adorning your walls, a conversation starter for sure.

Chantelle from Urban Trend Design and Meraki Interior Studio creates custom pieces of art where you can select your own colours to suit your styling needs and sizing requirements.

Get in touch with Meraki for a customised quotation via any of the channels mentioned below.