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H. Mathews Interiors
HOME ECONOMICS Freshening décor in an evolving home environment
L AT E LY, W H E N I WATC H H O M E D E S I G N S H OW S F I L M E D
pre-pandemic, I find myself talking to the TV, trying to warn the homeowners and renters about how their choices won’t make as much sense when spring of 2020 arrives. But there they are, removing walls for open floorplans or forgoing any outdoor space for that small, luxury condo. While these aren’t bad or wrong decisions, in many cases, people are finding them less ideal here in 2021. Whether we like it or not, the pandemic has changed how we view, use and enjoy our homes. While it’s too early to tell which changes will be long-lasting, home design experts acknowledge that the changes force homeowners to rethink their spaces and the items they choose to include in them. The biggest shift in home design is a toward functional spaces, creating home offices, school and homework areas, multi-functional flex spaces and exterior respites for relaxation. This naturally affects décor, the items in and around the home that we generally look to freshen in spring. For local experts, the focus for décor right now is on generating pleasure and maximizing functionality. “If there is something that you don’t like in your home now — after staring at it during a pandemic or quarantine, you will hate it afterwards,” says Blake Erskin, licensed interior designer and partner at Shotgun Design Group. “This can really affect your mood, so it’s a good idea to make
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sure you find items or décor that speak to you.” Designer Hailey Mathews of H. Mathews Interiors concurs. “Your house should bring you joy and peace, not stress,” she says. “I fully believe that a person’s home should be the place where they feel most comfortable and relaxed.” A home’s décor has the power to elevate moods — from the room colors, to the rugs and furniture, as well as the art that adorns the walls or shelves. After a chaotic year, now is perhaps the perfect time to create your own happy place, your own sacred sanctuary. Mathews suggests using the money saved from fewer vacations, parties and social gatherings as an investment in that space. “This year, I really want to focus on collecting art from local artists, not only to freshen my space but to support local businesses that are suffering during the pandemic,” she says. According to local artist Abigail Reller, people take in their surroundings all the time, even subconsciously, so it’s important to fill your space with images, icons and symbols that bring joy. Through her project, The Grey Collaborative, Reller offers families a unique way to create collaborative high-end paintings for the home while capturing a stage of life. “Maybe you are bringing your baby to crawl around on a canvas full of paint or maybe you are dragging your college-age kids to the studio during break, but either way, you are left with a timeless piece of art that
