OLD HOME NEW LIFE - Designing A New Chapter of Hope

After caring for my mother with grace and honor through Alzheimer's and cancer, I discovered during a doctor's appointment that I had neglected my own self care. Here's how I created a new chapter of hope and transformation.

After mom climbed the thread that connects earth and heaven (her last words to me), my Mr and I agreed it was time to begin a new chapter of hope and healing by breathing new life into our old storied farmhouse. This was not a renovation but a refresh, with the aim to revitalize, recharge and renew us and the world we want - our future hope realized right here and right now.

Because here's what I learned after a season of care-giving for my mother:

• Presence offers peace in chaotic places - there's something powerful in quiet moments

• Everything is a beautiful gift - when you find the beauty, you'll find the treasure

• Believing in the power of your dreams to create beauty & inspire good isn't wishful thinking, it's a lifeline to renewal.

• Forgiveness creates freedom where rituals once ruled - stop fixing & start mending

• Understanding means offering grace instead of judgement & connecting changes everything

• Action becomes an opportunity to make the invisible, visible - changed people change the world

• Trust in my intuition by thinking through and establishing boundaries - communicating what I need does not make me difficult, mean or unfair it, protects my time and energy

• It's not about perfection it's the process - creating beauty is more 'heartwork' than artwork

Karen Savage Design's sky Blue Living Room seamlessly brings the outside in.

I believe we should always be prepared to explain the hope that is within us so here's the result of our hope revealed . . .

A prioritized mix of our vintage collections and heirloom treasures curated with strategic new pieces that celebrates the past with a nod to the future.

Hope abounds in the idyllic countryside where we live, which includes Amish-style architecture, flickering gas lanterns, horse-drawn buggies and heritage barns which have stood for generations. And our historic century old farmhouse, barns and outbuildings fit right into the countryside. But the interior of our farmhouse has never quite reflected the typical farmhouse predictability. Don't get me wrong - we both love simplicity, practicality and history but couldn't come together on what it looked like. We also believe our home should tell our own story based on choices that reflect our values. our faith and or unique authenticity. I believe this is God’s purpose for every home today - to create a place that mirrors our Creator's unconditional love for us.

Therefore, this was more than a typical interior design farmhouse style makeover because it is our refuge, our sanctuary - a place that is more than a mood or style aesthetic - a place where we've loved, lived and raised our family. A place we love to come home to.

We also wanted something that was both practical and livable. So, we respected its history, reconfigured the floor plan to support our lifestyle and used interior design concepts as a tool to translate intentions and aims in a way we both agreed on (see bottom of post).

With mutuality agreed on, I then designed the appropriate furniture & furnishings to fit our needs and complete the whole story in a way where we can constantly curate the decorative layer with flowers #godslovebouquets, and collections inspired from our gardens, nature walks and continuous, curious and creative pursuits.

Karen Savage Design's Sky blue Open Concept Room presents a better, present-day version of itself.

The result is a layered, modern traditional aesthetic, but in a way that is fresh, fun, comfortable and inviting - a cozy, casual, and elegantly charming peaceful place to recharge, renew & reconnect - a sanctuary where we belong and long to come home to.

Our great room interior displays a selection of heirloom antique pieces pieces from both sides of the family which we love because they remind us of the care we received when we were young from those we respected. Mixed appropriately with the new furnishings and furniture, it becomes an unexpected layer - there’s tension created throughout the space by mixing old and new together in a fresh new way that actually works.

Karen Savage Design's sky blue open concept room celebrates the past in the here and now.

Besides the antiques we've inherited, we also repurpose found items to express our creativity, grow our faith, save money and steward our resources well.

Colors, flowers, pattern, texture and sacred moments from nature walks inspire me and give me hope.

So we began with the perfect sky blue performance fabric because it reminds both of us of mid-morning Summer skies. This hue grounds the whole house to create movement and a thread of continuity. Then I added an unexpected layer of patterns using blue and white fabrics for the custom window treatment, dining room chairs, ottomans and pillows. that schemed well with Grandma Nellie's blue willow collection.

The result, is an interior defined by a powerful yet balanced sense of color, texture and pattern that's not quite traditional and not quite modern yet always timeless.

Special consideration was given to our precious pup too. Since she is part sneak thief & part princess, I selected finishes with durability and cleanabiity in mind which included an ivory performance leather for the bespoke English roll arm sofa.

All of the elements including our collections, communicates a cohesive story based on our character, values and aesthetic and creates that thread of hope that inspires us each day. A cozy, casual, and elegantly charming enchanted space that reflects our values, faith and lifestyle—for both two-legged and four - nestled in the middle of Amish country where we've put down our roots and are nurtured by a visual reminder of God's goodness and grace.

Sweet Bella even tucks in at night on a custom dog bed slip covered in the same fabric remnants leftover from our project.

This old house has breathed new life into us and those we share it with for over three decades and is now ready for a new chapter of creating beauty and inspiring hope.

I believe that is the purpose of home.

Designing a Home For Wellness Interior Design Success Checklist Karen Savage Design

Interior design is so much more than reacting to choices, picking pretty, creating a vibe or following predictable, trendy style themes - it's your story, your values, and an opportunity to practice the world you want and the hope within you. And when done intentionally, it's a way to create a place we all need - a place that reminds us of care and connection while providing us with a sense of well being and hope.

My mother gave me a gift that I can share with others.

Interior Design Success Checklist for Designing for Wellness Karen Savage Design

There comes a moment in everyone's journey when the path forward feels foggy. Don't retreat, rise and rebuild with presence, intention and strategy in a way that breaths new life and hope into you and others.

Inspired and ready to begin a new chapter of hope?   Schedule a free 30 minute consultation, and I'll walk you through how I tell stories and transform homes and lives through interior design.

And - If you'd like to short-cut and simplify your design experience by using this #nothingbyblueskiesdesignconcept and recipe to save time, money and elevate your results, just let me know during our design conversation.

Perfect Pairings Concierge Design Service for Sky Blue Living Room

Perfect Pairings Blue Living Room Made to Order Interior Design Program