We had been sitting in my kitchen, perusing the pictures in my art file that had not made the final cut. The pictures run the gamut from whimsical photos such as this:
To more traditional artwork:
To the conceptual:
Still, looking back at the things I like certain themes do come through. I enjoy color and contrast, the whimsical and the traditional.
When my designer asked me to describe my personal style, my first impulse was to put down the word 'eclectic.' But doesn't everyone consider themselves eclectic? That person with the ceramic cookie jar in the shape of a rooster, proudly displayed on their kitchen counter, is the same person with the Matisse print hanging in their living room.
Eclectic, to me, has always hinted at randomness. A sort of haphazard accumulation of objects and styles with no real thought behind them other than, "That would look nice in my house." It suggests a kind of stylistic laziness. It's so much easier to say, "Oh! My style is eclectic!" rather than, "Oh! I enjoy a mix of English Country, Asian and Traditional styles!"
Specificity is good.
As a writer, I should know this. I've lost track of how many times I've sat at this keyboard fretting over which word to use to accurately communicate an idea.
The whole design process is about specificity, about starting with a broad palette and then narrowing the focus. Zooming in on ideas and things that you really want, that you really like.
It's like starting a trip with a final destination in mind, but no clear route set out. I'm really looking forward to not only reaching the end of the trip, but discovering the route we take to get to there.
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