How I Finally Made My Living Room Feel Like Me

For two years I had a living room that looked fine. Perfectly acceptable. Guests complimented it. I walked through it every day feeling nothing.

The problem wasn't the furniture. It was that I'd decorated for a version of myself I thought I should be — neutral, minimal, safe. Not the woman who actually lives here.

The woman who actually lives here likes things that feel slightly dramatic. Curtains that are too long. A lamp that's too interesting. A throw that costs more than it should and is worth every penny.

I didn't renovate. I edited. I removed three things that were just filling space. I added one piece I'd been wanting for a year. I moved the sofa six inches and suddenly the whole room exhaled.

Your home should feel like you on your best day. Not aspirational — actual. Start there.