Being Surrounded by Beauty: The Importance of Beautiful Home Interiors

If you have explored my website or any of my social media you will see the phrase “be surrounded by beauty” often throughout.

It is my catchphrase for what I want for YOU in YOUR home.

I repeat it often because it is what I believe to be foundational to why I do what I do

…and why YOU seek me out to do what I do for YOU!

Christine Heartsill - Principal Interior Designer

Let’s unpack this a little more and I will tell you the story of where this phrase came from and how it’s been my desire for my clients and the driving factor behind my Interior Design practice all these years.

Beauty is defined as…

Dictionary Definitions from Oxford Languages

beau·ty, noun

1. 1. a combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.

How does beauty affect our sense of well-being? According to Kolmac Integrated Behavior Health, in their article How Your Home Environment Affects Your Mental Health, they assert that…

“A peaceful and visually appealing home setting can create a greater sense of well-being than a cluttered, chaotic home. Even the color of your walls and furnishings can affect your mental health. Studies have found that color can affect a person’s mood, behavior, and even cognitive function.”

So back to the story of how this statement

...be surrounded by beauty

came to become the all-encompassing goal for my business.

This set the stage for my love of construction and interior design

From the time I was a little girl, I can remember my Dad spending many a late night at the drafting table working on yet one more set of house plans for one of our many personal homes.

New Home Blue Prints

It was not a career for him, he was in sales.

He built our homes during his off time. Every evening and weekend was spent at the job site. He and Mom built at least 5 of our homes throughout my childhood and a couple more after I graduated and moved out!

Once the homes were completed, Mom set to work making the interiors beautiful, homey, and inviting.

and so my career in design began

I distinctly remember in my mid-teens visualizing what I wanted to do for a career. I could envision myself making homes beautiful for the rest of my life.

After High School, I began my career working in my local furniture store and then later for a custom cabinet builder in town while I attended Interior Design courses in the evenings at my local university. 

Those were great jobs as they helped me understand different aspects of interior design such as construction fundamentals, fabric and textiles, cabinets and millwork, and various design styles.

However, I had bigger aspirations.

I wanted to do EVERYTHING, not just focus on one area of expertise.  I wanted to be able to guide my client through all the areas of their space and bring it all together, make it all cohesive, and especially make it beautiful from a holistic standpoint. 

I set out to start my own Interior Design business

One of the first things a designer must do is start building relationships with furnishings and décor manufacturers. 

The best way for us to accomplish this is to attend “Market”. 

Most states have a local furniture and design market and 2 times per year there is the “big” Market in High Point, North Carolina.

When I started my own design practice in my 20s, I had very little capital so going to High Point was not in the cards for me so I drove from Portland Oregon, where I was living at the time, to Seattle Design Center. 

This is where the magic happened

Though I had worked in lovely furniture stores in those early days of my career nothing would prepare me for what I was about to experience.

The first couple of showrooms were very nice with typical furniture items and handsome décor but it wasn’t until I walked into the “enchanted” showroom that it became all too clear as to what my purpose in life was and why chose to do what I do.

You’ve seen movies before where in that one scene the characters encounter a magical kingdom, mythical realm, or charmed room.  They walk around staring at everything, mesmerized by what their eyes beheld. 

That was me.

I was immediately captivated.

Showroom at High Point Market 2022

It took my breath away.

I was surrounded by beauty all around and I didn’t want to leave!

I honestly can’t remember which showroom it was. Probably Arteriors Home or Worlds Away, maybe John Richard. It doesn’t even matter because, from that moment on, I knew that this is what I wanted for my clients.

I want you to be able to walk into that space (or multiple spaces!) in your home and be completely captivated!

So, I tell this story to share with you that if there’s just something not quite right with your surroundings…

If your bedroom makes you crazy rather than giving you a sense of peace and calming...

Primary Bedroom Lantern Village Lane Project

If your kitchen is a place of chaos rather than a finely designed, functional, and beautiful space for you to enjoy crafting lovely meals for your family….

If your living room doesn’t bring you joy and contentment when you enter it…

then you need to

...be surrounded by beauty.

Let us help you.  We’re only a Discovery call away!

“I believe there is a sublime transformation that takes place in the soul when people are surrounded by beauty”

— Christine Heartsill