I own a 1904 home—historic, yes—but I was never wild about antiques. My interiors have always been an eclectic mix of the journeys I’ve taken in life, and I’d be hard-pressed to name a single style or theme that defined my décor.
Part of that comes from how I grew up. My mother was raised during the Great Depression and came of age as a wife, mother, and home decorator who believed almost every flaw in a house could be fixed with wallpaper. I never knew walls as anything other than bright paisleys or floral motifs throughout my childhood.
When I purchased my first home in 1982—a small two-bedroom bungalow in Tucson—a visiting friend cheerfully described it as “early Salvation Army.” As my tastes evolved, my income grew, and my houses got larger, I began to splurge on art, grew attached to paint colors in every hue, and eventually gave up wallpaper altogether.
My home in Globe got a makeover in 2020. Like everyone else, I was bored and looking for a project. With the help of friends who had more design talent than I did—and the right tools—I pulled off a refresh that still makes me smile five years later.
Along the way, I picked up a few simple design principles that make a home feel calm, cohesive, and far less likely to need redoing a year later.
A few things that really work:
Honestly, just read a feng shui book. I used to think it was silly. Experience—and some very persuasive friends—proved me wrong. Your things carry energy. When they’re fighting each other, you feel it. When they’re working together, your house becomes noticeably more restful.
And that, I’ve learned, is the whole point.
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