The spaces where we live and work have a huge impact on our mindset. It’s where we rest, grow, and find stability in times of change and uncertainty.
Using furniture, art, and drapery – your home tells a story.
In my first “curtain story” titled “Holidays in Trinidad” – I share Krisha’s story. Her story connects me to a beautiful, tranquil, tropical place – her home in Trinidad – and shares the notion that no matter where we are from – what has happened to us – and what our goals are in life – curtains – aren’t just fabric.
Today Krisha lives in her new home – and is living the chapter in her life as an artist and professor. She loves her new home. Bookshelves of Japanese artifacts lean on her office wall. Her guest room features pillows painted with large bright tropical flowers, but the windows in her house? They are naked. She doesn’t want to get it wrong.
Picture –
A house on stilts. A house on stilts – with a large yard full of fruit trees. With hibiscus – roses, coconut trees, 10 mango trees, a cashew tree, starfruit, avocado and lime in the yard – with an abundance of flowers, herbs and spices. The house on stilts is built with tilapia mud straw – that is as hard as concrete – with hardwood floors and huge demerara windows. You know – those wood windows that open from the bottom, with louvers you can open. There are no screens. Everything has a job. Cats take care of the rodents, geckos and lizards take care of the spiders.
Inside the texture of the mud walls is smooth – with light white curtains blowing in the breeze coming in through one window, across the room and out through the open demerara windows.
This is how Krisha described her childhood home. Born in New York City, raised by her grandparents in Trinidad – Krisha fondly shared her memories home. She remembers reverent celebrations when she was young – celebrations on the major holdiays – Christmas – Easter – New Year’s. Krisha would help wax the floors, paint the house, and change the curtains.
The curtains. They were very important. Each holiday her grandmother would change the curtains, change the linens, wash, and put them away clean. She remembers journeys into town with her grandmother to find fabric and a local seamstress. It was a ton of work – and if you were shopping for fabric in November – well – you were too late.
Now living in Winston-Salem, Krisha has moved into a home of her own. She admits – finding curtains for her home hasn’t been easy. She doesn’t want to have a housewarming party until her windows have curtains. So guess what – her Aunts from Trinidad – sent her a huge bag of curtains. But the lightweight fabric from Trinidad – while beautiful – isn’t her style.
Home as a symbol
After living in her house for 3 years – Krisha wants her home to reflect where she is in life.
Thinking of her Trinidad roots inspires Krisha. But it is the summers she spent in New York City – her years of dancing on the big city stage – the Japanese kimonos and tea cermonies that she loves – they inspire her also.
It is every morning that she wakes up with gratitude and joy that she feels – after putting in the work to overcome divorce, depression, and adversity. Of diving and falling – and getting back up again.
Krisha’s home is a symbol in every way. A symbol of taking her power back.
Unsolicited advice
Where we live
How we live
How we design our homes – it can all have an impact on how we feel.
I think there are a rare few who can look at a room and picture exactly what furniture, art, and rugs to buy. But if you are like me – designing a space to live in takes time – it’s the journey of finding a table or a chair here and there that is inspiring to me. Drapery – though – that’s the toughest.
So – having spent a lot of time thinking about drapery – and how it can make you feel – here’s my advice to anyone afraid to make the wrong decision about drapery.
Allow yourself to get it wrong.
StitchBig
Make a statement. It’s your home.
What’s your story?
