On My Mind: When a Place Needs Some Love
(When A Place Needs Some Love is about what a few considered choices can do for a space that’s been overlooked.)
I’ve been noticing hotels that aren’t necessarily run down or in need of a complete renovation, but just look a little uncared for. Like the owners fixed it up for the grand opening and then refused to pay to keep it up.
So it got me thinking, What would I do if this hotel were mine? Not gut it. Not just slap some paint on it. But give it some love.
Maybe it’s a more thoughtful light fixture. A special chair. Interesting art. A rug, a mirror, a textile, or a few objects that make the place feel as though someone appreciates it.
That became the idea for this edit.
The Psychology Behind It
We begin experiencing a space before much else happens. Lighting, scent, color, furnishings, and signs of upkeep all provide environmental cues that can shape how we perceive and feel in a place.
In a hotel, those cues also become part of how we evaluate the experience we’re paying for. A space that appears cared for can communicate attention and welcome, while neglect can communicate something different. And this is just as true in our homes. Everything down to the most minute design details can contribute to whether a place feels welcoming, comfortable, or forgotten.
The Collection
Image via Showcase of Antiquity on Etsy
Image via CC Art Gallery Studio on Etsy
Vintage Maria Theresa Chandelier
A little age can be part of what makes something special. This vintage chandelier is ornate, dramatic, and full or romance. A nice departure from some of the more generic crystal chandeliers seen in hotels. It’s the kind of piece that suggests someone with an “eye” or point of view had a hand in choosing it.
Abstract Color Block Oil Painting
The blocks of saturated color and imperfect edges are what drew me to this painting. If feels lively without feeling overly polished, and shifts the energy of a perfectly polished room.
Image via Modern Loom
Image via Modern Pop Up on Chairish
This throw brings together something useful with something that feels almost like art. The wool adds softness and warmth, while the bold yet restrained pattern gives an otherwise ordinary throw a little more presence.
I enjoy when something functional is also unexpected. The chrome, lucite, and almost space-age shape turn an ordinary vanity mirror into something with character.
Image via Good Grief Pottery
Image via Painted Black Studios
Image via R-KI-TEKT
Good Grief Pottery grew from its founder finding a way to turn something sad into something creative and beautiful. I like the idea of bringing that same spirit to a space. This handmade little vase feels playful and joyful, and meaningful too.
Painted Black Studios Chess Set
A space can feel different when it gives us something to do, not just something to look at. Painted Black Studios brings its interest in gathering and play with a strong sense of style. The scupltural chest set is meant to be left out, making play and connection part of the appeal of the space.
R-KI-TEKT Wooden Incense Holder—CERCEAU
Some of the smallest details can change our experience of a room. This sculptural wooden incense holder adds something beautiful on its own, while scent brings in a whole other layer, one that can become part of how we remember a place.
A Closer Look
Old and neglected aren’t the same thing. A place can show its age and still be beautiful. Faded materials, worn surfaces, older furniture, and architectural quirks can give a space character and history.
Neglect feels different.
We tend to notice signs of care. They tell us that someone is paying attention. And perhaps that’s part of what makes a space feel good to be in, not perfection or newness, but the sense that it matters enough to be looked after.
Try This…
Pay attention to what looks neglected.
Keep what has character.
Replace a forgotten light fixture with one you love.
Hang a piece of original or interesting art.
Move something around that may feel different in a new spot.
Add a handmade object.
Bring in a bold textile.
Leave out a game people can actually play.
Add a scent that changes the mood of the room.
