Nerves are natural... I think!

Our lovely kitchen (not) is no more and the wall between it and the dining room has been knocked out. This gives us a chance to actually see the space – rather than imagine it through an architect's eye – and work out whether our kitchen will look any good. I'm really excited that it will. One of the things I'm learning is that no matter how developed your eye is, when it's your own project nerves are natural. If I'm styling a cover, consulting on an interior or helping someone with their wardrobe, I'm always confident that what I'm recommending will turn out well. (I guess that's just as well since it's my occupation!) But when it comes to our home – or my own wardrobe for that matter – there's always a degree of anxiety. It's probably cos I'm a control freak... I didn't actually design or draw up the space myself... but one of the things I'm learning from all of this is how much creative buzz you can get out of a project like a renovation or house build even if the design itself is essentially in the hands of someone else. The guy who remodeled our home is an architect called Dean Mackenzie, and the process of how he approached it was illuminating. It was (unexpectedly) connective and very reassuring. He caught hold of our vision and reflected it back to us perfectly. I guess it's all in the communication: 'how to speak to your architect/builder etc so it doesn't all turn to custard'. But more on that later...