Happy New Year friends! I’m not one for resolutions per say, but my yearly tradition seems to center around the notion of a mantra for each new year. I love to pause, reflect and reset for the new year ahead. My mantra serves as a guiding principle towards which I steer my energies for the year. If you practice yoga or meditation, you might be familiar with the concept of a mantra, often mentioned at the beginning of yoga class (originally in Hinduism and Buddhism) it means a word or sound repeated to aid concentration. It is similar to the idea of holding an intention, but for some reason, a short mantra really sticks with me better.

My big secret is that every year I change my email password to my mantra. There is nothing I type more through out the year than my password, and it serves as a great reminder almost daily. As a details person, it’s often hard for me to see the big picture and my mantra is BIG PICTURE and SIMPLE. My mantra for 2016 was, “MAKE IT WORK.” 2016 was really my first “official” full year in business as Centered by Design, and there was a lot of putting my head down and working, period, working all the time. MAKE IT WORK, was my big picture reminder. Yes, I did steal this phrase from my favorite, Tim Gunn, on Project Runway. In summary, I think 2016 was basically one long “make it work” moment.

I’m happy to report that I think I did pretty darn well at making it work!!! My top nine Instagram photos are representative of two big highlights:

• My Lake Forest Guest House project was selected by HGTV for the Fresh Faces of Design Contest. I didn’t win the online voting competition, but it was pretty awesome to be recognized in the Pattern & Texture category and selected by HGTV judges!
• We bought a house!! And started some really cool renovations, including completing our kitchen, living room, dining room, mud room, entry, home office and guest room. There’s still a lot to do, including an entire upstairs, but I feel like Luke and I have found our groove and can’t wait to finish the interior in 2017.
• Also, personal highlight to write two articles for Domino Magazine online, including this gorgeous table top which I styled at the home of a talented local painter.

Some of my most read blog post included:

• The very first look at the BEFORE of our house
• This little gem on Window Treatments – they make a huge difference!
• DIY Shibori and DIY Marble Notecards

I’m also incredibly grateful to my amazing clients and friends/vendors who made so many of this year’s design projects fabulous. I love this FAMILY ROOM, this BEDROOM, and this CONDO.

I have decide my mantra for 2017 is BEING FEARLESS. Running a business can be scary, especially when you’re new at it, and perfection also holds me back from living fully and authentically at times. This year, I’m ready to live from the heart, without fear, and ask myself “do I really want to do this.” If the answer is yes, then I’m going to make it happen. And, I’m starting with two big leaps:

• One leap is my first space in a designer show house – more to come on this soon!
• The second is a women’s trip to Morocco! This will also serve as a buying trip for said show house, and I’m so excited to travel out of the country again, as it’s been five years since our big New Zealand/Australia adventure.

The big question is, what will be your mantra in 2017??? If you close your eyes, and take 10 slow deep breaths does anything come up for you? If there was one thing you could do to be closer to your authentic self, what would it be? Take an art class, quit your day job, spend more time with friends, go to more raves? : )

Whatever you’re seeking this year, I truly hope you find it! I’ll keep dishing out design and I’d love to hear from you below. What do you like to read on the blog? More DIY? More interior design / styling advice? More interviews? More renovations / before + afters? I want to write content that actually helps and inspires you, so tell me what you need! I’d love to know : )

XOXO – HAPPY NEW YEAR – XOXO

CLAIRE