When I started KCI many years ago, I thought long and hard about what ‘home’ meant to me and what I wanted my clients to experience inside their own walls. I brainstormed words like comfort and luxury, relaxed and curated, belonging and aspirational.
After lots of reflection, I landed on what has become more than just our design firm’s tagline:
"High-End, Laid-Back Living"
High-End, Laid-Back Living is a motto, a filter of sorts for us. These words are the essence of what we strive for in every project and what ultimately our clients deserve in their homes: quality and comfort. Not one or the other. Both.
Of course, what feels like home is different for each of us, but in my opinion, there are a few universal elements that make up an intentional and welcoming home:
1. Homes that have been considered and planned.
Much of what goes into creating a home is logic. How will a space function? How many people will be using a room at one time? How should the furniture be laid out? As designers, we spend a lot of time considering scale, color, balance, harmony.
But then, there is another part of the equation, one that is equally as important as everything we’ve calculated for.
2. Homes where we are free to relax and be ourselves.
The other part of the home equation comes from the heart. Who lives there? Where do they like to travel? What is their personal point of view? Tapping into that and finding a way to translate it into a space is what makes a home feel honest and ultimately tells the story of the people who live there.
3. Homes that are beautiful, but not fussy.
Homes that make us exhale.
Those are the kinds of homes I love. In a casually beautiful home, nothing feels too precious or stuffy. We can certainly have quality things that will hold up for years, but they can be displayed in a way that feels effortless and comfortable. I prefer major pieces, like the sofa, to be casual and comfortable, upholstered in a fabric that is worry-free and can handle spills. The extra investment in quality upholstery is worth it every time!
If we’ve done our job well, our clients can take a deep breath and exhale when they get home, knowing function and beauty have been equally valued, and it’s time to relax.
If you’d like help creating your own high-end, laid-back home, we’d love to chat. You can reach us on our website.
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