3 takeaways from the book “77 Habits of Highly Creative Interior Designers”
From the book 77 Habits of Highly Creative Interior Designers: Insider Secrets from the World’s Top Design Professionals
Less is more
“Less is more” is a known concept. But how do we put that into play? What do we remove or reduce? And when do we do it?
“Before you leave the house, take three things off.” — Coco Chanel, according to interior designer John Chrestia.
When we think we’re ready, find 3 things to remove. This applies to most forms of communication: speeches, essays, emails and artwork.
Stand for something
“You always have to be able to justify your choices. Casual good taste betrays a lack of culture. “ — Axel Verhoustraeten
We’re always being influenced by other people. It’s good to model after people we admire when starting out, but allow your style to evolve.
If you’re familiar with Nas Daily, you’d know that Nasir built his company by making short videos everyday. And now that he has a huge team, his employees and partner have started being the narrator in some videos.
And while the speakers are different, the style is completely the same, right down to the intonation of the narrators.
There’s no personality there.
As an illustrator, I’ve seen similar things happening. The illustrators I admire have their own distinctive style. It’s good to model after successful people to learn, but we should be comfortable, and indeed, strive to create our own style. Creators should be known for who they are, instead of being a copycat.
Again, this applies in other areas such as public speaking, writing and leadership.
Rules are suggestions
“Dress your home as you dress yourself. Have fun with colours and fabrics. There are no rules.” — Kelly Wearstler
Trying to stick to my own rules all the time drives me insane. I’ve noticed that these are absolute rules that include the words “always” and “never”: “Always make 1 visual a day.” “Never use different styles or colours.”
Rules are like scaffolds that help in the construction of a building. But if we make them unbreakable then the scaffold becomes a prison. So my rules are now guidelines. It’s up to our discretion to follow, bend or break rules. Use good judgment.
Discover more of me on