Designing My Dream Home…

As you may know, we have officially moved to the Dominican Republic where, for the next year or so, we will be building and designing our new home. To say I’m excited is an understatement!

I am finally embracing that change is something I love and too much of the same for a prolonged period simply makes me disinterested. Before making the move, I had reached that phase with my own home in New Jersey. So, I began redesigning/changing things up and while doing that, well you know how it turned out.

So, now I’m onto my biggest project yet. Designing my own home from scratch! Something I want to be completely intentional about. I want to take my time. Source the right items. Make this a labor of love, in every possible way. Starting with the fact that we have decided to take this on ourselves. Originally we were going to go with a project build but my entire gut kept telling me no. It goes against everything I believe – and if you’ve been following my journey you know that I vowed to only say yes to the things that fully light me up. I know saying yes might have seemed like the easier route. I mean, as the contractor said to us, “It’s all done for you,” but ending up with a home that didn’t feel personalized just did not feel right to me. So, now we are starting from point zero and it feels AMAZING! We just interviewed our potential architect/engineering team yesterday and it felt heavenly. To be able to express my design perspective and all the details that matter to me was just everything. So much so, we went for a drink after to celebrate! Haha!

So, with that said – I wanted to share my preliminary design thoughts of my new home.

I want an oasis of greenery. To play upon nature the way old European homes do, enveloped in their surroundings.

My continued thoughts…

I’m looking to embrace natural materials, like natural stone countertops (won’t make that mistake again!), linen & cotton elements, and small, unexpected moments of stones (like in baseboards or dish soap holders) to add texture and warmth to my home. Nothing gets me going than a beautifully thought out, interior design moment!  Also, opting for locally sourced wood furniture (have already sourced some local vendors! Woohoo! Why does this make me so happy?!) and wicker or rattan accents to create an organic yet timeless feel.

Mixing new and vintage pieces. For me (I know you’ve heard me say this a million times), but nothing creates style more than a blend of old and new. This isn’t just only related to furniture and decor but also structural design (hello arched windows – a very old architectural design element used in European homes for centuries). I want to create a layered, lived-in look. This juxtaposition adds depth and character. Layering different pieces also creates texture and warmth to the ambiance.

This will come as no surprise, but I’m thinking of a muted and earthy color palette. Subdued, with pops of moodiness, such as warm whites, soft grays, muted greens and blues, and rich terracotta (do you remember my vintage tiles!! Ahh!!). I think they will play in the Caribbean atmosphere in a reimagined way vs. a literal way.

With the design of my first home, there were moments I went for a more mass-produced item or brand for the sake of accessibility and budget, but this time I want to focus a lot more on craftsmanship and quality. I certainly don’t have an endless budget, so I’m going to choose what’s most important to me and make changes in other areas. I literally told the architect yesterday that I would rather have a smaller house if it means intentional craftsmanship.  Less is more. I want to design a home that emphasizes quality. I truly believe it will enhance my story of home and overall vision. *Insert- crying tears of joy and gratitude!*

I’m obsessed with arches! I want a few (large in scale) arched doors leading to my pool/backyard area.

Thank you as always for being part of my journey and allowing me to share my world with you,

Image Credits:  Design: Isabel Lopez //Photography: Miguel Flores-Viann. Design: Handelsmann and Khaw// Photography: Prue Ruscoe. Design: Storie Collective. If not credit not listed, design and/or photography unknown.