Kelli Collins
Color-blind Arizona native living the beach bum life in the Sunshine State, spending her days thrifting and surfing
Viera, Florida
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Instagram: @kelli_e_collins
Photos: Kelli Collins
Five tips for Designing a Nurturing Home:
1. Declutter the floor space.
2. Balance. If you have a gallery wall on one side of the room, keep it simple on the other.
3. Make comfortable reading/lounging spots in every room.
4. Bring the outside in. Plants can instantly warm up a room.
5. Use plenty of textures and layers.
Balance through asymmetry
I like to create visual balance through asymmetry. When a composition is visually balanced, every part of it holds some interest. Asymmetrical design can be much harder to pull off, but it’s dynamic and interesting to look at. If it’s done right, the energy and flow of a space can be spectacular.
The energy of color
Color represents the absolute best our natural world has to offer! Each color, each hue is a tone, an individual musical note that is best heard when accompanied by other notes. I don’t believe there are any wrong choices when it comes to color. When the combination of colors you select sings to you, all that matters is that you like what you hear. There are few things more personal than personalizing your living space. Color choices can represent who you are and are a visceral display of a side of you that most may not see, so I’ve tried to be honest with myself throughout the process. I love to experiment with color. I love when hues that shouldn’t work together just do and create an entirely different feel than expected. The only way for me to envision how a color will look in a space is to slap it on the wall! Some things work, some don’t, but experimentation with color is crucial to cultivating the look you want, and it’s a vital tool when designing a space. The more you swing a hammer, the more often you’ll hit the nail on the head.
Bold, unapologetic + bizarre color
Bold and unapologetic color choices are truly what inspire me. I’m drawn to unique, one-of-a-kind and somewhat bizarre decor. Sometimes the whole concept and look of a space will be based on a single object around which the rest of the decor will revolve, and typically those pieces are found in seemingly innocuous places: garage sales, flea markets, roadside knick-knackeries. To find inspiration in unexpected places is an absolute joy for me and has become something of a hobby. Some people are blessed with what seems like perpetual inspiration. For me, it’s something I must pursue and seek out.
Clear your space
Clear the space of all the unnecessary items and fill it up with all the things that bring you joy. Stimulate your senses: candles, music, incense, lighting, favorite colors, lush textiles… it can really make a difference.
Get creative!
Think outside the box when using an object for your home. Many would advise you to wait to buy something for an intended purpose or space. I usually do the opposite and impulsively buy pretty things on a whim without knowing what to do with them. It allows me to get creative. For example, I bought an otomi print table runner that was so beautiful that I hated putting it on the table in fear that it would be ruined at meals. I decided to hang it up in the bathroom above our tub as a wall hanging. Love that I can use an object for something other than its intended purpose.
Ways to make your space come more alive
Plants! Plants make people happy. I have always been intrigued by biophilic design. We have designed many of our environments to steer us away from nature, which is essential and fundamental to us as humans. I love the idea of connecting nature with people and bringing the outside in.
ORIGIN RAPID FIRE
1. The place you feel most yourself?
The beach, botanical garden, sunroom, bookstore and Florida Keys.
2. Where do you shop to find your favorite pieces?
Flea markets, antique stores, Goodwill, Anthropologie and World Market.
3. If you had to design a room in one color, what would it be?
Green! Any and all shades of green!
4. What hashtags do you use to find awesome design on Instagram?
5. Where do you start when you remake a room?
I usually design a room around vintage textiles, tapestries or art.
6. What's the fastest way to shift a space?
Paint, rugs, throw pillows, art and plants.
7. Something we wouldn't know about you?
I wanted to be an FBI crime scene investigator when I was younger. I even went to college for it and was crushed when I found out I wouldn’t be able to since I’m color-blind.