When I set out to start creating concrete home decor roughly five years ago, I didn’t have any grand plans or big visions of what I’d be creating over the years or how it would all come together as a cohesive brand. I didn’t have any solid idea of what shapes I loved or which colors felt the most “me.” It’s required time, experience, projects of both successes and failures (lots and lots of failures) to understand what works together and what works for me.
I’ve cultivated my design philosophy over the years by testing different molds, playing with textured concrete designs, inlay designs, and topically applying gold foiled designs. It’s been enlightening to see what people respond to, and to cultivate my own style and preferences. Through learning more about interior design, identifying good design in the wild and using those notes - I’ve been able to establish my own design philosophy and style principles.
Through all of this I’ve learned that what I value most is creating a space that is practical, sustainable, feels luxurious, and is all done very intentionally.
The four principles of House of Ivy’s design philosophy
There are four design principles that guide everything House of Ivy does: function, sustainability, luxury and versatility. Regardless of whether you love the warmth of bohemian, the tidiness of modern, the classiness of traditional, the character of maximalism or the calmness of minimalism, following these design principles are for you if you want to create moments and live in spaces that make you feel your best.
Here I detail what each principle is, why it's crucial in your design process and how to implement each within your own spaces to cultivate your unique style while building intentional rooms.
FUNCTION
What is functional home decor
The first principle in House of Ivy’s design philosophy is functionality. To be functional is to be useful, it’s to serve a purpose and help with a need. This is a high priority in my design philosophy because having functional decor ensures that each piece is relevant in the grand scope of the space. It helps create moments and spaces that work for you, and that are meant to be lived in rather than just looked at.
Functional design is built around the people living in the spaces and that means that it adapts over time, as you and your needs do.
Why functionality is important in interior design
While it’s not off limits to include pieces purely for aesthetics in your design, at House of Ivy I have prioritized functionality in my concrete home decor because it invites the opportunity to have less. Functional home decor creates small opportunities to reduce how much you have in your space, making it easier to relax and live your daily life without
a sea of clutter. Visualize it this way… When a concrete Booty Vase can both hold your makeup brushes and serve as the art on your bathroom counter, you’ve eliminated the need for two things where one can suffice.
Need another visual? When you have a tight entry way and you need that space to serve as your station for unloading when you get home and departing with everything you need, do you want to load your small entry way table with with plants for color, a tray for catching keys, wallets and sun glasses, art hung above the table to show your style and still, amongst all of that, find a place to hold a lamp and throw your purse? No. You can keep the entry tidy and stylish by topping your entryway table with a large concrete artisan bowl that embodies your style and catches everything as you’re coming and going. Amplify the appearance by
hanging a mirror over the table to catch extra light and make the space appear larger, without adding visual clutter. You can keep the remaining table surface clean to drop your purse, dog leash, groceries or any other oddities as you’re shuffling through your entry throughout the day. It’s simply about making spaces that work for you while setting the tone for the style of the rest of your home.
How to add functionality in your spaces
To get started implementing functionality in your spaces, whether it’s the beloved coffee nook in your kitchen or it’s your entire living room, I encourage you to look around and notice what pieces you use every day, but lack your style. Those are the pieces that can be replaced with upgraded versions that embody your style while serving the same purpose that your current piece does.
Next, look around and notice which pieces are existing without purpose. What are the pieces that do nothing to hold or display something? Do you love it? Is it in the way? Is there a version of that available that can work better for you? Evaluate if it's there because you love it or because you haven't thought about it since you brought it home.
Once you identify those things, consider and shop around (starting with your favorite small and local businesses of course) to see how those pieces can be upgraded to both display your style and serve you practically every day. It’s a simple change that begins with observation.
SUSTAINABILITY
What makes decor sustainable
Sustainable home decor is any home decor that’s made with materials that aren’t harmful to the environment, made in ways that are least harmful to the environment, and are made to last the long haul of time.
While there is no one size fits all list of qualifications, sustainable home decor is home decor that’s made to inflict as little harm on the environment as possible so you can feel good bringing it in your home. At House of Ivy sustainability is at the forefront of my mind in everything I do. From mixing concrete in reused plastic kitchen containers that were destined for the landfill and using plastic-free packaging when shipping all orders, to having an entire Perfectly Imperfect Collection based around still loving our imperfect pieces. Everything I do to create my concrete home decor and to get it from my studio to your home, is done intentionally and with the environment in mind.
Why prioritize sustainability in your interior design
Knowing that you’re designing your spaces with pieces that are both good to the environment and that look good in your environment, creates the opportunity to build rooms that feel as good as they look.
It is our responsibility as people living on this planet, using the earth’s finite resources, taking up space, that we make choices that either create the smallest amount of damage possible, or that leave this place better than we found it. While all of the repercussions of making poor consumeristic choices may not be faced in our lifetime, it doesn’t negate the responsibility that each of us as individuals have to responsibly source the things that we purchase. We all have friends, family, children or neighbors that will live past our time as individuals here on this earth, so don’t we want to leave them with quality things and a planet that’s well taken care of?
How to design a sustainable space
To start implementing sustainability in your spaces I think it can be boiled down to focusing on three things: materials, where you source decor from and your intention with any given piece. While it is near impossible to live a life that leaves zero imprint on the environment, it’s our responsibility as individuals to do the work to make the best choices we can.
Materials matter because some can be broken down in a reasonable amount of time and some can take thousands of years, literally, to break down in a landfill. Understanding which materials are both ethical to incorporate in your spaces while also filling your rooms with the designs that make you happiest, will be the key to your sustainable designing.
LUXURY
What is luxury home decor
For home decor to be a high-end luxury piece, it's made by humans using superior quality materials. Luxury home decor is exclusive and not available to all and lastly, it comes from a brand with a strong history and clear brand direction.
Why luxury matters when designing your space
I think that luxury holds a place in our minds that feels a little out of reach for the average person. The luxury I’m referring to is the quiet luxury that matches your values, your aesthetic and goals. Sourcing luxury home decor is important because it’s another way to ensure that you’re only bringing pieces into your spaces that you genuinely love and want
to see for years to come. It helps reduce clutter, enhance style and creates moments that you can count on for your lifetime, and beyond.
How to implement luxury in your interior design
To bring in luxury home decor to your spaces, start with thinking about the pieces and spaces that you use the most. Those are the things that you can upgrade first, as their impact will be greatest in your daily life. When I started designing my home more intentionally it all started on the main floor. My home is vertical and the main floor isn’t much more than my living room and kitchen, but those are the two places I spend the most time and host the most guests, so it was a priority for me.
I love to cook and entertain so I started upgrading little areas, one thing at a time. My wooden cutting board wall is a statement in the kitchen, with wood boards sourced from all over, and that I actually take off the wall and use. The buffet under my TV in the living room got an upgrade with some interior design books, topped with my concrete Venice Bowl to quietly display match boxes for my candles. My remotes are now comfortably nestled in my concrete oval Winston Bowl, providing both organization and an elevated look for something that could otherwise be tossed anywhere.
Start with acknowledging the pieces and spaces you use the most, find quality items that you can upgrade your current pieces with, and start making your space all about you. If you need inspiration, take notice of the set design on some of your favorite shows, observe what colors or materials are creating the vibe of your favorite restaurants, and see what makes certain buildings feel so grand. Take those notes back home and see how they can be implemented in your own space.
VERSATILITY
What is versatile home decor
Quite possibly the simplest of all the design philosophies to understand and implement, is versatility. For a piece to be versatile it must be able to be moved around to different spaces and used in different ways as your needs and spaces change.
Why versatility is important in your interior design
Investing in pieces that are versatile ultimately increases the lifetime of a piece and the value of it. We want to source pieces that are able to move around our spaces as we do, because it allows us the opportunity to always keep our rooms feeling fresh as things are constantly moving, and again, provides the opportunity to have less if each piece is able to serve more than one purpose.
How to source versatile decor
When you’re shopping for new home decor with versatility in mind, think of at least two ways in which you can use any given piece. Can this sculptural bust vase work to both hold fresh flower arrangements and display makeup brushes? Does this bowl work for a catch-all at the entry or presenting your fresh citrus in the kitchen? Does this organic shaped tray work for holding your candle and matches but also organize your perfumes on your bathroom counter?
Bring pieces into your spaces that can work for you in different ways so you can have less, move things around as needed and have the funds and space to add more when you see something you love.
Final thoughts on House of Ivy’s design philosophy
While interior design styles vary greatly, these design principles stand the test of time within any of them. Design is about longevity, personality and quality. Through the implementation of these principles, you can honor all three of those ideas, in a responsible way.
As you start to look at your spaces with a new eye and as you add new pieces going forward, I want you to think about the spaces and moments in your home that you use the most. Whether you’re shopping today or not, I encourage you to think about the following: what upgraded replacements do your most treasured spaces deserve? What’s your interior design style and where can you find the most ethical options for designing your spaces going forward? Who makes the most quality version of the pieces you use and love the most? What pieces do you find yourself in need of the most, and what can be a more versatile option to what you already have?
These are all the things I’d love for you to think about as you design your spaces and make choices on what to bring in your home. To see a collection of my favorite concrete decor pieces at House of Ivy that help me execute this philosophy in my favorite spaces, click here.