2. What are your thoughts on the idea of ‘home’? 

Home is a location that evokes comfort and safety. It’s a place where others are welcomed in to share in those feelings, giving the place its title of a home rather than a location. A home need not be of brick and mortar or even stationary for me. I’ve had the opportunity to share with people in their homes across the globe from far-fetched mansions to a room lit by candles hardly larger than the bed frame. In those moments, they were all proud to welcome me in to their “home.” It was their comfort to be shared with others that made it a home too.

3. What kinds of things influence your design style?

As a society, we change our clothes each season depending on the evolving weather, but we also alter our wardrobes with new trends. This is seen easily as we move amongst one another so why do homes remain stagnant for such long periods of time? Design aesthetics are a reflection of your mood, which for me change less frequently as the weather but they do change so I kept two tips at the forefront.

First, the space must have the ability for people to move about and interact with both their body and their eyes. If it’s overwhelming, you miss out on the purpose of the elements from distraction which then detracts from the comfort. Second, the items must serve the purpose of telling their own story. This can be a family heirloom to a vintage set of barware to a well crafted gun cabinet, which also happens to be a family heirloom. I’m intrigued by so many various “styles” that if I stick with the first two steps they seem to flow. 

4. What do you consider to be one of your favourite items in your home? What could you never live without?

For me, all of it is replaceable. They evoke their own emotions and I’m not hoping to lose anything, but once they’ve been in my life the memory is contained within me forever, so the physical element could vanish but the memory of that experience never will.

It’s difficult to narrow to just one, so I will give three for various purposes. My Pendleton blanket, although two years old is a prized piece. It warms me on the couch, lays out on beaches for picnics and travels to globe with me on the ship. That blanket is comfort in more than just physical. My turntable connects generations with its ability to produce sound. I have records from my grandparents up to shows my wife and I saw two months ago. Music is the soundtrack to live and the tangible aspect of the turntable allows me to slow down and appreciate those tunes. Finally, a cast iron skillet that my great grandmother owned is vital. Just as its fed generations of my family, we’ve carried it on road trips to feed others. When I’m not on the ship, it resides on the stuff with extensive use beginning with my morning bacon and eggs just as my great-grandmother cooked for us when we visited. 

5. Please share any ideas/stories/pictures that best highlight your home.

My current brick & mortar is going through changes as we bought it at 24 and now at 30 our values have clearly changed to more purpose beyond filling a void in the house.

John

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If you would like to take part in this series, entitled Home, please email me at helloscarlettblog@outlook.com.

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