People use design in a variety of ways.

In my years as a designer I have worked with clients who are wanting to design for varied reasons. Many people enjoy the process and the challenges of designing and decorating a home while others are wanting to increase property value, impress friends and neighbours and sometimes just make themselves feel better.

The statistics are true, there is a measurable endorphin rush when we purchase something new. It is the main reason why most North Americans are in such deep consumer debt – we all love to buy and many of us love to buy beautiful items for our homes. One national chain has even slanted their campaigns to encourage people to buy it NOW and to not walk away because it will be gone and we will regret it…FOREVER. That is a ton of pressure for us consumers to add to our already sensitive trigger response to impulse buying.

A large percentage of clients are coming to me when they are wanting to sell their homes.

They are looking for advice on how to spruce things up and possibly add some sales dollars to their homes. Some item or colour they have lived with for years is suddenly unbearable in the face of a prospective buyer visiting their home. It is quite common for people to have their most beautiful interiors during their final days in their homes as we are influenced to make improvements or repairs before showing our home to a realtor. If a client and their designer do a very good job of upgrading the space, some will reconsider selling their homes and can tend to fall in love with them all over again.

There is a phenomenon among many women that happens when we see a friend with a new purse, new haircut, new boyfriend – you get the picture.

Envy also spreads to homes, especially among a group of close knit friends or people in close living quarters. I call this the cul-de-sac or condominium phenomenon which states that if one inhabitant of a cul-de sac or condo starts a renovation project or gets new furniture or appliances delivered, each neighbour in the immediate vicinity will be watching and comparing.

After seeking information and confirming what the envied neighbour has acquired, many people will take stock of their homes and will most likely head out to either obtain comparable items or items of better quality and stature to have delivered to their homes.

At the very core, decorating makes us feel fantastic.

It puts us in touch with a needful part of ourselves and makes us believe that we are part of an exclusive club and are making world changing decisions.

Our lives are momentarily less mundane and we are consulting, planning and directing the creation of our homes – it can be heady stuff! Colour is intricately tied to emotions and nothing on earth (besides chocolate and caramel) will lift the soul like a fresh new colour palette in your home, especially if it is one which lifts your spirits and makes your friends chartreuse with envy!

No matter where your design motivation lies, you can achieve many levels of satisfaction in your decorating pursuits. Emotional, financial and physical betterment are all within your grasp as you choose to decorate and dominate your interior domain.

Kim Wyse is a local interior designer. Find her on facebook at ‘Ask a Designer’.