If you are planning a home makeover or remodeling project, here are some ideas to help you.

Inspiration to make a home planning journal from "Joy to the Home Planner:"

"Always design a thing by considering it in its next larger context -- a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan." - Eliel Saarinen (Finnish Architect)

Declaration of Intent

Form your unique design plan encompassing your entire home, from the first glimpse, all the way throughout your home, and to the far reaches of the back patio, garden, or yard.

Think about the feelings you want to bring about: joy, peace, comfort, and contentment. Add in ease, simplicity, and economy. Start with your feelings and the emotions you want to bring about for yourself and those you share your home with.

Write down your ideas. Start with your desired emotion and expand until you create your personal design goal. Something like this:

"I desire peace. I want my home to sing in perfect harmony with the universe. I need to encourage nature's music of bird songs and plan a birdbath."

"I want natural warmth. I want the sun to shine in! No heavy window coverings will block out natural daylight. Ethereal light will be encouraged with soft, sheer window dressings for privacy."

"I feel like relaxing. I desire a padded rocking chair on my back porch with a table nearby for iced tea."

"We want joyful rooms to play together in. Only necessary furnishings will take up valuable play space."

When you first think of how you want to feel in a space, then you can choose the decorating details that will bring about your emotional well-being. I want everyone to feel welcome to my home, so I planted yellow and white flowers. I want my friends to feel refreshed when they park their car, so I planted shade trees. I want all who come to the front door to feel happy, so I painted my door a joyful shade of red.

Enjoy writing your desired feelings and playing with this concept!

Joy to you!

(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

Professor Jeanette Fisher, author of Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars, Joy to the Home, and other books teaches Real Estate Investing and Design Psychology. For more articles, tips, reports, newsletters, and sales flyer template, see http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com/pages/5/index.htm