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June 22, 2016 4 min read
In the carefully crafted and ever-chic design game, Brett Helsham never fails to bring her A-game. At the helm of her eponymous design firm for just over two years, her time zigzagging the globe as a kid crops up clearly in her vibrant, thoughtful designs. While they can span an ocean’s breadth—from minimalist to Moroccan—her creations always maintain a focus on warmth, function and personality. Check out her philosophy of space below.
Helsham makes a clear distinction between her taste and her clients’ needs, keeping the latter the sole priority. Since every client has a different lifestyle, her work starts at understanding the psychology behind what they do, how they do it, when they do it and why. “Some people love to entertain, some people have Shabbat dinner every Friday night,” she says. “My approach is to really understand how my clients live. I work with creating functional spaces for these parameters and then the aesthetic follows, not vice versa. I guide my clients to make positive choices after I’m gone, too, because they’re creating a home where I hope they’ll collect memories.”
Helsham knows this to be true; she’s gleaned this perspective from her own life. “Since I moved around a lot, being exposed to the different cultures shaped my aesthetic,” says Helsham. “And, the practical logistics were important, too: If you move around, you have to shove your furniture in the next house! My mother allowed me to design my room over and over, so I would take different things in my room. We’ve lived in houses big and small, and all of this now plays a role in my work and preferences.”
Let It Flow…and Then Edit: Some people have eclectic taste and putting a variety of items together is challenging. “They might all be beautiful pieces, but you can get trigger happy instead of seeing what works together,” says Helsham. “Sometimes you need to roll with it in terms of the architecture and style of the space. Then, add your eclectic choices through color, pillows and rugs.”
Pay Attention to Paint: “Paint can make or break your space,” she explains. “But don’t assume dark colors make things smaller or bright colors automatically make it feel happy. Choose carefully and specifically.”
For Helsham, the solace a peaceful space provides is as essential as your other fitness and wellness activities. “Your home is a very important space for mental clarity, health and wellness. Simple things like making the bed in the morning make people feel better,” she says. “We come home from work, and it’s a place for respite. So you have to start with really understanding what makes a space organized, comfortable and a place you want to come home to. When you come home and it’s chaos, you feel it no matter what. That’s why we do Spring Cleaning! Create a space that helps you unwind and charge up again to go do whatever you need to do.”
Elfa from The Container Store also provides simple, economical solution.
Brett’s SBS Mantra: Be Strong! Being an entrepreneur you have to be so many things, but Be Strong means having the confidence to never give up and to have the strength and mental capacity to face challenges when they (and they always do!) come up. It means you have self-control and emotional discipline. But most of all, it means being unapologetically you and loving every moment of the journey.
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