PERFECT IMPERFECTIONS
“All of me
Loves all of you;
Love your curves and all your edges
All your perfect imperfections”.
These words, written by John Legend in his song “All of Me”, have always struck me as a perfect philosophy for truly inspired interior design.
Of course, in the design of a living space there has to be structure and order but truly inspired interior design soars above ordered structural holism to find ways in which authentic personality can be expressed through the superimposition of carefully chosen imperfection.
Early in my design career I came across the fourteenth century philosophy Wabi Sabi, “Wabi” meaning “beauty in humble simplicity” and Sabi signifying “the flower of time”.
This “flower of time” Buddhist philosophy, which has come to typify Japanese culture ever since, was reactionary to the trend of exaggerated opulence in Kamakura Shogun feudalist Japan of the time.
It advocated that one should eschew the sumptuous and spectacular and find harmony in impermanence, peace in nature and beauty in imperfection.
It is this “beauty in imperfection” that fascinates me.
As Gaudí, master architect and passionate observer of nature knew only too well, the truly interesting is to be found in the unexpected, the surprising, the slight asymmetry and disharmony that rises above the masterful, catching our eye and intriguing us to know more.
I love the juxtaposition of the perfect with the imperfect. For this reason, I love matt painted walls with slightly imperfect finishes, bringing streaks of impertinent colour into an otherwise perfectly harmonious setting.
I love how nature always presents us with tiny imperfections on its beautifully shaped forms, celebrating the fact that every one of its creations is original. As they say, no two snowflakes are ever alike.
I love the imperfect creative chaos of the vertical garden in my internal patio at home. I love the way the living room walls in my home combine brick with stone, celebrating the historic soul of this Modernist building.
I remember reading an article once how Cindy Crawford, perhaps one of the most beautiful women in the world, was told by modelling agencies that she would have to have the mole removed above her lip if ever she was to succeed in modelling.
She debated it for weeks, finally deciding that imperfection was more beautiful than perfection.
And I encourage you, when you contemplate the interior design of your living space, to allow imperfection to take the beauty of your home, and of you yourself, to greater heights.
In short, to adopt the philosophy of Wabi Sabi.
Not wanting too much is not only a good rule of thumb for interior decoration, but is also, perhaps, a good philosophy for life.
If you would like advice regarding your business or home,
do not hesitate to contact me!
correo: sonia@ambientainteriors.com
