Designing in the moment

Last evening I had dinner with dear friends of mine who have created a life that is eight months in Mexico, four months in Tinicum, PA. When they are in Tinicum they are living in a very tiny cottage whcih they are renovating as they go along. I was there a week ago and they had part of a kitchen up, some furniture in place, and a lot of potential for more! This week I was blown away by the transformation. Oh, they hadn't finished the kitchen, they hadn't finished the floor, the closet wasn't in along the back wall, part of the electricity was still out, but because of their ability to bring out and arrange lovely objects and place them so artfully the space was charming, comfortable, and inviting. There was a gorgeous and brilliant gaphic that was a cotton fabric tacked at the front door, there were some treasured pictures placed very carefully on the walls, there were nests for conversation, there was an eating area nested in another corner with a brilliant fabric tablecloth, on and on and on. The dinner was delicious, dessert baked in another cottage's oven, pasta with pesto all prepared on hot plates, salmon done on an outside grill, ....these people are artists in the moment. The cottage does not have to be done perfectly in order to be attractive, in fact stunning, for they are so good at making what is in the moment beautiful. It also, does not have to be finished to entertain! The lesson was that for me. I wait for something to get to a certain point before I make it beautiful when it could be beautiful in all stages. I wait for the "done stage" to have people over. Instead all I have to do is accept everything exactly as it is, bring forward my creativity, and what I have in the moment and use my designer's eye (we all have one, you know) to make it happen. This way every moment is beautiful and full of life. Great learning!