Reflection: On Aesthetics

Lately, I’ve had this deeper desire to dig into my creative self—to explore whatever spark may be hiding from the world and expose it. More specifically, I’ve wanted to get more in touch with my aesthetic creation and originate beauty in the physical form.

I whipped out my journal last night, in attempt to unravel or discover something within.

For some reason, a question came to mind: what would my aesthetic preferences be if the Internet didn’t exist? If there was no Pinterest, no Instagram, no Facebook? Would I have white walls? Would I have ordered a jute rug last week? Maybe, but maybe not.

Much of what we consume from others motivates our own actions and preferences — this has always been true, I imagine, but now, on an elevated scale given the amount of exposure we have to others lives on the Internet. Before it came from home magazines, I suppose; now, it’s from thousands of social media accounts, Pinterest boards, celebrity lifestyles, and the like.

So I couldn’t answer this question — I have no idea what my aesthetic preferences would be if not for the Internet. Perhaps this is to my benefit, to have more exposure to different creative styles, almost like more paint on my palette, but perhaps also to my detriment, being nudged or influenced into certain aesthetics that aren’t truly me.

So then I asked myself another question: what aesthetic do I feel most drawn to on the Internet? This was easier to answer, because I am drawn to vastly different aestehtics, but also, sort of confusing.

For example, I’m drawn to @eyeswoon’s art deco designs; I’m drawn to @juliaberholzheimer’s ultra-feminine colorful curations; I’m drawn to @jakearnold’s moodier settings. I'm drawn to so many extremely different styles.

My next questions followed: how is it that I can appreciate so many opposing styles? Isn’t it a contradiction to love the dramatic boldness of this designer, but also love the soft elegance of another? What about these styles entices me?

I started to write about what it is I appreciate… and ultimately, I realized it was less the aesthetic, and more the feeling that comes to me when I see the aesthetic.

It’s always a feeling.

For example, I love how @eyeswoon’s artsy design brings out my curiosity and captivation, and I love how @juliaberolzheimer style makes me feel like a little girl playing make-believe. I love how @jennikayne’s vibe makes me feel calm and balanced, and I love how the Nancy Myer trend makes me feel safe, almost like coming home to a warm batch of cookies after a long school day (on a pretty china plate).

Maybe it’s not a contradiction to love vastly different styles. Maybe it’s merely an appreciation of different types of feelings.

Maybe the real magic really happens when we marry the different design styles in a way that curates complex but beautiful feelings.

For example, when I designed Kennedy’s nursery, I had to have the most glam mirror I could find. Yet, I also have equal, if not more love, for her beaten-up vintage rattan rocking horse. Maybe that juxtaposition—the glam mirror next to an aged rocking horse—is what I love most about design. The idea we can create something beautiful by adding elements that are complimentary yet vastly different in style, and thereby, create vastly different feelings.

I don’t have perfect wording or reasoning to describe why I like her mirror and rocking horse together — and maybe that’s why aesthetics are so incredible. Like all good things in life, words do no justice for the feeling.

So instead of asking myself what aesthetic am I trying to create? probably the better question is, what feeling am I trying to create?

Maybe this type of creation isn’t always Instagram-sexy. On second thought, maybe this type of creation is what makes Instagram sexy—seeing others share from the feeling they want to create, curate, emulate.

Just some thoughts I’ve had on aesthetics lately —I’m sure I’ll keep having them.