What I, in my late 30s, realized when I faced interior design for the first time and thought, 'Oh, I was wrong'
Having lived for nearly 40 years, I had never really been interested in 'interior design'.
Of course, I knew it was better to have a stylish and cool home. However, since neither my spouse nor I have many friends, we never invite people over, and no one ever sees the inside of our house.
There was no need to go out of my way to buy stylish lighting fixtures; as long as it was warm in winter and cool in summer, that was fine. As long as it was easy to work in. As long as I could sit. As long as there was no stress.
In other words, I was prioritizing UX (or so I assumed) while sacrificing UI.
But I was wrong.
Taking the opportunity of moving, I decided to try properly incorporating furniture and greenery to focus on interior design, and my QOL skyrocketed.
In fact, I realized that my previous life of not caring about interior design was actually what had been sacrificing UX.
I want to write down what was different so I don't forget how I feel right now.
Lighting wasn't just about making things bright
When I thought of lighting, I thought it was just something attached to the ceiling of a room, and as long as the whole room was bright, that was enough.
That's wrong. Lighting should be chosen to brighten the heart, not just the room.
Illuminating only the necessary areas as much as needed is clearly more soothing to the heart. There was no need to be that bright at night. I was missing out on life.
Chairs weren't just about being able to sit
I used to think any chair would do as long as I could sit on it.
I was wrong. A chair is an asset, a life partner, and human history.
I learned about what are called masterpiece chairs, and when I went to a furniture store to try sitting in one, I ended up buying it before I knew it.
The psychological cost of a chair I bought for 100,000 yen thinking 'this is the one' was actually lower than a chair I bought for a few thousand yen thinking 'this will do'.
Record enthusiasts weren't just showing off
Until I was a college student, I was obsessed with band activities, and I think I liked music more than the average person.
But I didn't understand the point of records, and I had no interest in them at all.
However, I thought, 'Stylish people always seem to have records,' so I bought one, and it turned out it wasn't just about the look.
Unlike music I listen to on subscription services or YouTube, records give a different sense of 'ownership.' It feels different from CDs, too.
I set up the record I bought, dropped the needle, turned on the switch, and the sound echoed through the living room.
Even though I can listen to the latest songs anytime by asking Alexa, I realized that intentionally buying and listening to records is about letting the sound resonate in my heart.
Art was not a hobby for the rich.
I used to think that decorating a home with art was something people with too much money and nothing else to spend it on would do.
I was wrong. Decorating with art posters from creators or illustrators I like is incredibly good. My home has become my own private museum, and every day feels a little more fun.
Depending on the size, if it's not a huge art poster, you can buy it directly from the creator for about 3,500 to 5,000 yen. You can also find decent quality frames on Amazon for a few thousand yen.
I felt that being able to make looking at my living room fun every day for less than 10,000 yen is an incredible value.
It seems interior design enriches life.
It hasn't been that long since I started facing interior design, but I feel like my quality of life has improved dramatically. I feel like my spirit has clearly become richer.
I no longer have any resistance to the act of 'inviting people over,' which I had never even thought about before. I'm even looking forward to the party I'm hosting for my in-laws at the end of the year.
I want to continue facing interior design within my means.
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