Spaces That Spark Joy: A Designer’s Take on the KonMari Method

Marie Kondo is seemingly everywhere as of late but if you find yourself wondering who exactly she is, no worries; we’ve got you covered. Marie is a Japanese lifestyle expert who is best known for her #1 New York Times best-selling book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up and most recently her hit Netflix series, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo. Marie has developed a system for tidying your home which is known as the KonMari Method. Encouraging people to only hold on to items that “spark joy,” the KonMari Method promises to help people bring “serenity and inspiration” into their lives.

Marie has laid out six rules of tidying to help her followers stay focused. Our favorite, and most helpful when it comes to successful interior design, is to imagine your ideal lifestyle. What environment do you see yourself thriving in? As Marie would suggest, figure out what “sparks joy” in your home and forget the rest. By allowing your home to be the best representation of your true self, the ability to live your ideal lifestyle will follow.

Whether you are building a new home, or renovating what you already have, thoughtful planning can help to ensure there is a place for everything and grants your home the ability to become a place of tranquility.

Here are some of our favorite ways to #kondo up our spaces…

Allow for each space to be purposeful. A well-designed space should be both beautiful as well as practical. Incorporate function into the design. For example, if your client loves hosting others in their home, brainstorm ways to incorporate their personal essentials into the original design… and don’t be afraid to get creative! When we were met with this specific challenge in the kitchen above, we designed custom kitchen cabinetry, including a narrow cabinet made exclusively for storing serving trays.

Although the KonMari method can and should be applied to every area of the home, we think the best place to start is the kitchen and bathrooms.

Open shelving is the perfect way to both display what “sparks joy” in your life as well as inspire you to keep your space neat and organized. Above and below are two photos of a kitchen we designed with this open shelf concept in mind. Displaying the items reminds you of what you have, and you can appreciate them even when you’re not using them.

Only having the items which “spark joy” avoids clutter and allows for your design to be the primary focus of the space. Details of your home which you love, a great piece of artwork or detailed cabinetry, are what stand out instead of clutter.

We came up with a creative solution for this in a sunroom we designed with a built-in to hold a tv and printer. The client loved the Benjamin Moore color called “Dolphin’s Cove,” but insisted that a room full might be too much. We decided to use the color inside of the cabinet so every time she opened it, she could enjoy the color. Like opening a gift over, and over.

We like to plan a premeditated place for everything. A deeper consideration for the KonMari method in the design process makes for a home that is beautiful at any moment, not just exclusively after a deep spring cleaning. If you’d like to create a beautiful, functional, and organized new home — or refresh the one you already have — contact us today.