Home

When my freshman year theology professor placed the syllabus on my desk, the heading immediately caught my eye: “The Search for Home.” It was as if Dr. John Thiel ( a brilliant man who insisted his students call him John; rumor had it that even his kids called him by his first name) read my mind and heart. I had lived at Fairfield University for just a few days, and although I loved it, it did not yet feel like home. As the semester unfolded, the theme of the class corresponded with my pursuit to make Fairfield my second home. We read about the tragic life of a young Polish woman during the Holocaust in Sophie’s Choice and watched as Roy left his banal life behind after his transformative experience with aliens in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. We compared the protagonists’ stories to our faith-filled journey toward home whether it be heaven, nirvana or something else. It struck me that home embodied a spiritual and emotional place as well as a physical one. This quintessential human quest was everywhere—Scarlett O’Hara’s desperate journey to return to her beloved Tara, E.T. dialing home on a toy phone and Dorothy clicking the heels of her ruby slippers as she recited the mantra, “There’s no place like home.” By the semester’s end, my roommate Yan and I transformed our cinderblock rectangle into a warm cozy space with the addition of rugs, pillows, posters, photographs and the banishment of hideous brown and orange window curtains. Our room became a home, and friends poured in to enjoy it. 

Anyone passionate about design possesses an acute understanding of home as a spiritual destination. While fabric swatches, console tables, lighting, candles and paint chips can seem frivolous, these components create the place where we raise children, foster relationships, work, and feel secure. Why else would a move from one home to another beget a loss?  Inspiration for home design abounds in retail stores, on websites and on television shows, but my ultimate go-to over the past few years is Studio McGee, a design firm founded just five years ago by a talented young couple, Shea and Syd McGee. I am so taken with the decor that I want to jump into the rooms that Shea and her team create. The simplicity of the design, combined with the perfect amount of texture and interest have sparked many ideas for my home. From dorm rooms to dining rooms, may 2020 become the year that you just want to “stay home.” 

Treat Yourself

Check out the wonderful world of Studio McGee.

https://www.studio-mcgee.com/