Nest Building is a combination of design psychology mixed with a reassuring dose of pragmatism. Shelter is a fundamental need—along with food, water and clothing—that, once achieved, allows us to begin manipulating our physical environment in response to our less tangible emotional and spiritual needs. Nest Building is based on the belief that home is a state of being, not a state of having. As such, it puts everyone—young and old, rich and poor, male and female—on a level playing field. It doesn’t matter whether you live in an opulent mansion, or a council flat in Birmingham, everyone seeks to belong which, in this context, means arriving at a place where your world is accurately reflected in your environment and where the external world is seamlessly nurturing your inner being, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Nest Building is not just a ‘How-To’ book; it is a ‘Why-To’ book, offering universal lessons that can be readily applied to many other areas of modern life and personal growth. It is written in a light, conversational style making it accessible to all. It is candid, provocative, inspiring, humourous and often personal.
There are no chapters on colour theory, design genres, or window coverings. Instead, readers will learn why they cling to certain objects and attitudes; why particular colours please or trouble them; how to work with and appreciate what they have; and how to bring harmony to their lives and to the lives of those they live with.
Design does not belong exclusively to trained professionals. We are all designers to some extent, manipulating our physical environments to make them more comfortable, efficient and visually pleasing. That is not to say we should dispense with interior designers and colour experts but, before including them in our process, we need to identify and understand our personal goals so we know precisely what we are asking them to help us achieve. Our choices and decisions need to come from us, not be assigned to us. Good design comes from the inside to be enjoyed and appreciated on the outside—not vice versa.
Exercises are included in most chapters. They are designed to reacquaint readers with their personal designer history, to fine-tune their aesthetic awareness and to carve out a fulfilling path towards optimal living environments. By completing the tasks readers will discover why a particular object contains such powerful memories; how and why specific colours, or scents, influence their mood; and what constitutes the unique combination of past and present experiences, preferences and aspirations necessary to create harmonious living environments.