Designed Happy
The hardest part of a home project is the first step. You just took it.
From here, it gets easier. These two short exercises help you uncover what's underneath the change you're after.
I'm TJ Monahan, an architect in Kensington. After about twenty-five years of this, I've come to believe the homeowners who end up happiest are the ones who understood their real reasons before anyone drew a line. These two exercises are where that understanding begins, and you can do them right here, at your own pace.
Exercise One
The Five Whys
You already have a change in mind. This exercise works gently past the first answer toward the reason beneath it, because that reason is what a home worth living in gets built around.
What is one thing you would change about your home?
There are no wrong answers here.
That last answer is usually the closest to the truth.
The first thing we name is almost always the what. The reason you landed on after a few honest steps is much closer to the why, and the why is where a thoughtful design actually starts.
Sit with it for a moment. When you are ready, the next exercise helps you take that clarity and weigh the direction it points you toward.
Prefer to watch first? Here is the episode where we walk through the Five Whys together.
Exercise Two
The Future Test
When two directions are pulling at you, the Future Test is a simple way to feel which one your future self would thank you for. It helps you synthesize regret before you ever commit to anything, so the direction you choose is one you can stand behind.
Here is the episode where we walk through how it works.
Get the Future Test worksheet
The exercise works best on paper, where you can take your time with it. Add your name and email just below and it's yours.
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When you're ready, let's talk.
You've done the reflecting that most people skip. If you'd like to think it through out loud with me, this opens a time on my calendar that I hold for exactly these conversations.
Book time with TJ
This calendar isn't open to the general public. It's here for homeowners who've taken the first step, like you.