The Value of Home | Heather Jorde of Restless Oasis

For this week's Value of Home interview, we are happy to introduce you to Heather Jorde. An interior designer and blogger based out of Boston. She has an obvious passion for interiors, but what we love the most is her approach to designing around what's important in life, slowing down and enjoying the moments. She strives for designing spaces that will have a lasting impact on the lives of its inhabitants. Value-based living has a direct effect on how she designs homes. Her spaces are livable and inviting. Exactly what you want out of a home. Make sure to check out her projects and read her blog entries to learn more about her design philosophies. We are always encouraged to connect with people who see such value in what a well designed and well-kept home can be. 

 

Please introduce yourself: What do you do for a living? And where do you live? 

Hi there! I’m Heather Jorde and I work as an interior designer outside of Boston. 

Describe the aesthetic / style within your home?

 My style is an eclectic mix of antiques and modern pieces. I love Parisian elegance and also identify with the cozy and calm feeling of Scandinavian styles.

Can you share three values that guide your life? Why these three? 

My faith largely informs my values, so I would boil it down to loving God, my family, and others.

How do you make sure to keep your life in alignment with these values? 

That’s life’s work, isn’t it? I definitely don’t do it perfectly, but I do believe that rushing through life leaves little time for real connection. Of course, there are busy seasons and circumstances that are out of our control, but how I fill up my calendar is largely my personal choice. As a family, we prioritize connecting with each other over participating in every activity/event. Simply put, we just do less to be with each other more.

What ritual during the day holds the most value for you and helps you achieve what you wish to?

 I am not a morning person by nature, and I always thought getting up early before the kids was not for me. But recently, I’ve found the opposite to be true.  Getting up early gives me time to wake up gradually, and space to not be a morning person. Another favorite daily ritual is reading to my girls at night, it’s a sweet way to end the day.

How do you feel that your values affect the energy of your home? 

We genuinely love spending time together and take joy in the simple things of life. As a family, we are all very easily entertained. I don’t see boredom as a problem to be solved, and I think that mindset has benefited us all.

Why is home important to you? 

I think of home as the refuge, the recharging center, our grounding center. Life can be hard and exhausting, but home is the place where we can get away from it all and get our tanks filled to be able to go back out into the world to hopefully do some good.

We feel books are an important aspect of a home. They add life and encourage learning and growing in a nurturing space such as the home. Do you have a favorite book that inspires you? Why?

 There are so many! I loved Essentialism by Greg McKeown, because it helped me really think about my life values and look at how I was living and whether the two matched up. More recently, Atomic Habits has really helped me to dive deeper into my everyday habits to help match those with my life values. Generally, I also love reading fiction and memoirs because they give me compassion for people who are completely different and helps me to see outside of my own life. Reading to my girls is one of my favorite things, and I will always hold a special place in my heart for picture books. Two of my favorite books I’ve read aloud to my girls are Stuart Little and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

 

What objects in your home hold the most value to you? How do they add joy to your life?

 We have lived all over the US in the near 14 years my husband and I have been married (6 states), and the pieces that are the most valuable are definitely the ones that tell that story. The antique hutch from Indiana, the chair from Chicago, the picture from WA, the side table from NY, the dresser from DC, the armoire and rugs from MA…..there’s so much sentiment behind them all.

How do your values guide your purchasing? What criteria do you have for items that come into your home? 

I ask myself: does it have a specific spot? Is it beautiful or useful? Is it unique? Will it spark a memory? Since we have a smaller home, I’ve had to be very thoughtful about what we bring into our home.

What aspect of homemaking do you feel the most connected to? ( i.e. cleaning, cooking, gardening, decorating, home repairs) Explain why.  

Obviously, as a designer, decorating is a huge part of homemaking for me, but I’ve also loved cooking and baking. There’s just something about the smell of homemade bread! I make bread every week and have started making a few other things from scratch regularly such as butter, ice cream, and vanilla extract. I’m an aspiring gardener, but our poor plants haven’t got the best care from me since we had our third daughter.

Explain in one word, how your home makes you feel. 

Calm.

 

photo credits | Heather Jorde