Come home to a reflection of yourself.
Exploring how homes shape the way we feel, live and connect.
My Story - How This Began
I’ve been rearranging spaces since I was a little girl. Even as a child, changing my surroundings gave me a sense of calm and control - a way to feel grounded in the space I was in. Without knowing it at the time, home became a source of steadiness when other parts of life felt uncertain.
As the years passed, I noticed that my home naturally shifted with my life. When my boys were young, it needed to feel safe, steady, and livable. During seasons of celebration, it became softer and more magical. During harder seasons, it became quieter - offering comfort instead of overwhelming distraction. What I was responding to wasn’t style or trend, but how I felt and what I needed my home to give back to me.
Shannon Burrill~Home Experience Designer
How I Began to Understand Home
As life continued to change, I began to notice something deeper. My home wasn’t just shifting with the calendar - it was shifting with my emotions.
There were seasons when life felt full and joyful, and my home reflected that with lighter textures, brighter colors, warmth, and a sense of movement. And there were quieter seasons, when I needed my home to soften and offer comfort rather than stimulation.
When my mom passed, I entered a season of deep grief. Without consciously planning it, I created a small space in my home that honored her - a place I walked past each day, gently woven into the rhythm of my life rather than placed front and center. It became a source of peace and quiet connection during a time when life felt very heavy.
Looking back, I can see that my home was responding to me and supporting what I was carrying, even when I didn’t yet have the words for it. That realization changed how I see home~and eventually helped me understand that what we create within our four walls is an experience.
My Philosophy of Home
I am a true believer that our homes are more than places we live - they’re spaces that hold us.
They reflect who we are, what we’ve lived through, and what we need in the season we’re in. The colors we surround ourselves with, the textures we touch, and the objects we choose all shape how we feel as we move through our spaces each day.
For me, shaping a home isn’t about following trends or creating picture-perfect rooms. It’s about listening - to how a space feels, to what’s missing, and to what would bring a sense of calm, grounding, or lightness back in.
I believe a thoughtfully shaped home should support you emotionally, not overwhelm you. It should offer comfort during harder seasons, energy during lighter ones, and a steady sense of belonging through it all.
When a home is aligned with the person living in it, it becomes more than beautiful. It becomes a place where you can breathe, soften, and feel at home in yourself.
Where this leads
Today, these experiences are at the heart of my work as a Home Experience Designer. Through Decorative Reflections, I explore the relationship between our surroundings and the way we feel, live and connect~and how we can reshape home as our lives change.
If these ideas resonate with you, begin with the Reflections blog. It is where I share what I’m noticing, what research is helping us understand and the questions that invite us to see our homes differently.
What Doesn’t Feel Right at Home?
If a particular room came to mind as you read my story, I would love to hear about it. Maybe it feels uncomfortable, unfinished or disconnected from who you are now~even if you can’t explain why.
I’m beginning a new advice series exploring real questions from real homes. Tell me what you’re noticing, what isn’t working, and how you wish the room felt instead. Your question may become the beginning of a future Decorative Reflections column.