Designing from the Inside Out: How Our Homes Shape Who We Are
Recently, I joined Maria Le Mesurier on her beautiful podcast to talk about something close to my heart….designing from the inside out.
Maria at home with her dog.
Maria is a lifestyle editor living by the sea in North Devon, England, with her husband and five children. She also co-runs WoodEdit, a design studio creating timeless handmade wooden furniture for simple, everyday living.
From the moment we began talking, I felt an instant connection. Her calm, grounded energy and deep curiosity made it easy to open up about what I truly believe: that interior design isn’t just about what looks beautiful, it’s about how our homes make us feel. I also came to realize how, at my core, I love simple, easy solutions - I’m not a complicated person who requires a lot to be happy. But I do require certain things, and I’m sure you do as well, and I reveal mine in this podcast episode #69.
I don’t know about you, but usually when we talk about design, we often start with the outside - the floor plan, the wall colors, furniture, the trends. But the most meaningful spaces are the ones that begin with you: your emotions, habits, and what you need more of in your daily life. That’s what I mean about design from the outside in. Tap into yourself and then you can create a home that resonates with you on a deeply emotional and personal level. Then you can create something original and special.
This is the heart of emotional design - the belief that our surroundings quietly shape who we are. When our homes support our inner world, they become places of restoration, inspiration, and calm.
Maria titled the episode “Designing from the Inside Out,” and it perfectly captured the flow of our conversation. Together, we explored:
How your environment shapes who you are
Breaking old patterns at home and creating new, nurturing rhythms
Can you find self-confidence through scrolling? My take on that
How to support someone ready for meaningful lifestyle change
Simple ways to stay organized without losing soul or spontaneity
What lifts my spirit at home - small touches that anyone can do
The daily rituals that ground me emotionally
Two pieces of advice I’m living by right now
Maria’s home, showing furniture from her brand WoodEdit
Furniture from WoodEdit
We often look to our homes to reflect success or style, but the real magic happens when they mirror our inner growth. A home can become a story of becoming, blooming, blossoming, evolution… where every color, texture, and corner feels aligned with who we are and how we want to live now and who we aspire to become, tomorrow.
This approach to holistic interior design - Biophilic design - connecting heart, home, and wellbeing, to create a sensory home - is what keeps me passionate about my work. It’s not just about creating pretty rooms; it’s about helping people design lives that feel authentic, soulful, and emotionally nourishing.
A big thank-you to Maria Le Mesurier for having me on her show.
You can listen to the full episode here:
Listen to “Designing from the Inside Out” on The Maria Le Mesurier Podcast
I hope it inspires you to look at your own home with fresh eyes, and to design not just for beauty, but for belonging.
With love,
Holly
