THE BASICS

Hello, hello! I’m Nancy, the owner and lead designer of Insighed Designs. I have a love of interior design, but not in the traditional sense. While a big house with fancy furnishings is great for some folks, it’s never been my reality. And I don’t desire it to be. No, the reason I love interior design is for the massive impact it can have on our everyday well-being. Whenever I’ve moved to a new place, I’ve always been so excited to figure out how my existing furnishings would fit and what new pieces I may need to buy. I’ve never had a big budget, but I’ve always loved my space. Because when you are surrounded by things that you love, it’s like a hug to your soul. Everyday. We all could use a little more of that, right?!

Before we get too far into who I am as a designer, I want to take a moment to tell you a little about who I am as a person. I am beyond grateful to be living the midlife dream on the east side of Madison, WI with my partner Terry and cat Willow. After almost a year of navigating the wild housing market, we managed to snag one late last year. It’s a good little house, but there are plenty of projects to be done before it will really feel like our home. Before I met Terry, I bought a small vacant lake lot with plans for a dreamy little cabin (stay tuned!). We have a wonderful community of friends and family and find ways to enjoy our little city all year round!

Okay, enough about me. . . let’s get back to design.

How do I approach a new project? I always, always, always start with the basics. The room must function first, then we can “make it pretty”. Because if you are always bumping into that one corner or you have to squeeze around the one chair, THAT’S what you remember about the space. Not how much you like the style or fabric on that chair. So I always start with the floor plan to figure out the most efficient way to use the space according to your needs. The puzzle loving half of my brain gets a real kick out of this part!

Once we’ve got a floor plan, then we get to tap into the creative half of my brain…time to make it pretty! And that looks different for everyone. If you ever see me pushing for a trend for trend’s sake, run for cover because there has been an alien takeover. To my core, I believe that your home should be a reflection of what makes you happy. Not what the design world is toting for the moment. What makes your soul smile? What helps you feel calm? THAT’S what should be in your home.

I genuinely just want to help everyday people love their space. Because everyone deserves to come home and breathe a sigh of relief . . .