Home is a path, not a place

I once learned that the word “home” evokes more emotion than any other word in the English language other than the word “love.”

This is definitely the case in my own life, and I believe in the lives of many. The deep meaning of home was articulated beautifully recently by Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, founder and CEO of Apartment Therapy Media, a network of blogs devoted to helping people make their homes beautiful, organized and healthy. Maxwell’s storytelling talent sparkled as he shared his compelling personal story, his design philosophy and the humble beginnings of Apartment Therapy at the Withit educational breakfast during the fall High Point Market.

Two home champions: Maxwell & me

“Your home is the only place that is all yours,” he said. “It is the only place you can be totally yourself. We are all looking for a place we can feel completely comfortable. If you are not doing that at home, you are missing something.”

Apartment Therapy’s mission and passion is to be sure people don’t miss the joy of home.  “We believe, as Terence Conran did, that creating a warm home that you and your friends enjoy is one of the most worthwhile things in life.” (Terence Conran is one of Maxwell’s mentor/heroes). I was struck at the similarity between Apartment Therapy’s mission and that of Hooker Furniture. Our purpose is to enrich the lives of the people we touch by helping you enjoy your home more and experience your home to the full.

The world is hungry for the vision of home cast by Apartment Therapy. Named as one of the best blogs of 2010 by the New York Times, Apartment Therapy receives 7 million unique visitors per month and 45 million page views, or hits, each month. Apartment Therapy is considered the web’s leading source for all things design and is the most-trafficked blog in the design space.

“Your home is a path, not a place,” Maxwell said. “Some people think you should set home up like a picture and stop there. But home,” he said, “should change and grow because you change and grow. It’s about figuring out who you are and expressing that over time in your home. It’s not about the space but about creating a space that comes out of you.”

On a personal note, Maxwell shared that his own path has been “twisty and turny.” Before high school, he struggled to find his niche and described himself as anonymous and average. But in high school he discovered a love and talent for art that made him feel alive and appreciated, and then found his way to design. Out of college, he went to work for Gear, a fabric and home fashion design firm that “was really good at making things look fabulous.” However, Maxwell felt something was missing. “It wasn’t enough for a room to look good if it didn’t make you feel good,” he said. Seeking a greater sense of mission and purpose, Maxwell returned to graduate school and became an elementary school teacher for about seven years. During that time, he “became aware of how environment affects learning. “The children who did best in my classes had the best homes.” His best and brightest students? “Those who had two parents home for dinner together. (Family mealtimes) make all the difference,” Maxwell said.

In 2001, Maxwell combined his experience and talent for design and for teaching to found the Apartment Therapy online community dedicated to educating and inspiring the world to create homes that feel as good as they look. “I wanted people to feel empowered,” he said. “We want to inspire you to go home and make it your own, to start a story rather than finish it.”

What is your story, and have you begun telling that story in your home?