More is Just More

As a kid, more was always better. More ice cream. More cartoons. More toys. More everything. This extended to anything visual as well. More detailed and floral a china pattern, the better. More lace and frills on a dress, the better. More pretty colors in a drawing, the better. I was all about a highly intricate, fancy and feminine style. (I’m sure I would have been a fan of anything Baroque had I known what that was as a child.)

I’m not exactly sure when things changed, but they did. I stopped being drawn to things that were grand and elaborate and instead was drawn to its antithesis; I began to like the beautifully simple. Whether it was architecture, furniture, dishware, clothing or design, less became more. I now swoon over clean lines, minimal colors and focused design with form and function working together effortlessly to create something that naturally draws the eye.

I think that’s the part that unconsciously won me over was the sense of effortlessness. I don’t want something that screams: “look at me!” and is blatant in its attempt to impress. It’s like when you meet someone (or I guess even watch someone on TV) and it’s just too much. They’re just trying too hard to be cool, or sexy, or smart, or nice or funny. And while it may not be entirely intentional, it can be exhausting to watch. My eyes want to rest; they don’t want to be assaulted by the overly done. [Pause.] There may be times when I appreciate the over-the-top and grand design that if done right, I think is beautiful—but overall it’s just not for me.