What does it feel like?
Based on a true story
Beautiful spaces lift our spirits and change our outlook. This is something I discovered a long, long time ago and is the feeling behind the reason I started Rachel Donath. I love collecting beautiful pieces for my home. Its in this curation, the forever search for the next beautiful piece to add, that my passion lies. I love layering these pieces together with one another. I love creating my own version of beauty. I love making ‘home’.
For me, it began as a childhood daydream - watching American movies like Father of the Bride or Beethoven and finding myself mesmerised, quite literally transformed - into how it would feel to live in these homes, these layered beautiful rooms. For me, it was vivid. Through my imaginings, I felt a complete sense of joy, of freedom to be myself, of confidence in who I was, emerging into the world from such an inspiring space. I was obsessed with the concept of home, done my way - from a very early age.
I say ‘my way’ because this really is the gist of it.
I would draw floor plans (not knowing this was what they were called) from primary school age, I would furnish dolls houses with sofas made of cardboard and wallpaper that I had painted myself and play for hours on end, creating a version of home that made me feel that life was boundless and mine and that nothing was out of reach. These imagined spaces made me feel that I could quite literally, achieve anything I wanted - and become anyone I wanted to be - no matter how far fetched.
And it all came true.
When I moved into my first apartment after moving out from my parents place, I was 20. I chose the apartment because ‘it smelled like a holiday house’ and had beautiful sunlight and an energy that was so calming. I took such care of every single piece I brought into the home, everything was loved and wanted and I felt such a happiness and freedom finally having my own space which I filled, so intentionally, with pieces that manifested a life that I wanted to create for myself.
It was beautiful, and always clean. The furniture was thrifted or salvaged or IKEA at that stage, but fancier than I was - more beautiful than the stage of life I was at - aspirational I’ll call it - and self fulfilling.
I have lived in my own homes now for 20 odd years and to this day, walk in through my front door with the same enormous gratitude to have a space that I have built out of my own dreams - and that I can continue to dream in.
There is something so uplifting about creating a beautiful home, to live in it is a pleasure, to dream in it is limitless, and to emerge from it, into the world, feels boundless.
Home is magic. Fill it with pieces that sing to your soul and your soul will repay you with bucket loads of joy and creativity and a life that attracts the most beautiful opportunities and successes.
It a true story. It happened to me.