What will it look like?

In both my personal and professional life, I’ve found that prototyping isn’t just a valuable tool—it’s a way to make decision-making more efficient and fun. Whether it’s planning a home project or rearranging a room, I take a hands-on, practical approach to solving problems by testing ideas before fully committing to them.

When it comes to furniture, for example, I don’t just eyeball it and hope for the best. Instead, I establish a 3-dimensional footprint using tape or objects to visualize the space before I even start moving things. This way, I know everything will fit without the trial-and-error backache of pushing furniture around.

I do something similar when choosing patterns for patio or flooring tiles. Rather than guessing how it will look, I follow the expert method of dry laying. By placing tiles in different patterns on the ground, I can experiment with layouts until I find the perfect fit—no grout needed, just patience and curiosity.

Even something as simple as choosing shutters for the house turns into a mini experiment. Using cardboard cutouts, I mock up different sizes to see how they’ll look in real life. It’s amazing how a few pieces of cardboard can turn indecision into clarity.

This approach isn’t just practical—it’s about creating space for experimentation, learning from low-stakes mistakes, and enjoying the process along the way.

By prototyping, I can bring ideas to life in a way that’s fun, hands-on, and adaptable.