Lesley Warren is the founder of online craft, design and lifestyle blog, Chaotically Creative, which she writes from Nashville, Tennessee. Her life is typically chaotic (hence the name of her blog), having to balance work, motherhood and the writing up of her latest craft projects. Her ultimate aim is to make her life a little less chaotic by decorating, designing and completing her latest DIY project. So we are proud to bring you the Designer Insights of Lesley Warren.
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1) In your own words describe your unique style and creative aesthetic?
My style is all about choosing items you love and then working them into your home. I have almost every style in my house from mid-century to farmhouse to modern and somehow all these styles work seamlessly together... probably because everything I choose to bring in to my house is something I’m crazy about. I have such a broad sense of style I can never choose just one ... I guess it keeps my home interesting to say the least.
2) When starting a new project, what is your creative process?
Creative process? I’m not sure what I do could even be called a process. My businesses’ name is Chaotically Creative after all. My process is like a mad scientist mixed with the Mad Hatter and somehow the project either fails miserably or succeeds MAGNIFICENTLY. How’s that for a process? But all jokes aside I just go with what I’m feeling at the moment and there’s a lot of trial and error and when it’s working... great.. when it’s not ... well you may want to stand back.
3) Out of the creative people you have worked with, who is it that you respect and admire the most?
My Grandfather was extremely creative. He is a solutions man and I think I take after him in that respect. There is absolutely nothing that he couldn’t build or fix. He once renovated a 100 year old barn for my family to live in as we were transitioning out of the military. He turned each stall into a room. It was amazingly creative. There was a time when I would be right by his side throwing hay bails on to his tractor or ripping out floors in his rental trailers. He showed me there was nothing that stood between me and any task. He also respected me and my talents and never once looked at me like I couldn’t do certain things because I was a girl. He instilled in me the ability to work hard and to push myself to the limits.
4) When looking for inspiration is there a particular thing you do to get inspired?
My inspiration comes from one thing only... a need for a solution. Almost every project I have ever completed came to me because I needed a solution for a problem. Like the time I ripped up almost 400 sq feet of carpet because I just couldn’t stand how dirty it kept getting and replaced it with a paper bag floor. I absolutely get inspired by “problems” that need solutions. I guess that ‘s just how I work in all aspects if something is not designed well then that’s a problem my solution is to re-design it until it’s appealing and beautiful.
5) What has brought you to this point in your career? And what is your advice for people looking to follow in your footsteps?
I’ve gotten this far because simply “I don’t give a damn” . People tell me I can’t do something and it just makes me work harder. I love the reaction I get from people when I tell them stories like the time I crawled under my house and fixed a broken pipe. The feeling that I can do anything I set my mind to is so empowering. My advice would be this 1) Don’t listen to anyone that doesn’t have something useful to say. 2) Stay true to yourself 3) Don’t apologise for being yourself 4) Girls can do anything 5) Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing 6) Be fearless
