Celebrate Mom, Celebrate Life: Shauna of Satori Design for Living

Shauna is a country girl at heart. Growing up on a farm has instilled in her a deep love for homemaking, home design and decorating, and DIY projects. With Shauna’s background in design and textiles, she founded Satori Design for Living, a business dedicated to helping people create beautiful spaces. From the Japanese term for ‘enlightenment,’ Satori Design for Living sheds light on how to decorate and transform living spaces into places of relaxation and nurturance.

As a mom who has had to consider practicality in choosing decor for her home, Shauna provides ideas to clients and readers in order to bring balance into their lives. In this interview, she shares with Balsam Hill how her own mom and grandmothers have taught her to take inspiration from her surroundings.

BH: What is your favorite part about being a mother? What is the most rewarding and most challenging aspect of it?

Shauna: Being a mother pushes me to be and do my best and has given me what I’d call my greatest purpose. Knowing that I have someone who depends on me and looks to me for guidance is very rewarding (and sometimes very scary at the same time!). I love how being a mom brings out my nurturing side and reminds me not to take things too seriously. It’s a challenge, but at the end of the day, my son is a caring, funny, and giving person. To me, there isn’t anything more satisfying than that.

BH: How has motherhood changed your style and design aesthetics?

Shauna: Kids mean messes, and practicality became an important part of selecting items for our home early on. Although I’ve always loved light and airy interiors, I knew having a dog and boys running around the house wouldn’t mix very well with those spaces! Finding the right balance has been challenging, but I think we’ve been able to achieve it.

BH: How has your mother inspired your decorating style? Would you mind sharing some decorating advice she’s given you with us?

Shauna: Growing up in the country meant nature was a big part of our lives. My mom and both of my grandmas used flowers from the garden to decorate the table and we often collected pine cones and branches in the fall to display throughout the winter. An aspect of handmade could also be found in almost every room of our house. My grandma sewed the quilts on each of our beds, and she also made beautiful braided rugs out of old t-shirts. My mom always had an appreciation for vintage décor mixed with contemporary pieces. She’d take forgotten pieces from her childhood farm, such as an old milk can or antique stove, and give them new life. What I took away from my experiences growing up was to draw on my surroundings as a source of decorating inspiration and to make use of my creativity, such as sewing pillow covers or window treatments and painting some of my own artwork. I also include a bit of vintage in every room (including items from my childhood farm) to add some personality.

BH: What advice has your mother given you that you would also like to give to your children?

Shauna: My mom taught me to be mindful of the environment. She’s one of the first people I know who was recycling and composting, and she’s never wasteful. Being as green as we can is very important for the future of our planet.

BH: Is there an activity you do now that still reminds you of something you did with your mother as a child?

Shauna: Anytime I’m baking or gardening it reminds me of my mom. Almost every Saturday morning, my mom made bread, cookies, or muffins to put in our school lunches. Once the growing season hit, we always helped mom plant, tend and harvest the garden. To this day, I adore gardening!

BH: Do you have any springtime traditions you would like to pass on to your children and grandchildren?

Shauna: I would love for my son and his kids to have an appreciation for where healthy food comes from by planting some of their own vegetables and herbs in the spring.

BH: How do you and your family prepare your home for spring? Is there a specific piece of decor you put out that signifies spring has arrived?

Shauna: When the calendar turns to spring, I like to start lightening and brightening our home with new decorative pillows and flowers, such as tulips or hyacinths. It really feels like spring once we can all get outside and start cleaning up the yard.

BH: What’s your idea of a perfect Mother’s Day celebration?

Shauna: I enjoy brunch with my entire family and an afternoon spent outside hiking or playing a game. Simple and fun!