Let me introduce myself before I dive in. My name is Danica Gadeken and around 3 1/2 years ago my husband Chris and I started a business called Refined Design. I’m 25 years of age and if you haven’t noticed already, I’m kinda into interior design.
If you’re wondering what Refined Design is all about, well hopefully the video below will give you some clarity. We’re passionate about creating simple spaces where you feel comfortable, safe and at home. Watch away!
The video talks briefly about our mission of creating simple spaces where you feel comfortable and at home, but I want to dive into this a little more.
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I’m an anxious person. I have been my whole life. Being put in new situations is kind of my worst nightmare and if I have to face this situation alone…..count me out. When I was a senior in high school I knew college was around the corner and honestly I dreaded the idea of it. Mainly because I was going to be 6 hours away from my only friends; but also because I knew I was walking into a lot of unknowns.
So when the day came that I arrived at my new college, I was a wreck. So many new faces, new halls, new classrooms, and new assignments. All this newness was a LOT for an anxious person to take in. The only place I felt safe was in my room…alone.
So let’s talk about my dorm room for a second. It was more like a cell. I had a 12 foot by 12 foot space with cinder block walls and one window. I shared this room with my roommate by the way so it was cramped to say the least. As you can imagine, it wasn’t cozy but it was the only space that I could claim as my own so I did what I could to make it cozy.
I put photos of my friends on my shelf and brought a handful of decorations from my room back home. I also hung a white sheet over my bunk bed and strung Christmas lights so that when I laid in my bed all I could see were twinkling lights and a white “sky”.
I think it’s important to note that I quickly made friends and I wasn’t a miserable wreck for long. College turned out to be an incredible experience, but I always needed my safe space (dorm room) to go to when life got a little too overwhelming.
This is why I do Refined Design every day. I do it because I want to create products that are meaningful and that help create a space within your home where you feel safe and comfortable when life gets crazy. Refined Design doesn’t exist to clutter your space. It exists to help create a positive experience within your home for you and the people you care about most.
