Over the summer, we had the wonderful opportunity to visit Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home, a 5000 acre plantation in Charlottesville, VA. Our family had been there once before, and couldn't wait to go back and share the experience with our cousins!

It is amazing to see all of the incredible attention to detail that Jefferson put into everything that he did. With clear thought and careful planning, he created a stunning, remarkable place where beauty and design perfectly intersect with function and purpose.

How about in your own house? I know that you and I don't live in a home as grand, but nonetheless, it is no less important that we "start where we want to end up" with our houses and all the spaces within them. What are your intentions for each room? What do you want them to do for you? Have you thought about it? Named it?

If you are frustrated with a room, it could be that what you want it to be and do is totally different than what it is currently...like a laundry room that has become a catch-all and now has sports equipment at your feet as you try to put a load of wash in. Or a master bedroom that you wish was your retreat, and yet you have a pile of papers you have been meaning to go through on the nightstand....

hmmm.

After our visit to Monticello, I came away with an even deeper appreciation for the importance of being intentional with a home's spaces. Jefferson was masterful at this, and we are still admiring the results 200+ years later.

I don't know that it was his intention that the verdant expanse of green just outside would be used for getting one's wiggles out after having to be quiet and patient on a long tour of the house....