Mary Nelson on historical, global architecture

An interview with Mary Nelson about her expertise in global architecture as well as her homelife in Colorado.

Watch or listen to the full Homelife for Extraordinary Impact interview on all major podcast platforms and YouTube.

You can also read her written responses below but first…

Connect with Mary Nelson on Twitter, and her newsletter.

HLDL: What are some of the places that have most felt like home for you?

Mary: I’ve spent most of my adult life split between Colorado and the Bay Area California. I love both the snowy mountains and the ocean.

Paint a picture of a home walkthrough for us. You arrive home and what…

During winter in Colorado, that means lots of snow. When I arrive up the snowy drive and enter the house we’re greeted by my very noisy but sweet dog running down the stairs. We spend most of our time in the living area sitting in front of the fire

What do you see as the link between your professional expertise and home?

When I used to work as an architect and designed homes for others you certainly notice when your own space isn’t laid out the way you’d like it.

But now as I’m researching and writing about historical architecture around the world it’s interesting to see the similarities and differences between how the home has evolved over time and how different cultures experience the home and the different rituals associated.

I travel a fair amount as well, and it’s nice to have rituals (like my morning walk) or story time with the little one no matter where I am to help us adjust to the new place.

Here’s a thread I wrote about historical homes across the world.

When home is going really great, what does it look like and feel like? How do you feel?

• When homelife is going great I feel calm and at peace

• We have our daily and weekly rituals but also have space and time to do impromptu things

• Built in flexibility

• A good home life is the foundation to creating a creative environment

• The flexibility and ability to ride the creative wave whenever it might hit

What are important daily, weekly, or otherwise regular rhythms important for you to keep a great homelife?

• Morning walk with my daughter and my dog is key

• We have a late morning story hour as well, whether at the library or at home

• I do night time yoga once I put the little one down to unwind

• I wanted to get back into the habit of doing one drawing per week, so I started making time for one drawing. It’s been a fun way to experiment and it’s a bit of a meditation for me now. Something I very much look forward to.

• As a family we usually eat breakfast and dinner together

The live interview went into far more detail. Thanks for the conversation, Mary!

I hope you enjoyed this free article.

In the coming weeks, premium subscribers will also receive a full analysis of the raw interview. Get that quick-read writeup which includes:

• My commentary after cross-referencing this interview & other findings

• 3 actionable ways you can apply fresh insights to your home

• Standout themes & inspiring takeaways

Until next time,

– Matt Barrios

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