Kelsea Ballerini says isolation during the pandemic is what convinced her to change her living space.
The country singer spoke with The Spruce for their inaugural digital issue about why having a home that suits your needs is important, especially as your needs and life change.
Ballerini went through a few different living arrangements after her debut album The First Time in 2013, but eventually settled on a condominium in The Gulch.
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She was content with condo living until the pandemic forced everyone to spend more time at home than they would have liked.
“I could just shut the door and not worry about it,” she said, but realized she needed more space as she occupied her home more. “I have a dog, and I grew up on a big piece of land. I realized that I needed to connect with that part of myself again. It’s a small lot; it’s half an acre, but it’s just enough for this chapter of life.”
In November 2020, she sold her condo and moved into a farmhouse with her labradoodle Dibs.
The singer, who described the experience as “terrifying”, realized that a lot of her tastes had changed since the last time she decorated.
“I felt like my style was changing a bit,” explained Ballerini. “I still love an element of patterns and colour and texture, but I wanted this house to be a little more mature feeling,”
She worked with interior designer Lindsay Rhodes to create her “maximalist” space.
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While Ballerini was a highly-accomplished musician, with multiple Country Music Awards under her belt, and numerous CMT and Grammy nominations, she was careful about what accolades to decorate her house with.
“I don’t have many awards, so I say this with humility,” she said. “but I’m weird about having accolades in the house. I don’t want a shrine of myself, so, I picked the ones that really meant something to me and then put them up here.”
One wall of her house was adorned with photos of big moments in her life.
“For me, getting an award or a trophy is super cool, and I’m so grateful, but those aren’t the moments I’m going to remember,” she continued. “The moments I’m going to remember are the ones that I have here.”
The 29-year-old wanted to emphasize that while her modern farmhouse was chic and decorated to her taste, everyone should design their homes in a way that feels most comfortable to them.
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“I think your home should reflect you. For me, I love to have a space where people feel like they don’t have to take off their shoes, but they can if they want to. And come over in your sweatpants and if you spill wine—unless it’s on that one bench seat—that’s okay, nothing’s going to ruin the space,” said Ballerini. “I wanted something that reflected that kind of energy. I think to each their own. I think the house should be whatever they want it to be.”
