Spotlight on we2me® Divorce Decor®

Color and design surround us every moment of our lives, whether or not we take the time to appreciate or even consider it. They do have a way of stirring our emotions, and that is worth recognizing. The emotional impact of color and design can be most profound in times of intense change and stress, such as during a divorce. Many individuals in the midst of this situation might admit to not placing much importance on the decor of their home right now, but Jodi Topitz would invite them to think again.

Based on her own experience and understanding of aesthetics, Jodi would argue that the look and feel of one's home plays a significant role in one's emotional state during this most challenging time. After 20 years of marriage, she went through a painful divorce which also came with the task of having to downsize from her 11-room marital home to a 2-room rented space. Through her distress, she understood how important it was to create a sense of peace and permanence in her new living space. She transformed her small rental into a nurturing space that she could comfortably call home. Today as the founder of we2me® Divorce Decor®, Jodi uses her personal divorce experience and knowledge of color and design to help clients make a healthier transition from “we to me”--married to single--in their new or existing living space.

Jodi works in close collaboration with individual clients and entire families to help them make confident decisions about how to arrange their home in such a way that creates an uplifting atmosphere. Understanding that many people in the midst of a divorce see their home as purely functional, she helps her clients realize how much a living space can impact one's sense of permanence and stability moving forward after divorce. As Jodi explains, “Your space can be beautiful, but how are you going to feel if that’s what makes you sad? It’s all about feeling."

She starts by helping a client find a color palette using her knowledge of color psychology as well as her intuition about what the client will like based on what they don't like. Next, they’ll access the furniture and other items in the home, deciding which pieces have positive energy and which can be refurbished into something brand-new. Repurposing furniture and other pieces in the home can be an easy and inexpensive way to make something old feel new and unique. In one such case, Jodi helped a client redesign their kitchen by refurbishing the cabinets instead of buying new ones, cutting the cost of remodeling the kitchen down by tens of thousands of dollars.

More than just working with divorcing adults, Jodi works with many clients who are making this life transition with children. In these cases, she works with the kids to access exactly what it is they want out of the space they call their own: their bedroom. "Kids have to have something that they can control. They have no control over their parents' divorce, but they can control their own space. The space they wake up and go to sleep in is hugely important," she explains. Whether it's helping them pick out new bed spreads or hand painting a superhero mural on a bedroom wall, she is glad to help kids feel at home again.

Jodi works with individuals and families with all sorts of budgets in a variety of ways. Based in the New Jersey/New York area, she works one-on-one with clients across the country to help them feel happiness and stability in the space they now call home. She also offers custom mentoring and regular design tips via a subscription-based service. Jodi encourages anyone to contact her to discuss how best to work together in order to fit your needs. 

On top of these services, Jodi has written a book. SERIOUSLY! As if going through a Divorce wasn't bad enough... is a great read for anyone in the midst of a divorce or just facing profound changes in life. It brings together observations about transitioning from married to single life, lots of divorce decor and design tips, and notes about aging with humor and raw emotion. Jodi says it's guaranteed to make you laugh, cry, and–most importantly–not feel so alone.

To learn more about Jodi Topitz and we2me® Divorce Decor®, check out her website. She also invites anyone to contact her to learn more about how you and she can work together to redesign your living space as you go from we to me, married to single.