For so many of us, there was one room in Grandma’s house you didn’t dare go into unless it was Easter Sunday, company came over, or someone had just died. You know the one. The formal living room with the perfectly arranged furniture, fancy drapes, and—most iconic of all—the plastic-covered couch.
As kids, we giggled at it. Stuck to it. Slid across it. Questioned it. “Why even have a couch if you can’t sit on it?” But now? I understand it. Deeply.
That plastic wasn’t just a couch protector.
It was a cultural protest.
Preserving More Than Fabric
Let’s be real—Black families didn’t always have the luxury to replace furniture. A ripped cushion wasn’t just ugly—it was a reminder of what we couldn’t afford. So, our grandmothers covered those couches like their life depended on it, because in many ways, it did.
That room, that couch, that sense of “don’t mess this up”?
It was about preserving dignity in a world that tried to strip it daily.
While mainstream society was busy devaluing our homes, redlining our neighborhoods, and denying our parents and grandparents loans, we were polishing baseboards, protecting upholstery, and creating spaces that looked like pride even if the outside world only saw poverty.
A Room They Couldn’t Touch
When I walk into client homes now, especially Black women who grew up in houses like mine, I still feel that duality. That deep-rooted desire to make a space look good… even if we haven’t learned how to make it feel good.
Because let’s be honest: many of us are still carrying the energy of those plastic couches.
We’re preserving the “look” while ignoring the feeling.
We’ve inherited the habit of performing perfection for the outside world, without asking: “What do I need from this space to feel safe, calm, and free?”
What the Couch Can Teach Us
That plastic-covered couch taught us that home mattered.
It taught us that presentation mattered. That having one room untouched was a way of saying: “They can take everything else—but not this.” It was a boundary. A shrine. A small resistance in a world that didn’t see our worth.
But now, in this season of our lives, we don’t have to just preserve—we get to heal.
We get to take that same sacred energy and ask, “How do I build a space that feeds me, not just impresses others?”
We get to unwrap the plastic.
Unlearning the Performance of Perfection
Today, I work with women who are ready to reclaim their homes as healing spaces. But often, we start from a place of emotional clutter. Rooms filled with shame, confusion, and old habits passed down without question.
I want you to hear this:
Your house is not a museum. It’s a living, breathing reflection of your self-worth.
And you deserve more than a space that looks good in pictures but doesn’t nourish you in real life.
Yes, Grandma preserved that couch because she had to. But you? You get to redesign your home with your healing in mind.
You get to create spaces you actually live in. Laugh in. Cry in. Rest in. Grow in.
You get to choose comfort without guilt.
You get to be free.
A Soulful Home Is a Liberated Home
When I help Black families bring soul back into their homes, I don’t just mean candles, pillows, or paint colors. I mean designing with dignity, memory, and transformation in mind.
Your space should reflect your joy, your roots, your identity—not just what you saw in a magazine.
It should hold your story—not your shame.
And no, it doesn’t require a $20,000 budget or a contractor who ghosted you (trust me—I learned that the hard way).
It just requires intention.
If You’re Ready, I’m Ready
If this message hits home (literally), I want you to know—this is what I do.
I help Black women create spaces that honor where they’ve been, while making room for where they’re going. Whether it’s organizing a closet so you can start your mornings with peace, or redesigning your bedroom to feel like rest and not stress—I’m here to help you unwrap your own “plastic couch energy” and let softness in.
Here’s Your Soulful Home Invitation
If you’re ready to:
– Stop performing and start resting
– Bring culture and calm into your space
– Reclaim your home as a place of joy not just presentation
👇🏾
Book a Soulful Home Styling Session today.
Let’s make your home feel like it’s finally yours—for real this time.
DM me the word SOUL on Instagram and don’t forget to download The Black Woman’s Guide to a Soulful home: https://stan.store/Onechiclook
P.S. What’s your plastic couch story? Hit reply—I’d love to hear it. Or tag me in a Threads post using #SoulInMySpace.
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