Design That Begins With Listening
At My Secret Dwelling, thoughtful interior design begins with understanding the person who will live, work, rest or gather in the space. The goal is not simply to make a room beautiful. It is to create an environment that feels personal, functional, meaningful and connected to the way you want to live, work or gather.
Meet Cheryl Payne
I'm Cheryl Payne, Principal Designer of My Secret Dwelling. I believe the best interiors begin with listening. Before choosing colors, furnishings or finishes, I want to understand you, your space, what matters to you and what you want to experience when you enter the room. Your ideas, preferences, meaningful pieces and personal story deserve to be considered as part of the design. My role is not to impose my style on your space. It is to help bring your ideas into a cohesive direction through beauty, function, nature and thoughtful design decisions.
“What do you want your home or office to say to you when you enter?”
Cheryl Payne, Principal Designer
A Place of Refuge, Rest, and Meaning
The name My Secret Dwelling is rooted in the image of the secret place and refuge found in Psalm 91. That idea of dwelling has continued to shape the way I think about interior spaces. Our surroundings can be more than something attractive to look at. They can give us places to rest, gather, reflect, work, welcome others and feel at home. For me, thoughtful design is about helping create spaces that support those moments while remaining true to the people who inhabit them.
Seen, Heard, and Considered
Tell us what you want your home or office to feel like, what is not working now and what you hope the space will communicate.
Your Voice Belongs in the Design
I want clients to feel seen, heard and considered throughout the process. Design decisions should respond to your life rather than simply follow a trend or reproduce someone else's room.
When the design is personal, the result can feel more natural, more cohesive and more like a place where you belong.
“I Am Because You Are”
An important part of the philosophy behind My Secret Dwelling is the African concept of Ubuntu, often expressed as, “I am because
you are.” It reflects the belief that we are connected and that relationships matter.Good work is rarely created in isolation. It grows through listening, trust, respect and the contributions of people bringing their different strengths together.
Inner and Outer Space
Our external environment and our inner experience are connected. The light in a room, the way we move through it, the colors and
textures around us, natural elements and meaningful objects all influence the way a space feels.
Thoughtful design can create greater harmony between the environment around us and the way we want to live within it, with more peace, presence, intention and connection.
Bring Your Vision to Life
Ready to transform your space with the expertise of My Secret Dwelling? Reach out to us today to schedule a consultation and discover how we can bring your vision to life. Let’s create a beautiful environment that truly reflects your unique style and needs.
Nature as Part of the Design
Nature is another important influence in my work. Through natural light, organic shapes, materials, patterns, textures, color, movement and flow, I look for opportunities to create interiors that feel grounded, alive and restorative. These biophilic principles are not simply decorative additions. They are part of thinking about how the whole environment supports the person using it.
Let’s Begin With Your Space
You do not need to come to the first conversation with every answer. Bring your questions, ideas, concerns and the way you hope your space will feel. We can begin there.