How to Create a Peaceful Home

I have been obsessed with decor and design since I was about 10 years old. I was constantly rearranging, up cycling, designing and creating new things for my room. As I got older I realized, I changed my space often when I felt like I needed control in an area or when I needed peace. I would find different things that grounded me at that particular time in life and would find a way to incorporate that into my room. About 2 years ago I decided to start practicing mindfulness. Simply put, that just means I wanted to live intentionally. Every decision was on purpose and allowed me to feel like I was truly in control of my life.

As I continued in my journey as a designer, I found myself constantly telling my clients, "make intentional choices". It dawned on me that there is probably a way to practice mindfulness in design. After a little research I came across tons of books on this exact thing. Ranging from full redesigns, to minor changes, each book tackles how to incorporate mindfulness in design.

My favorite approach to this, is how to be mindful about the overall feeling of a space. I knew that I wanted to feel peace and calming when being in my home. I love the combined energy of a garden and a day spa with French apartment and coffee shop vibes. I know that seems like a lot, but each of those spaces have similarities. Clean air, that has distinct aromatics, combined with breathable textures, neutral colors, and coziness. So once I defined what I wanted my spaces to feel like, it became very easy to figure out what my design aesthetic is. I found all neutral and earth toned furniture, linens, curtains, and rugs. I then focused on calming and relaxing scents through candles, diffusers, and linen sprays. I chose statement furniture that also wasn't overwhelming, and I put plants in every room. Instead of just looking at an empty room and simply shopping what I "like" in the store, I shopped what was going to achieve the feeling that I had decided on. It gave me a focal point to come back to.

Often times I have clients tell me, I don't know how to shop from my home because I can't make it cohesive. There are a lot of pieces of furniture or accents that I like, but wouldn't put in this home right now because it doesn't go with my overall vibes. It's okay to not buy every item that you like in a store! It's easy to go rogue and end up with an unbalanced mix, if you don't ground your mind before you start.

If you are updating an already existing space, ask yourself these questions:

1. How does your current space make you feel?

2. Are you anxious about a lack of storage?

3. Do you feel like you don't have enough space?

Once you figure out your needs in a space, it makes it a lot easier to tackle them. Living in a constant state of business and dissatisfaction with your home can impact your mental health in a negative way. Also, it is a huge misconception that you need a lot of money to revamp your home or space. The goal is to make your home a relaxing space where you can get away from the outside world. A great way to do that is simply paint. Colors mean things, and our minds interpret them differently. If you want a calm relaxing oasis, soft greens like a sage, or dusty tones like a blue or gray, or buff instantly create a feeling of calm. There's a reason day spas aren't red or yellow.

I'll be tackling the steps to get your home to a place where you can breathe and relax, despite the craziness of life. Make sure you subscribe to the site, so you can get notifications on each new post and follow along to bring mindfulness to your home.