Design, Feng Shui, Interior styling, Organization

Cozy Den Design For Senior Clients

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I got a call from some clients that I have worked with for years. They are a sweet older couple in their late seventies and wanted to convert one of their guest bedrooms into a cozy den.  I was so excited to help with this project! The only things they really had in the room were 2 new recliners and a TV stand that had a fireplace insert. (Which they said they absolutely loved the coziness the fireplace added so that right there gave me some ideas.) So the design was a clean slate!

I suggested we do a cozy library feel with lots of browns and oranges. Soft glow of candles and fireplace.

They had an eclectic mix of artwork so we discussed that 3 different types of art would not work in the room. Southwest, Thai dancers and a barn. We decided to use some beautiful prints we had discovered while de cluttering my client’s office. They were beautiful brown sketches with an old world feel and would definitely go with the vibe of the room. We redistributed the other pieces of art to different areas of the house.

We started with a Pinterest board to narrow down color palette and general aesthetic. I encouraged them to order a low bookcase to go on an empty wall to add some warmth. I suggested we style it with some mementos from their travels, old books and a few new accessories. It would also be a good place for my client to keep his lap top and any reading materials he wanted near his recliner.

I took them shopping and it took us a little over an hour to find everything left on our list!

It really is amazing how a cohesive color palette and accessories can completely transform a room.

We still have a few tweaks and things to add but I love the way it turned out. It is such a cozy relaxing room. And the best part… the dog agrees!

 

Things I envisioned for the room:

-Low bookshelf in a dark wood to match TV stand

-Vintage sketches framed above bookcase

-Panoramic picture on long wall above recliners

-Faux plant to bring outdoors in (they did not want maintenance of a live plant and very little light comes in room).

-Battery powered candles in metal votive holders to create a cozy relaxing vibe

-Rug with warm colors like brown, orange and green

-Curtains in a neutral color

-Display old books and mementos from travel

-Stained glass lamp

-Wooden tray

Design, Feng Shui

Fresh Flowers and Feng Shui

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Have you ever thought buying fresh flowers for yourself was a luxury? Maybe it seems too expensive and frivolous? I used to feel the same way until I started following the amazing Amanda Gibby Peters and bought her book “Simple Shui for Everyday.” You can read more about the advantages below in her post.

If you are at all interested in Feng Shui she is a master and so inspiring. And even if you think Feng Shui is too woo woo…buy yourself the flowers anyway because you are worth it! I truly believe it’s the little details that make such a difference in our homes and how we feel!

your *excuse* to buy fresh flowers…

 

 

 

Books, Feng Shui

The Path To A Clutter-Free Life

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One of the often overlooked aspects of maintaining an organized life is your own sense of well-being.
There are many reasons that people find their lives and their surroundings in varying degrees of disarray; They’re busy with kids, jobs, there may be an illness in the family, and sometimes they’re just trying to make ends meet on a day to day basis, which as many of us know can occupy our minds with worry and stress to the point that everything else in our lives gets overlooked or postponed, often with undesirable results.

When our lives become so full of stress, or a series of tragic or unfortunate events occur, typical clutter can spiral out of control, often resulting in situations of hoarding, a state of living (mental as well as physical) that is very difficult to recover from.

But that extreme condition is a topic for another post. The point is, and this may seem obvious, your mental and physical states are closely tied with how you maintain your life. When your mind is filled with the clutter of stress and worry, your surroundings will most likely reflect that to some degree. Conversely, when you feel good mentally and physically, not only will you have more energy to tackle the organizational issues at hand, but you will be more likely to see the problems for what they are, before they become insurmountable.

One book that I would suggest for further reading along these lines is Feng Shui Home, by Hale, Martin and De Winter. Feng Shui, if you are unfamiliar with the concept, is the “Chinese art or practice of creating harmonious surroundings.” While there are many books available to help people understand their organizational problems, this particular book addresses these issues with the view that replacing negative energy in your home with positive energy can help you on the path to better mental and physical health.  It may not be your particular cup of tea, (to use an Eastern metaphor), but it does offer a  lot of good advice on how to keep the spaces in your home simple and clutter free. I highly recommend it.

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