Up on the blog this week I am sharing an article in which I was interviewed for as part of a series on the “5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy”.
Thank you so much for joining us in this series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
My journey to interior design was not a linear one. I am an attorney turned interior designer. I practiced law for five years before going back to school for my Masters in Interior Architecture and Design. It’s the perfect career path for someone that wants to combine analytical and creative endeavors. Interior Design is about public safety and welfare with regard to code compliance in spaces and yet it aesthetically touches the lives of the people who live, breathe and walk through those spaces.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?
For the past couple of years, I have been working on a passion project. My new bedding and bath line called Bloom. These days, we spend more time than ever in our homes, and consumers increasingly seek to find ways to reflect their personalities in their space. Bloom was developed to help students and young professionals take the often difficult first step toward achieving that goal. Your bedroom is a haven that serves as a special space separate from the rest of the world—and chances are, the way you design your space is a pretty good reflection of who you are as a person. As I developed my first collection inspired by the carefree days of summer, I invited feedback from younger and older people to gain insight into what customers want from the home décor pieces that they invest in.
Bloom was born out of memories of trying to find my personal style in my teens and early twenties, and how difficult it was to understand my own aesthetic vision and distinguish it from that of my mother, who had decorated my sisters’ and my room during our childhood.
We are used to thinking that beauty is something physical. But the truth is that beauty is a feeling before anything else. Bloom’s first launch features 16 unique designs, all hand-drawn to appeal to different styles and tastes, which will be custom-printed on luxuriously soft duvet covers and pillow shams, as well as shower curtains.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote"? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
"You can't connect the dots looking forward. You can only connect them looking backward. So, you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something -- your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." Steve Jobs
What I have learned is that we think we have a plan. But plans, no matter how planned, are never perfect. Only in hindsight can they appear that way. As I’ve lived my life, often plans appeared to be scattered and messy, as if I didn’t have a plan. It can feel overwhelming, and it just looks like what in the world is going on with her? Later, when you look back at the events, twists and turns I’ve taken, it looks like a finely crafted novel. But at the time, it didn’t at all.
Thank you for that. Here is the main question of our discussion. What are your "5 Things You Can Do To Help Your Living Space Spark More Joy" and why.
First and foremost, I believe that being organized is one of the best things you can do to live a happier life at home. Clutter can take a toll on your health by increasing your stress levels—even if you don’t recognize it. Getting organized can reduce your stress levels because it can end the last-minute scrambling in various situations. I can’t tell you how many times in the past I’ve been stressed out over where my keys are. I’m late as it is and instead of putting everything in its place, I left things laying around causing me not to see the things I need in the moment. A huge component of avoiding stress is being proactive. It’s about taking the time to put things in a dedicated space so every time you need it, you know where to find it. It’s about not leaving your coat on the sofa or your mail laying out on the kitchen counter. Believe it or not, you can get organized with the way you approach your stressors.
Photo Cred: Pinterest
My second tip is to keep the kitchen counter accessories to a minimum. You spend a huge amount of time in your kitchen each and every day, so you want somewhere you can feel as calm, happy and productive as possible. A kitchen with clean counters will serve you well in so many ways. Not only does it look sharp and orderly, but empty counters also offer you the most cooking space possible. Minimal counter clutter also means less stuff to clean because you can wipe counters easily—so cleared-off counters also tend to be clean and healthy counters, too.
Even if you like the lived-in look of a few intentionally placed items set out on the counters or you refuse to put the coffee pot away because you use it at least once a day, the more you can get off of your counters and stored elsewhere, the better. Using the closed space that you have in the best way possible is all about maximizing your storage capabilities and ensuring every item has its own place. Storage racks, bins, baskets, containers, turntables, under-the-shelf and over-the-door organizers will make your life much easier because you can quickly find what you're looking for.
Photo Cred: Pinterest
Once you are feeling organized and uncluttered in the kitchen, add in some plant life. Extensive research by NASA has revealed that houseplants can remove up to 87 per cent of air toxin in 24 hours. Studies have also proven that indoor plants improve concentration and productivity (by up to 15 percent!), reduce stress levels and boost your mood — making them perfect for not just your home but your work space, too. Plants essentially do the opposite of what we do when we breathe: release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. This not only freshens up the air, but also eliminates harmful toxins. As well as enhancing your mood and creating a living space that is soothing to be in, plants can also help with loneliness and depression: caring for a living thing gives us a purpose and is rewarding — especially when you see that living thing bloom and thrive.
Photo Cred: Pinterest
The perfect addition to our green, organized and uncluttered space is lighting. Whether natural or manmade, lighting is more important than it might seem. Besides being functional, the light fixtures, lamps, and sconces in your home can add style to your space and create a cozy vibe. But lighting can also affect your emotions in complex ways, impacting everything from your mood to your productivity. Studies have explained the link between sunlight, our circadian rhythms, and mood. People with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) experience depression during the fall and winter months because their serotonin levels drop when there’s less sunlight. Even if you don’t have SAD, less exposure to sunlight can also mess with your melatonin levels and circadian rhythm, causing you to become sleep-deprived and grumpy. To maximize your home’s natural light and keep your serotonin levels up, position mirrors next to or across from windows to bring in sunlight, and opt for window treatments that allow the most sunlight to come through.
Photo Cred: Pinterest
Last but not least, one final tip to spark joy in your space is to create a calming and soothing bedroom. Peaceful. Serene. Soothing. Most people want their bedroom to feel like a true refuge from the outside world: a calming place to rest and restore their energies. Getting a decent night’s sleep is easier said than done—but getting intentional about the energy in your bedroom is going to be the best place to start. Layer in lots of texture, rugs, drapes, linens and pillows. Varying the textures in your space will give a sense of lushness and luxury that instantly relaxes the body. Using soft, natural colors also leads to a quiet, tranquil, and inviting energy in your bedroom.
Photo Cred: Pinterest
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