What Your Bedroom Is For

With Valentine's Day this weekend, I think it is time we talk about something intensely personal...

the things that a master bedroom is for, and what it is NOT. :)

Ideally this room, the inner sanctum of our home, is the place where we go to restore, to find quiet, solitude, privacy, a place for intimacy, perhaps a place also for prayer and/or meditation....

However, things are often not the ideal.

For example...

• Our bedroom may be the place where, when in a hurry, we have stashed things we didn't want company to see...
• It may be the place where baskets of laundry sit waiting to be put away....
• It may be the place (and this is my LEAST FAVORITE) where we have a work station, complete with piles of paper and glowing computer screen staring us down as we try to unwind at the end of a hectic day.  
• It may be the place that others in the household feel they can just enter on a whim without knocking or asking permission. 

I am sure one or more of the above sounds all too familiar, yes??

To make matters worse, it is during times of increased stress when we are least likely or able to keep this area tidy and nurturing--and, of course, this is the time we need a peaceful sanctuary the most. 

SO, to help you create this very important place of restoration, let's talk about some simple things that can help to create and maintain YOUR much needed retreat from the world:

• When you are tired, remind yourself that it only takes a few minutes-- it is tempting to not put clothes away in the evening or to skip making the bed in the morning because we are tired, pressed for time, and we picture these chores as being a huge deal. Change your perception of these tasks and view them instead as doing something nice for yourself--make yourself muscle through for just 3-5 minutes & you will be amazed at how quickly you are finished. Recognize in doing this for less than five minutes, you are preparing a soothing environment for yourself later.

• Remove anything that stresses you out-- (and I don't mean your spouse :) Take away things you find annoying or unattractive--basically anything that doesn't nurture you in some way.  Anything pertaining to your work or household finances SHOULD NOT be in this room. 

• Add beauty and comfort--This space should contain things that delight your senses: soft lighting, a variety of textures (think satiny sheets and nubby chenille throws), colors that you find soothing, fresh (but not overpowering) scents, relaxing music, and flowers and /or plants that bring life and additional color to the room.

Taking the time to create a little oasis for ourselves is so important and has a far-reaching impact in our lives. Take some time this weekend to work on this as a Valentine's gift to yourself!

A Cozy Room For You On This Cold, Windy Day :)

Brrrrr. 

I don't know about you, but I feel like I can't get warm today! 

SO, what could be more fun than looking at a room that makes us feel warm and cozy? :) That always makes me feel better :)

Over the summer, I was contacted by a client who knew she wanted to change some things around her house---perhaps pick some new paint colors, make things brighter? Their den, an already lovely room they spent a lot of time in (especially in the colder months), needed some new touches to bring it back to life...

As is always the first step, we talked about things that could be removed from the room to make it more welcoming, such as the large mirror on the back wall that made the room feel dated. Also, some smaller pieces of furniture were removed from the entrance since they made the otherwise large room feel cramped and small. 

A chair that the family loved was brought in from another part of the house--a welcome addition, since it was so comfortable--but it would need a facelift as a part of the room's revitalization.

We got to work finding fabrics, colors, and textures that would add the most important 'top layer' to the space, making the room feel finished and even more welcoming.

Here are the results:

My clients found the beautiful artwork now hanging behind the sectional on their vacation to North Carolina. I love what it adds to the room, and we added further texture and interest with the fabrics for the chair, pillows and new window treatments that soften the space.

The whole downstairs was painted in a new brighter neutral that brings out the color in the stone, and makes the rooms flow beautifully--especially since they are so open to one another. 

Simple changes have created a lovely, cozy result that I know my clients will enjoy for years to come! 

My Hike Along The River

As the first month of 2015 draws to a close, I thought it would be neat to reflect on some thoughts I had while on a hike with my husband along the Little River just outside of Asheville, NC...

On that day just over a year ago, the water rushed along beside us as we traveled on foot.  Sometimes the river roared with whitewater, other times it rested quietly in pools that seemed almost completely still,  and I noticed that a lot of things were deposited on its journey--leaves, branches and other items were lodged along the banks, swirling in little puddles or stranded high on rocks by receding floodwaters.

Like the river, in our homes there are physical items that are washed into the shallows: rooms that seem tired and out-of-date sit there awaiting our attention, our closets, drawers, and corners fill up with items that we haven't had the time to sort or make decisions on.

At the start of each year, we seem to pay attention to time passing, old habits we would like to leave behind, and new goals we set before us. Our lives can be much like a river and as our days rush past, and lots of things are pushed aside because we don't have the time or energy to deal with them.

Recognizing that our souls bloom more fully when inspired by beauty and soothed by simplicity, it is  important to afford ourselves downtime to deal with all the STUFF of life--this is just as important as rushing about, DOing and working towards our goals. We can give ourselves time & quiet to create order and balance, and make sure we are surrounded by things we love.   This is a way of slowing the current that is rushing past, and smoothing out the stream bed so things can flow with more ease...

We all have the ability to create peace and flow in our lives, but we don't always give ourselves permission to create it as we so busily rush along. I believe that one of the best ways we can direct the stream of our lives (and not be tossed about by it) is to create a home that supports us with loveliness and simplicity--  much like a giant river rock that the water happily glides over, smooth as glass.

If where we live provides us with a rejuvenating supply of beauty, order and balance, all kinds of amazing things will be possible for us in the coming year. What can you do around your house this week that will help things to flow, and your spirits to lift??

If you are looking for help and inspiration for creating more flow for 2015, don't forget next week is our (Dis)comforts of Home Workshop! It is the perfect place to learn how to change fret and frustration to peace and flow. Hope to see you there! Here is where you can get all the details: http://bit.ly/15Ytoy9 

But I Just Don't Feel Like It

There is always something around the house that needs doing…something that needs doing that we absolutely don't want to do. 

Not today.

Maybe tomorrow?

That's why this is our quick tip/homework assignment for this month! (Trust me. I don't want to do it either.)

Whether it is the dinner dishes sitting in the sink, a messy closet that needs attention, a pile of clothes waiting to find their way into the drawer, a stack of Christmas decorations that haven't yet been put into storage, or the dreaded mail pile sitting on the counter that needs to be sorted and tossed…its time has come! Like. Today. 

Like. Now.

It is okay if you don't want to do it. You can whine if you want to. But, as you are whining set your timer for 15 minutes and get started. I'll be doing it right along with you. 

Getting these pesky things out of the way one small step at at time makes our homes so much more nurturing and supportive…and that means a lot in terms of feeling peace and enjoyment each day. 

Remember, if you are longing to create less stress and clutter and more peace and beauty around your house, our upcoming (Dis)comforts of Home class is just the inspiration and help you need! Hope to see you there!

Creating Kindness & Quiet

I don't know about you, but lately I have been longing for an antidote to all the striving and stressing I have seen around me...

and this morning as I savored my cup of coffee, I had an idea. 

Maybe underneath all of the things we are working so hard to create these first few weeks of the new year--goals we are setting, new habits we are forming-- we also have a deep need for two things: kindness and quiet.

Why these two things? Well, I kind of feel like they make everything else possible. 

With kindness, we understand with compassion where we are right now, even if it isn't where we would like to be ideally. With kindness, we also give energy and love to those around us, strengthening them on their journey. 

With quiet (especially interior quiet), we get a break from our worries and have a chance to relax and allow things to just be.

Did you know our homes can help and support us in our need for kindness and quiet? 

Having a home that nurtures and inspires us, surrounded by things we love, is so very kind. Flowers on the kitchen table, beautiful art on our walls, comfy places to curl up with a book…simple kindnesses that mean so much.  

Being burdened with too much stuff, all of it clamoring for our attention, is distracting and disorienting. Having quiet surroundings--not just quiet as in lack of sound, but also a freedom from the noise of clutter and disarray--helps us to live with purpose and clarity. 

So, whatever your goals are for 2015, let kindness and quiet lead the way. Looking for a way to do just that? My workbook Project Home Workbook: 4 Weeks To A Nurturing, Lovely Home is free for the downloading, and will walk you through four simple weekly assignments, creating kindness and quiet all along the way. Download your copy now, & share the link with a friend for a wonderful & meaningful start to 2015. :)