Wellness and positive energy at home
We often talk about our belief that home should be a haven and place of respite. Focusing on wellness and positive energy contributes to the feeling of home as sanctuary, with the added benefit of better physical and mental health! When we talk with clients about designing a home that works for them, as opposed to the other way around, what we mean is that home should feel exactly like it was made for you. Including elements that promote wellness and positivity is integral to that feeling.
Feng shui
Let’s start with feng shui. Feng shui, as defined by Merriam-Webster (we pulled out the dictionary for this one!) is “a Chinese geomantic practice in which a structure or site is chosen or configured so as to harmonize with the spiritual forces that inhabit it.” More simply, feng shui is a method of balancing energy and elements in a space. When you think of a room as having a good “flow,” subconsciously you recognize the ease of movement – energy, people, even your vacuum cleaner. If things feel cluttered or crowded, you likely feel unsettled. Marie Kondo’s KonMari method gained huge popularity for a reason; we feel better when things are simple.
One feng shui guideline that you’ll notice in our projects refers to mirror placement in an entry. Mirrors reflect light and energy, but should not hang opposite the front door. Rather, we place it perpendicular. The added benefit is bouncing more light throughout your space and making it feel larger and more open! Look at the bright, energizing effect in our Graduate Hospital townhome entry.
In our Old City condo, our client prioritzed incorporating feng shui practices into the design. As you see in the header photo, we placed the headboard against a wall and flanked the bed with matching nightstands and lamps for balance.
Specific ways to promote wellness and positive energy
If you’re looking for smaller steps that you can take in your home right now, we have a couple of tips for you! Minor adjustments to your spaces can boost productivity or encourage relaxation. After several months of staying at home, we found these so helpful.
Plants
We frequently recommend adding plants or flowers to a room for the aesthetic. However, we can’t overlook the physical and mental benefits either! As we learned in biology class, plants take in carbon monoxide and give off oxygen. This makes them natural air purifiers. Some of the most popular are pothos, peace lily, snake plant, and aloe vera. (Do check with your vet to make sure that you aren’t bringing home anything that would be toxic to your pets.) They also have a grounding quality that connects you to nature, which is especially important during cold months or periods where you can’t spend much time outside. Potted plants work well just about anywhere. If you have a black thumb, air plants are as low maintenance as you can get. They’re a great addition to small spaces like powder rooms.
Crystals
Yes, crystals. For centuries, societies around the world have used crystals to energize, to soothe, and to heal. Put simply, crystals convert energy. It’s why watches have quartz movements. Crystals form in the earth, so they too have grounding properties that can help promote good energy in a space. Amethyst is considered to have relaxing properties, which makes it ideal for balancing the vibes in a living room – add a sculpture to a shelf or on top of a console for a beautiful statement.
Many energy healers and practitioners refer to rose quartz as the “love stone” and recommend keeping it in your bedroom for its soft energy. Black tourmaline and hematite should be placed by the front door, as they keep out negative energy. Finally, agate aids in balance and centering, which makes it the perfect addition to a home office (especially these days).
Quiet spaces
We live in a world where we are constantly connected via technology. Like most things, there is a positive and negative side to this. We’re able to keep up with our family and friends near and far thanks to FaceTime, Zoom, email, and social media. However, we spend so much time with screens at home. Whether it’s a Netflix binge, streaming a workout, or reading on your Kindle, even downtime is tech-centered. More and more, designers are seeing the benefit of a space in the home where clients can completely unplug. We’ve created a few of these, like a sitting room with beautiful natural light and comfortable chairs, as well as a home office that features a custom daybed perfect for lounging and reading. Everyone needs a place to be alone with their thoughts, journal, daydream, or meditate. Thinking about how clients can use these spaces to disconnect, hit pause, and recenter absolutely informs how we create them.
Header: Old City master bedroom by Glenna Stone Interior Design; Photo by Rebecca McAlpin
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Glenna Stone Interior Design is an award-winning Philadelphia interior design firm serving Philadelphia, the Main Line, and surrounding cities. Utilizing her background and training in interior design, architecture, and engineering, Glenna specializes in creating interiors for residential and commercial design settings. We invite you to visit our website, view our portfolio, and catch up on the latest interior design concepts on our blog!