Home sweet home. I’m sure we’ve all said this at some point, especially when coming back from a trip. It’s true; home is the place we can be ourselves, our anchor, our haven.
I’ve been a designer for over 20 years. I know the importance of your home, your surroundings, the energy you create there and the impact it has on your life. This has been a guiding principle in how I approach design with my clients.
Within our walls, we celebrate the joy in life, the sorrow and everything in between. The power of our home and how it influences our well-being is with us every day, and most of us don’t even realize it.
When I moved from the Toronto area to Ottawa almost five years ago, I wanted to create a home that was welcoming, safe, positive and made me smile. How did I go about accomplishing that? I surrounded myself with things I love and that reflect my personality, including artwork, special keepsakes, books and treasures that I collected over the years.
It was amazing to see how quickly my home felt like “me” shortly after I moved in.
Fast forward four years and circumstances were such that my home really showed me the love back. I was diagnosed with cancer and had a long road of chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
I remember coming home from the doctor’s after getting the news, walking in my front door, and it truly felt like arms were wrapping around me. It was the love and energy that I created in my home. I felt safe and ready to take on what was coming.
There were some tough days, I won’t lie, but I tackled each day with positivity. I would look around my home, see the inspirational wall in my kitchen:
nap on my chaise lounge in my bedroom:
or gaze at my family gallery wall:
and take comfort from them.
My home gave me strength in ways that surprised me. It has been a year since my diagnosis and I am happy to share that I am cancer free! And my home was a big part in my journey and how I approached each day.
I believe our homes and belongings have energy. Just think how you feel when your space is cluttered — it’s stressful. Clean up the clutter and you feel better.
Does your home reflect your personality? Do you have a collection? Love artwork? Vivid colours? Bring “you” into your home. You will be so glad you did.
I’ve read some interesting articles recently about the correlation between your home and your emotions. In particular, designer Kate Gelfand of Greenwich, Conn., has studied the healing potential of public and private spaces and finds our interior worlds can truly “aid recovery and healing, and work to support wellness and personal growth.”
Consider it decorating therapy for the 21st century.
