Everywhere you look, store decors are slowly transitioning to warm reds, rust and copper. This can mean only one thing — the holidays are coming. Especially if you are hosting this year, the week before your guests arrive is NOT the time to try to reinvent your living space! Let’s be proactive this year and start now! Between now and the new year, I will give you practical, bite-sized design tips to get your home in order in an easy, non-stressful way. Hostess with the most-est here you come.
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Our Top 5 Tips for Peaceful Living
Last month, we discussed that a well-designed office helps your workflow which leads to greater productivity and a better overall state of mind. This month, as we start our series on preparing for the holidays (remember, bite at a time!), we will continue the theme of bettering your mental health and self-care.
If you’ve ever flown, this should sound familiar: “Should the cabin lose pressure, oxygen masks will drop from the overhead area. Please place the mask over your own mouth and nose before assisting others.” This is because you will not be able to help anyone else if you have passed out. Similarly, if you have burned yourself out on pre-holiday prep stress, you will be no good to your family, friends, and house guests.
Related Post: The Secret Reason You are Stuck at Work
Therefore, rather than first tackling the traditional spaces occupied by guests (dining room, kitchen, living room), we’re going to evaluate your bedroom. Why? You deserve a calm, serene space to relax, rest and recharge. This space is all your own – it’s just for YOU. It’s not to show off to your guests (although after these tips, you’ll probably want to do a little house tour of your new gorgeous getaway).
Here are my top reasons for why focusing on your bedroom suite are crucial to achieving peace at home:
1. You will have more energy. If you can lock yourself away into a space that helps to calm you before bed, you will wake more rested and be able to take on your other projects and give your energy to your family and friends.
2. There is nothing better than opening your eyes in the morning to a space that makes you smile. It sets the tone for your whole day.
3. At night it is vital to be able to close your eyes in a space that allows you to rest. The chaos is out there, it’s not in here and now I can sleep. As an aside, I suggest leaving screens out of the bedroom. How many times have you caught yourself up at 2 am scrolling through your phone? Enjoy your evening scrolling and binge your favorite shows, but then when it’s time to head into your oasis, consider leaving them behind.
4. An organized, gorgeous closet will help you to see what pieces you have and actually love (ditch anything that makes you feel odd or you are holding onto for any reason of guilt). I’m a big believer that when you dress well, it improves your mood and your productivity.
5. A spa-like bathroom will give you respite from outside. Sure you can do a full overhaul with a fabulous tub and marble floors (personally I love the 12×24” porcelain marble-look tile from HomeDepot) BUT you can start to achieve your spa-like retreat just by clearing the clutter, adding a few candles, and maybe painting a relaxing color. Think about a time you visited a spa and incorporate whatever it was they had that made you feel at ease-usually natural woods, rocks juxtaposed with plus robes are a great place to start.
*Trend Alert*
Here are my top QUICK ways to transform your bedroom suite into the serene retreat of your dreams.
1. Go all white on your bedding. This gives you a fresh, clean, crisp luxury hotel feel. If you can splurge, Parachute and Brooklinen make fantastic sheets. If you are on a budget, I’d suggest microfiber sheets. There are some highly rated sets available on Amazon for less than $40.
2. The same goes for your towels. Go all white. In design, white gives your eye a place to rest. I love the fluffy towels from Target or Costco for this.
3. Paint a calming color. Some of my favorites include Sherwin Williams (SW) White Duck for a creamy/grey off-white, SW Liveable green for a cool, earthy green, or SW Rainwashed for the perfect blue-green mix. Unless it’s absolutely your style, it’s best to leave the bold, glam colors for your downstairs powder room.
4. Refresh your bathroom storage and hide whatever is not necessary to be on your counter. Glass in a bathroom immediately makes it feel lux and fabulous. Grab some cute glass canisters from HomeGoods or Target and fill them with items you use daily such as Q-tips, cotton rounds, etc. Then, stash the rest away in drawers and cabinets. A clean counter = a clear mind.
5. Add some life! Greenery whether real or faux (remember whatever makes you feel less stressed) will add life and color to your relaxing retreat.
6. Add a spot that suites only YOU! Are you a big coffee or tea drinker? Put a little station on a cute table in the corner. Do you love to journal? Give yourself an inspiring space to get your best thoughts out. Are you a reader? Make sure you have a cozy space to curl up and dive into a good book. Remember this is YOUR space so get a little selfish.
Still feeling stuck? A part of achieving a more peaceful life is investing your energy into what you enjoy. If designing and shopping for your home stresses you out, hire it out the same way you might hire out your taxes. Many designers will pass along their furniture store discounts to their clients (I know I do) so the expense may be far less than you anticipate. As a professional, my job is to help you feel happy and peaceful at home. This is my passion and what gets me jumping out of bed in the morning. I would love to hear about your trouble spaces and would be honored to help you achieve a sense of peace in your own home.
JENNIFER ROSE
Bachelor of Science, Industrial Design, Virginia Tech
HSR Certified Home Stager & Stylist
I help clients curate beautiful, functional, and aspirational spaces in their homes. I love giving them the confidence and peace of mind to relax or entertain at the drop of a hat. I can’t get enough. I eat, sleep and breathe home design. At night, you’ll often find me with a glass of bubbly in hand perusing and studying homes on Zillow and Realtor or binging design shows on Netflix. I’m fascinated by the real estate market and the psychology behind what makes someone fall in love with home.
I grew up not only designing and rearranging my own room but also my friends’ rooms. I remember late-night sleepovers pushing furniture around their rooms and raiding their attics for fun art. Looking back, I can only imagine what their parents thought. My creative aspirations led me to Virginia Tech’s School of Architecture & Design where I was awarded my Bachelor’s of Science in Industrial Design with a minor in Art History. After school, I worked in graphic design and, being the child of 2 strong entrepreneurs, opened my own firm where I was on track to becoming one of the top graphic designers for the wedding industry in Hampton Roads, VA. It was then that I met my husband who took me into the exciting world of military moves. I put my professional design career on hold to raise my 3 beautiful daughters while flexing my creative muscles completely remodeling and redesigning our own 5 homes. I am so happy being back in my element and absolutely love helping my clients love their spaces.
When not designing, you’ll find me swimming, crafting or dreaming up my next home.
