Elevate Simple Spaces into Elegant Sanctuaries
Interior Design: ADM Interiors. Photography: Joel Klassen
As life returns to normal, now more than ever, we need our homes to be a safe and cozy sanctuary from the outside world. Whether you work from home or venture out every day, it’s important to have a place to relax, recharge and refocus. Here are some of my favourite ways to elevate your home with elegant sanctuary spaces.
Why We Need Sanctuary Spaces at Home
A soothing space where you can unwind and step away from stress and daily responsibilities can provide significant mental and physical health benefits. Creating sanctuary spaces at home means you’ll have the time and resources to put yourself first every day. And by taking care of yourself, you’ll be better prepared to care for others and the many duties you have as a parent, employee, boss, partner, or friend.
Remove Clutter to Find What Really Matters
To turn your home into a place where you can relax, focus and thrive, start by getting rid of all the things that are holding you back. Clutter isn’t just the excess toys your kids no longer play with or the clothing you no longer wear. Clutter comes in many forms and it not only adds stress to your life, but it can also inhibit you from enjoying the things you love.
Imagine how freeing it would feel to no longer be burdened by items you don’t use, collections that don’t inspire you, and all those things waiting to be repaired or taken care of. If everything in your home is either beautiful or useful, you’ll have more time, more space and a clean backdrop to highlight the things that really matter.
Your Home Should Suit Your Lifestyle
A home that isn’t functional can lead to frustration, wasted time and even injury. It’s important to evaluate how you use the different spaces in your home and note what works and what isn’t always convenient. From this, we can create custom design solutions that make everyday tasks easier and improve productivity.
A bank of cabinets on an empty wall can add easily accessible storage that eliminates regular trips to the basement without reducing usable floor space. In the kitchen, moving appliances to easy-to-reach locations can reduce strain while increasing function for the whole family.
Use Lighting to Elevate Spaces
Many homes feature a combination of recessed ceiling lights paired with a few builder-grade fixtures. Which in most cases isn’t sufficient. You may not even realize how lighting can affect your mood and health while also rendering your home more beautiful and functional. Luckily, upgrading your lighting is an easy and fairly inexpensive way to transform the look and feel of your home.
Consider a stand-out light fixture as the perfect way to make a statement without adding unnecessary clutter to your home. To create atmosphere and ambiance, install dimmer switches and layer lighting to allow you to adjust lighting levels to suit the task at hand.
Create A Connection to Nature
When you picture a luxury spa, you probably envision a space with plants, natural light, wood and stone finishes, and maybe a soothing water feature. That’s because it’s proven that spending time in nature benefits our well-being, health, and relationships in a variety of ways. By employing these same principles at home, we can enjoy the benefits that a connection to nature offers.
Large windows that provide views of green spaces and increase natural light can help elevate moods. Using materials such as wood and stone for interior finishes brings natural elements indoors and creates spaces that inspire wellbeing. Decorate with plants instead of trinkets to add warmth, texture and colour to minimal decor.
Flooded with natural light and views of the outdoors, this soothing kitchen is elevated with white oak floors, marble countertops and handwoven paper cord chairs for a warm and organic feel. Interior Design: ADM Interiors. Photo: Joel Klassen
Choose Soothing Colours for Your Home Sanctuary
Colour can have a significant impact on our mood and emotions. Too many loud patterns or bright hues can overload our senses and make it hard to relax and focus.
Alternatively, spaces that feature a soothing colour palette promote a sense of calm and reduce unnecessary distractions. To create a sanctuary space in your home, choose one or two neutral or muted colours and add variation with the use of lighter and darker shades.
Think of Unused Spaces as Opportunities
If you have an empty bedroom, unused closet, or nook that you just don’t know what to do with, you have an opportunity. With a bit of thoughtful planning, these areas can be transformed into sanctuary spaces that offer a spot for relaxation, quiet contemplation or to pursue hobbies and passions.
Decluttering, custom storage solutions, improved lighting design, and establishing a connection to nature can all help create a soothing sanctuary space in your home. Connect with me today to discuss how a Sanctuary Design Consultation can help you have a home that reflects and complements your lifestyle.