Make your home your ally

I love visiting houses. I like seeing decoration ideas, analyzing different combinations of colors, and the little details that make a space special. I love seeing cool furniture and a daring attitude- and I do mean attitude because at the end that’s what a house transmits, an attitude toward life.

I would be happy if I could dedicate more time and money toward my house’s decor and design. I am not an interior designer or an expert of any kind, it’s just a passion of mine. There’s still a lot of work to be done so my home can look the way I envision it, but that will come at the right time, for now instead of decoration I have been thinking about how the spaces in which we live can be our allies or our enemies, especially while we are going through difficult times. It may seem like an exaggeration, but sometimes a space in our home can bother us and make us feel uncomfortable or the opposite, it can make us feel peaceful and welcome. Our living room, kitchen, bedroom, our whole house can add or subtract to a situation. It can be part of the good “mood” that we need as we are going through challenging moments or, if we allow it, it can become part of the problem.      

I notice in my house and the houses of family and friends that there is always something you can do to turn those square feet into something special and unique, something that is truly yours. It may not even require an expert or a big budget, it’s more of a decision to make our spaces a positive addition to every situation we are going through. Of course who wouldn’t love to be surrounded by beautiful things, pay an expert to help beautify a space, or buy things to make a room even more inviting. If you can and there’s no limit to your budget, great, but there are still many things that you can do to make your house an ally, especially as we go through different stages in life.  

If you need more clarity and order why not “hide” the clutter that could be distracting you such as papers, toys, and books. Put everything in containers to keep things in order for focus and clarity. Or maybe you need a change of color in your surroundings. Just by changing the color of a wall you can feel more relaxed and serene. Or you just need to use what you have, decorate with the things that you have stored, things you have forgotten you even had or things you only use during “special” occasions. You may have more than you realize, you may need to buy less so you can enjoy more. Use the beautiful things you have such as candles, mugs, vases, fancy china, use it all. And when going through a sad moment, make your home a place where you can find some joy. Buy some flowers to brighten your day, take out your favorite book and put it  close to a comfortable place where you can sit and read.

Sometimes people who love to go out may have to stay at home for more time than they would like to. With a little adjusting of what they already have they don’t have to feel “trapped” in their homes. Simple things like making more space for natural light to come in, having more green plants or flowers, or decorating a space in a completely different way so it might feel like a small coffee shop that could serve as a place to work, read or simply talk could make a world of difference.  

There are countless ideas, according to each situation and mood. This has nothing to do with feng shui or movement of energies or any of those things, which I don’t know anything about and honestly don’t believe in, this is something simple and practical that can be practiced in the day to day without complications. I am inviting you, without the need of experts or studies, to make your home your friend, to make simple changes if needed in your space so you will feel happier where you live, breathe, and rest.   

Ana