Your Home, Your Santuary

You should feel safe the moment you step into your home. Home is where the heart is they say, and not for nothing. After all the harassment of traffic and public transport, the stress of work and the ever increasing price of food and all else, Lord knows you can’t wait to get home and shut the door on everything naughty and annoying.

You can create a tranquil atmosphere in your home where you and your family can take refuge, grow and be happy. You can create a harmonious and serene environment with deco, music, laughter, food and most of all, your attitude.

Inner harmony:
Sure you’ve had a rough day. More so than most of us. I know. You do have a reason to gripe and sulk and take it out on the first person you meet at home. But that’s not the way to go. Rather than take it out on them, let them share in your burden by talking “to” them and not “at” them; Who ever “them” is. Most times we take our frustration out on our spouse, children, siblings or domestic staff. It doesn’t make us feel any better, just worse. So don’t alienate the few people you’ve actually got on your side. Enjoy them. Let the kids run around you, give them a hug or a pat. Go ahead. I know you don’t feel like it but it will help. And the household chores you now have to get into on their account won’t seem like so much of a burden. I can’t explain how it works but it does.

Harmonize your decor:
It may seem like such a trivial thing compared with all you’ve been through today but believe me the way your home looks can affect, lighten or increase your burden. Eliminate clutter. Everything jumbled together so that you cant find anything you need when you need it, little bric-a- brac everywhere, useless pieces strewn everywhere by children who turn them into toys since they belong to no one in particular. Oh my word! And here comes daddy now and the living room is gone to the marines!!! Are you feeling me? I don’t need to ask to realise you’re now definitely more stressed out than you were when you got home. Sell, give or throw away what you don’t need, then keep everything you need in its proper place. Always.

And now for some lesson in aesthetics. A bright airy room not only looks but feels good and welcoming. So keep your living room furniture bright. The fewer the better. Harmonize the units. If you have matching pieces, use them in the same room. Compliment this with lovely drapes and a few wall hangings like framed prints such as paper prints or even fabrics like tie and dye stuff would do. Use what you have. You don’t need to break a bank to make your home look good. A few tips from Lauri Ward’s school of Use-What-You-Have Interior should help us here. Check out her books or website. You can't go wrong. Matching colours is key but try to use soothing colours. Earth tones work wonders, shades of brown and green with a hint of orange and red against beige background would look good. A lime coloured leather sofa bang in the middle of your living room may not be the best thing for calming a troubled mind.

And the bedroom, now that’s my favourite place in the home after to the rest room. You should be able to switch from bright and airy in the day to intimate and calming in the night or whenever you need to unwind. So get some dark coloured blinds with soft matching sheers silk or lace. That would look great. I like to use Venetian or vertical blinds and team them up with velvet drapes. They look great but then that’s just me. Try and choose soothing colours . Your daughter may favour the hottest pink available but it may not work for you. Soft hews will help calm you down and provide a romantic atmosphere when occasion demands, which I think is always. Bed side lamps with lovely shade look good and help you read yourself to sleep without getting up to turn off the light. You could also use your favourite picture over your head board or create a fantastic head board with wall paper, velvet or some other material.

Get a truly comfortable mattress and pillows. If you can lay your hands on Egyptian cotton bed sheets, that would be absolutely fantastic. Pillows filled with feathers are great and you should invest in some unless you are allergic in which case you could try the synthetic filled version. From the luxury Hungarian goose down from Marks and Spencer which retails at £49.50 to the £8.50 goose feather and down from Duvet and Pillow Warehouse, there’s something for everyone. Try and keep the laptop and office work out of the bed room. Create a home office space in the living room, anywhere but the bedroom. That would stop you waking up to worry about unfinished work.

Flowers: A potted plant can add vibrancy to your home. If you can’t be bothered to water, weed and feed, just buy a lifelike plant. No one will know the difference unless they touch them. The palm is always a favourite. It makes a huge statement without taking up much space. Wardrobe, shoe rack and laundry basket help to organize spaces and make for great storage. A lovely soothing fragrance such as lavender which has a calming effect would really help.
I’m sure you now get the picture. Give your home a makeover by simply moving things around and using what you have in new ways. Make your home a place of refuge. I try to drop all baggage at the door when I get home and just enjoy being home. Try and do the same. It really works wonders.