Tag: interior design

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Designing Your Home Office

“If you build it, he (they) will come” – Field of Dreams

This is a quote that comes to mind when identifying my goals + when setting my intentions.

A major goal of mine 9 years ago was beginning an Interior Design Practice. This goal was sparked from an Intention Setting Ceremony I did beforehand, when I examined my interested, skillset, strengths and ideal lifestyle. At the time it was suggested to me that I create a home office… A space where I could study, refine my skills and practice my craft from.

With this in mind, I set out to find the location and items needed to begin curating a space to birth my design practice. Little did I know at the time, taking this step forward with my dreams would take me down an incredible path of entrepreneurship where I was able to embrace my passions and help incredible clients around the world.

Simultaneously, being a mother was a priority for my life experiences; therefore, designing a home office (vs out of the home) was my preferred option. Upon the birth of our first child, I studied Interior Design and Feng Shui while she slept and met with clients in the evenings when my husband was home from his out of the home job. One may think that this was “a lot” for a new time mother; however, it was the contrary. The more that I was able to practice my passions, the more energy, focus and motivation I had for mothering as well.

Saying that, there is a challenge that many professionals are confronted with when having a home-based career… How do you keep life and work separate? And, how do you maintain balance in your life where one priority is not competing for your time over another? When working out-of-the home, this is much easier – as physically work is done in a different space than what you are living in.

In today’s Blog Post, I will be sharing guidance on how to design your home office with life-balance in mind! My intention with these suggestions is that it helps you reduce the learning curve of how to strike a balance in your life from the get go, so that you can be present in both your family and career.

Included in this blog are products listed, with links to make it much easier for you too to design a home office that satisfies your needs to show up energized and ready to go.

Home Office Location

  • Do you have a spare bedroom?
  • Do you have a nook or corner that is not currently being used?

Ideally, a home office will be in a quiet spot in your home so that while you are using it – you’ll have the least amount of distractions possible. Therefore, a space further away from the main living areas and one that has a door is a great idea.

If a spare room is not an option and all that is available is a corner, you can create an energetic barrier, designating this space as “office use only” by including a few different items such as:

  • Area Rug: this helps to visually separate the “office space” from “living space”. You can select one that is soft on the toes, easy to clean, durable and a fun pattern.
  • Curtains: if you have an open door way, consider using black out curtains to reduce noise travelling from other spaces which will help keep you focused on the content that you are creating.
  • Room Divider: likewise, a room divider can help create a separate zone in from your home office within a larger room.

Home Office Basics

Once the location of your home office is selected, we are next going to look at the basic furniture you will need: something to work from and something to sit on – your desk and chair.

The optimal desk to use is one that is solid and sturdy. A wooden desk is known in Feng Shui to be a wonderful anchor to perform work from. Ensuring that the desk itself is large enough to hold all your materials (i.e. laptop, notepad, glass of water, décor, writing utensils, agenda, phone, printer etc.), the size should not be too large also – as it could feel overwhelming.

Here is a wonderful desk option for your home office: WOOD DESK

As for seating, a good ergonomic chair is very important so that your body is well supported for multiple hours at a time. I have personally switched up my office chair for one that is less trendy looking, for one that has all the various setting adjustments so that it feels “just right”. Especially as business continues to grow and expand, you too may find yourself in this space for more and more time. Lets make it a comfortable space to be in!

Here is an ergonomic chair that could work well for your home office: ERGONOMIC CHAIR

Home Office Tools

The tool that you choose to include in your home office will be determined on the type of work you do. For myself, I need a notepad for when I am taking calls and an agenda because I love to plan out my days and weeks in advance. Perhaps physically writing is considered outdated; however, these are incredibly valuable tools for keeping myself organized. Not to mention also how satisfying it is to check an item off my list of things to do for the day.

Here are a list of tools that you may wish to include in your home office, with links to purchase for yourself:

Home Office Accessories

Now that we have the location of your home office, the basic furniture and tools established – lets focus in on your energy. For myself, it is imperative that I am motivated, focused and efficient with my time. When I am in my home office, I desire to be “in the zone” and in my flow.

How do you desire to feel when in your home office?

The answer to this relatively simple question can help guide you towards designing a specific vibe you desire to embody while in this space. Do you desire to feel peaceful, grounded, relaxed, motivated, focused, empowered, excited, energized or upbeat?

Here are a few items that can help you get in your zone:

  • Essential Oil Diffuser: diffusing essential oils is a powerful way to curate a specific vibe. For example, lavender essential oil is known to lower cortisol levels making one feel peaceful; whereas, orange essential oil is known to have one feel cheerful, optimistic and positive.
  • Candles: candles, real or LED, are great to include if you are looking to “ignite” a spark of creativity or inspiration. They are great to include in your home office if you are wanting to up the energy and work especially well in a basement or low light space.
  • Bluetooth Speaker: music is one way to energize or calm your energy depending on what tune you choose to play. This is also great to have to reduce any noise in nearby rooms.
  • Bluetooth Earbuds: similar to a wireless speaker, earbuds have the ability to block out and cancel noise in the room. You can play music from them without disturbing others in your home and they are great to use for better sound quality for video meetings or recording videos for social media.

In Conclusion…

If the path of entrepreneurship is calling to you. If you desire working from home, but perhaps are unsure of what steps to take. Or, if you are already working from home, but are wanting to expand your business…

designing a home office with the guidance listed above with help you excel in your field of choice. How you feel in this space greatly impacts the quality of your performance and will even contribute to your business’s growth.

Thank you for reading along, as I highlighted the design essentials for designing your home office. If you are interested in learning more, I have a Home Office Design with Feng Shui Online Course available for purchase. In this 1 HR prerecorded class, you will walk away understanding how to design your own home office further and practical tips to ensure that the energy is flowing smoothly.
Alternatively, if you are interested in one-on-one guidance, schedule a complimentary Initial Meeting with myself to discuss your room further and learn about the various options for an Interior Design or Feng Shui Consultation.

Jess

Jess Neary is an Interior Designer and Feng Shui Consultant who helps design feel good spaces for personal and professional environments. With a degree in Business Administration (UNBSJ ’09), Jess furthered her studies in Interior Design and Feng Shui to understand more fully of the aesthetics and energetic qualities of environments. For 7 years Jess has been helping homeowners and business owners in her local community and internationally design spaces that feel good and are aligned with their intentions.

Meeting you where you are at, Jess provides practical guidance on how to design meaningful and intentional spaces.

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Intentionally Design Your Main Bedroom Part Two: What to Include

Now that we’ve established why it’s important to design and curate a Main Bedroom intentionally and outlined what to avoid or limit – today, I am sharing what to include. With these 9 essentials you can design a bedroom that feels really good and helps empower your health + well-being.

If you haven’t yet read Part One, you can do so HERE. Feel free to also circle back to Part One to learn what areas in your current design can be removed or shifted in your space.

The 9 Main Bedroom Essentials are:

  1. Command Position
  2. Flesh tone or Pastel colors
  3. Positive Imagery
  4. Texture + Fabrics
  5. Decorating in Pairs
  6. Adding Plants + Greenery
  7. Using Crystals
  8. Adding a Variety of Lighting
  9. Including a Rug

The placement of the bed is one of the most important furniture placements in accordance with Feng Shui. This is the spot where we lay our head at night. Ideally the headboard itself is made of wood or upholstered to feel fully grounded while resting. The Command Position specifically refers to where the bed is places in the main bedroom. This is also known as the power position. This position has the headboard against a solid wall, facing the door; however not in direct line with the door. Sleeping in the command position ensures that your body can relax fully allowing yourself to have the best sleep possible.


As for the colors in the Main Bedroom, I recommend using soft shades and tones. Ideally flesh tones, such as peach, olive, light brown or beige are wonderfully complimentary to the energy in the main bedroom. If you desire to include a bright or bold color, I suggest limiting the quality to a set of lamps, or a couple throw pillows as an accent.

Positive Imagery goes a long way! Especially when it comes to the subconscious mind. What do I mean by positive imagery? Well, photos of you and your partner, if in a relationship, from a positive experience (such as your wedding day) is a great idea. The high energy of the event and day can sprinkle and shine in this space. Further encouraging health in the relationship as well. If you are single, think of images that reflect love or self love for yourself. Perhaps it is a bouquet of roses or peonies. Perhaps it is images of a pair of love birds sitting on a branch.

Including a variety of texture and fabrics will create a more dynamic and deep design in your space. The different tactile surfaces allow the senses to be constantly delighted and stimulated as you traverse the space. Likewise, having a variety of lighting options, also the space to be setup for many different activities. For instance, bright lighting for when getting dressed to see yourself fully. Or perhaps dimmed lighting for creating a soft environment for intimacy or winding down for sleep.

Decorating in pairs is a helpful tip to encourage balance with oneself and with others. The main bedroom symbolizes love and relationships in accordance with Feng Shui. Therefore, I encourage yourself to think in pairs when choosing to include any new items. It could look like an even number of pillows on the bed, two nightstands flanking the bed, and a pair of lamps atop those nightstands.

Plants and crystals are gorgeous décor pieces that can serve your main bedroom in wonderful ways. They are both natural and bring in a lively fresh energy to the space. When selecting your ideal houseplant for your main bedroom, consider:

  • the care and maintenance of the plant
  • the size and shape of the leaves
  • including a pair

Likewise, when selecting your ideal crystal for the space, consider the purpose of the crystal, color, shape and size. You can most certainly add them in pairs as well. Rose Quartz, the stone of unconditional love, is one I will often recommend having on either side of the bed.

And finally, I wrap up my list of Main Bedroom essentials with adding a rug. Rugs are incredible at creating boundaries in life and in your space. They work particularly well when used in large bedrooms to help create zones for various activities. Rugs, when placed under or around the side, present a soft cushion for your toes to land on when entering and exiting the bed. Rather than have your feet be met with a cold and hard surface, a soft rug can provide brilliant effects.

In conclusion, intentionally designing your main bedroom provides results that extend beyond just creating a pretty space. It also presents you with the opportunity to fully enrich your sleeping habits, which then supports your energy even further throughout the day. A main bedroom truly reflects yourself and therefore having energy dedicated to this space is an act of self love.

If you are interested in having 1 on 1 support to design your main bedroom, check out the various design services available HERE.

As always, have a wonderful day! I look forward to sharing more helpful tips to intentionally design your space in the next blog post.

Jess

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Intentionally Design Your Main Bedroom Part One: What to Avoid

Designing a main bedroom is important because it is one of the rooms in our life that we spend the most amount of time in. In a 24 hour day, each of us are in this one room on average of 6 to 8+ hours. That is a good chunk of our day, week, year, life occupying this space. Not only do we spend so much time in this room, the activities we engage in this room are incredibly valuable to our health and wellbeing. I intend to share with you various design applications so you know how to intentionally design your own bedroom for rest, self-care and pleasure.

Photo: Kels Munn Photography

In Feng Shui, the main bedroom is one of the top 3 most influential spaces in your home. The primary purpose of the main bedroom is to enjoy a deep restful sleep. As such, there are several recommendations on what to avoid having in this room.

For today in part 1, I am going to begin with what to avoid in this space:

  1. Electronics (such as the television, laptop/desktop or tablets)
  2. Clutter
  3. Family Photos
  4. Tall or Heavy Furniture
  5. Bright Colors
  6. Mirror Across From Your Bed
  7. A Collection of Books

Most of what I’ve listed above deflect rather encourage rest. You may notice that electronics is the first item listed… this is intentional ha. I have worked with many clients who have a television in their bedrooms. However, the television broadcasts a lot of information, entertainment that can be quite energizing and having this easy access to it – encourages more “unintentional” channel cruising than focusing on rest. I have also worked with many clients who’ve found that having their home office in their main bedroom created many issues: restless sleep and working too much. Together we were able to move the office equipment out of this important space to help fuel their personal energy by putting aside work and focus on sleep.

Clutter, defined as anything that is no longer serving you, can include broken furniture, clothes that no longer fit or require repair, a candle with no wick left to burn etc. It is a blanket term that can apply to many things. Clutter has the ability to “cloud the mind”. Again, it is a distraction.

Family photos are an interesting subject. They are simply lovely to have in your home and are a tremendous addition to other rooms in your home, such as being hung in beautiful frames arranged one by one heading down a hallway, on a family wall collage or in your children’s bedroom. They are not encouraged in a main bedroom as it presents another distraction. On one hand yes they are a reminder of an abundance of love and support, however they also represent responsibility which is a distraction for putting all responsibilities aside for a restful sleep.

Tall or heavy furniture bring the energy down in a space with it’s weight. Having dark furniture or furniture that is to tall to easily reach the top drawers can leave one feeling that they have to reach for items. This plays a very strong role in the subconscious mind. Having one feel as they if what they need is “out of reach” or they need to stretch themselves to get what they need. Ideally furniture used in this room will be easily accessible.

Bright colors are an interesting subject as well as I have worked with clients who have intentionally chosen bright colors to include on their walls to inject their own personality into their bedroom. To this I say, yes! The main bedroom is a place to have creative expression; however, I did encourage this one client to be very intentional on the quantity of this bright fuchsia was used. One wall was painted a deep fuchsia, from navy blue, and it has yielded very positive results for herself. When choosing the color palette for your bedroom – think of how you currently feel with what you have and how you desire to feel. Adding small pops of red can turn up the passion and intimacy. Too much red could be overpowering and cause restful nights. Their is a balance here.

Having a mirror in your bedroom can be really beneficial. They allow you to see yourself, fully if it’s full length. Saying that, mirrors also amplify what they reflect. As such, they are not recommended to be placed in a main bedroom especially if facing you from the end of the bed. While sleeping, your subconscious mind is still scanning your environment for threats. I mean when we sleep, we are in a vulnerable state. With a mirror, any toss or turn in bed could be alarming. This could prevent you from sleeping deeply and staying asleep throughout the night.

The last item that I will discuss in today’s post is having a collection of books in the main bedroom. Books are full of information and entertainment, similar to the television. However, unlike the television, they are enjoyed individually. If you share your bedroom with a partner, books could encourage you to stay up reading yes, but it could also separate yourself from your partner. To this, I encourage you to limit the number of books to possibly or two. Bonus points if these books subjects are related to creating intimacy with yourself and/or partner, such as the Kama Sutra.

Bravo for making it through all 7 items to avoid in your main bedroom! These are common things I have seen in client’s main bedrooms – that I enjoy explaining further why they are not encouraged from an Interior Design and Feng Shui perspective. With a thorough understanding of what to avoid, let’s dive into what to include in your main bedroom in part 2 of Intentionally Design Your Main Bedroom…

Until then, if you are interested in working 1 on 1 to design your main bedroom, you may be interested in an Interior Design Consultation. Head on over to Design Services to check out the various offerings provided by Jess Neary Designs to help you intentionally design spaces you love!

Cheers, Jess