Through the years I have been interviewed for a few magazines. There are some questions that make my eyes roll (“So what is Fung Shewy anyway?” or my personal pet peeve, the completely uninformed “As an interior designer….” Nope. I am not an interior designer. Next question?) Recently I was interviewed by journalist Dena Roche who asked me very thoughtful and intelligent questions for her article, “Subconscious Design” about the psychology of how we dwell. I was delighted with the absence of the typical and superficial fluff. Delving into the human psyche and making connections to our home surroundings is my favorite topic so I decided to share our Q&A here. I wish more shelter magazines would explore deeper concepts in relatable ways like they did. Good job Editor-in-Chief Jorge Arauz and journalist Dena Roche. For the full article, pick up a copy of November/December 2013 Key Biscayne Magazine today.
How can our surroundings alter our moods?
The most important question regarding this that you can ask yourself is, “When I arrive in my home, how do I feel?” Granted, lots depends on your day or individual circumstance, however, if you are mostly feeling stressed, anxious, angry, depressed – anything overwhelmingly negative over a long period– its time to take a deeper look at your surroundings. By identifying the mood busters and changing them up, you can drastically change your overall attitude. For example, lets say you are keeping a lot of furniture that was bequeathed to you by your great aunt who passed away and you don’t even like these pieces but you feel an obligation to keeping them. Everyday your hidden growing resentment will fester into other areas of your life and you won’t even know why. That is why it is so important to create a home where you go through every item in every room systematically and ask yourself, “Do I really love this? Does it make my heart sing? Have I used this in over a year?” It’s so important to get rid of the things that don’t serve you well, that you have grown out of or you no longer like and keep the items that uplift and inspire you.
Can your home design indicate some issues you might be having in your life? And how can you address it?
I always like giving this example because I feel it clearly illustrates subconscious symbolism in the home. One day, a client told me that she “couldn’t get a handle on her life”. When I entered her home I saw that she did not have any handles on ANY of her cabinets or drawers from kitchen to bedroom! She told me that she took them off long ago and because she could not find good replacements, she never put new ones on. Picture that constant struggle on a day-to-day basis! By constantly trying to get a handle on the simplest of tasks – struggling to open your sock drawer, grappling with opening your cabinets for mugs – that struggle begets itself into other areas of her life. Over time, her growing stress of not being able to get a physical handle carried over into so many other areas of her life.
You can address it by looking deeper into what your challenges are in life and how they might be manifesting in your home. Need clarity? Immediately look at the surfaces in your home and clear them off. Feeling like you are hitting a dead end with no way out? When you enter your home, do you immediately see a wall? Install a mirror to metaphorically expand the space. Are you in a relationship and feel trapped? Examine your bed position. Is your side up against a wall? Move it so you have space all around the bed (except for the headboard wall). Sometimes the symbolism is so blatant and revealing, other times you have to dig deeper. But its there, you just have to heighten your awareness and make the connections.
How can people decorate to feel less stress?
De-cluttering is the number one thing you can do. Clutter cuts down your efficiency, clarity and motivation. When you are clean and clear in your surroundings you will feel less stress and anxiety.
How does living in an apartment or shared living space affect us psychology? Any ways to help that?
In a shared space, like a roommate situation, its important to have your own intimate space that you feel emotionally anchored, where you have privacy, and its all your own where you can retreat when needed. Also, in shared spaces its so important to establish boundaries as to what you will or will not tolerate, shared household tasks, noise rules and domicile expectations. Otherwise, it will never easily work out.
Are there universal design tricks that make you happier?
Surround yourself with only items you love, that make your heart sing, that you have used many times within the past year, that inspire you and fill you with joy.
Can you put things in your home that help you attract certain things in life?
Its not so much about having to add, say, a money tree to make you wealthy or chinese firecrackers to “protect” your home. Those items can clutter up your home and maybe you just don’t resonate with those culturally rich icons! Working on the energy and atmosphere is more important. Looking deeper at the symbolism in your space is more important. Basically, like attracts like. If you have a lot of antiquated items and you have not updated your décor in years and years, well, your outlook will represent that. Staleness will pervade your life. If your home is fresh, clean, inspiring, organized, comfortable and welcoming, it will be easier to draw in those types of experiences more easily.
Can you explain your mind, body, spirit, home concept in greater detail?
Holistic Design is an original lifestyle concept that focuses on creating a dynamic, healthy and thoughtful space- within your self and your home. The Mind portion covers the psychology of your surroundings; subconscious influences, decorating with intention and how your emotional issues and challenges actually manifest in your space.
The Body portion covers the physical aspects such as furniture positioning, design elements, green living, wellness and organization.
The Spirit covers the invisible energies, a modernized Feng Shui, the atmosphere, your karmic lessons and the soul of your home. When all three aspects unite thoughtfully, a space truly feels extraordinary. Healing can occur more rapidly, goals can be realized more effusively and life feels more meaningful.
