Sharing musings and holistic design ideas, created by me, inspired by your inner intentions.

“Your vision will only become clear when you look inside your heart. Who looks outside dreams, who looks inside awakens”

— Carl Jung Posts tagged deep How to read your Human Design Chart

I think everyone is searching for the answers. I love personality exploration and depth psychology and I’ve found this system that really resonated with me on a deep level. Human Design for me is a new perspective on some of the other personality systems like Myers Briggs or the enneagram. I think all of these systems hold much wisdom and I recommend everyone look into each and see which resonates with them. Actually, go and find me some new ones and tell me where to find information about them!

Human design is a bit like your horoscope because it uses your birth date time and location to assess your energetic map or circuitry.

Read More Intention

Re-pin and click to get your free interior design soul styles guide!

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Unfortunately, people are still looking outside themselves for meaning,

not yet understanding that their own subconscious is the only source of creativity!

I want to take the time here to show you a fun way to uncover the fact that the meaning you seek is already inside you. And that you can use this meaning as deeper inspiration for your life and importantly to Catherine Rose Design…your environment.

The symbols that you are naturally (subconsciously) drawn to (or repelled from!) hold deep archetypal lessons for you. You can use these lessons to connect deeper to your inner intuition and creativity.

Allowing yourself to start from scratch, with the simplest of concepts to uncover what your soul is attracted to is a beautiful and fun way to explore your inner world, and connect to the collective unconscious.

After reading this article I would love for you to start uncovering your own personal symbols for yourself! This is a great and easy way to get out of our typical ego and left-brain only mentality and start tapping into our intuition using simple symbolic images.

Your Symbolism and Design…

You are probably wondering what the connection is between a symbol of a butterfly (for example) and the life or space you want to design?!… This process of you realizing that butterflies (for example) are important to you symbolically denotes the exact same process that has inspired artists, poets, and musicians since the beginning of time.

Your soul is attracted to the butterfly for some reason that your intuition understands, but your rational mind is trying to put a label on it cutting you off from the deeper meaning of your desires. This process is the same process that has people labeling others and objects and cutting off the deeper connection to everyone and everything. The same process that allows the commodification of everything on this planet.Including…SPOILER ALERT, your own home environment!

It’s time to bravely engage with your inner creativity and begin to get comfortable allowing your subconscious to guide you to authentic inspiration!

Not “design styles”, what’s currently “in”… or why by some reason what you love always seems to be “out”…

This approach to inspiration is a fast track towards connection with your deeper self, and in my opinion, the only real way to inspiration is through your inner world.

The Design Industry and its lack of reflection or meaning…

Working in the design industry I’ve sadly realized how devoid of meaning creating an environment has become in mainstream society. I want to reconnect you (and all of my clients) to the meaning inherent in your creative desires so you no longer have to look outside yourself for creation! Or take any of the outside messages that, “you lack something” or “you are doing it wrong” to heart any longer.

IT’S ALL LIES.

Understanding your personal symbolism gives you a wealth of depth and meaning to pull from as inspiration in your environment. Real Inspiration that is connected to your own inner depth. This is inspiration, that when utilized in the creation of a material environment, will support your energy as a true sovereign individual.

When you engage with your own inner symbolism the stress of choosing “the right” thing for your space melts away. Because when you start with what your soul is drawn to you CANNOT MAKE A MISTAKE!

If this concept seems a little too out of left field, awesome. This process isn’t for you and there are plenty of amazing traditional designers who would be delighted to help you on your journey! Check out my article on how to find the best designer for you Here.

However, if you are still with me…

Let’s start your personal symbolism journey by exposing you to some common archetypes and symbols!

I’ve always been a “creative” person. Able to picture the way I wanted my life to look and continuously working to see more of the experiences and things I wanted in my life to show up. However until recently I don’t think I realized how important visualization was to the reality of my life. I wanted to share with you this visualizing activity since it has brought me such great intention into my life.

In the beginning of the pandemic I decided to write down in detail what a perfect day in my life looked like, and more importantly felt like to me so I could image my dream life more clearly. By being able to visualize your ideal future you give your highest self permission to start creating it for you!

This writing exercise gave me such an anchor to the reality I wanted deep down. A lot like a vision board the feelings I discovered gave me something so exciting to aim for energetically through the Law of attraction. There seems to be very little space in real life for us to reflect on what truly deep down makes us happy. This creative exercise allows you to engage with your deeper self and align with how you really want your life to feel like for you, holding nothing back, with no rules!

It really is a great window into how you want your life to feel like and is a beautiful starting spot when you are thinking about how you want your environment to feel, and what elements in real life will help you to design your perfect day.

This is also included in my post on: Your home should tell the story of who you are.

I would love to share this process with you, and I would really recommend everyone dig deep and do this for themselves! I had my friends do this with me and we all learned a lot about each other and ourselves!

Now get out a blank sheet of paper or a new tab in your word processor and think about the following prompts and write down what comes to you.

When describing your details think about your feelings and your five senses, describe everything as if you are experiencing it in this moment.

Visualizing your perfect day:

1.) Who do you want to be spending time with?

This part is extremely important. When you think of your best day who exactly are you sharing it with? Is it your significant other? Is it your best friends? How about your family. Think about who in your life makes living worth while. Now don’t allow “reality” to stop you here. If your family lives across the country at the moment, but you hope for an extended family dinner on your perfect day, you should include it. Also if you wish for a new found group of friends get together on your perfect day write this down!

2.) What are you doing on your perfect day?

Break this part down by hour. Describe in detail what activities that you do from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep on your perfect day. Do you wish you had more alone time? Do you wish you could be empowered to work from home? Describe how work feels on your perfect day. Again do not be constrained to ideas of what you “should be doing”. This is your perfect day and you should describe it as such!

3.) Where are you on your perfect day?

Describe in detail your surroundings. If you are changing your surroundings often in your perfect day describe each atmosphere in detail. Are you in your own custom home? Where on earth are you and how is the weather? Describe how your setting feels to you and why it makes you so happy to be there, or to be going there!

4.) Timing of your perfect day?

I want you to write your perfect day as if you are living it right now. It’s important that you describe your perfect day’s schedule according to how you want to spend every second. Use this as an energetic blueprint for how you engage with your perfect reality.

5.) Why is this your perfect day?

More important than any of these other elements is how you feel about your perfect day. When you write this out for yourself and read it back it should make you feel absolutely aligned and elated! I want your perfect day to excite you and make you feel like you are living the perfect reality for you. Make sure that you completely allow yourself every moment for the most happiness.

This is your PERFECT DAY after all and you completely deserve it!

I’ve included my very own perfect day writing below to help get you started if that helps you…

Catherine’s Best Day:

I wake up in the morning naturally around 9am with the sun shining through my huge windows/ french doors that lead out on to my private garden. I open them to let the fresh air in from the ocean, it’s quiet as I look at the birds and butterflies. I go into my kitchen that opens into the backyard as well and pour myself an iced coffee and put some music on the stereo, all my boyfriend’s vintage pieces. All the windows and doors are open and a beautiful ocean breeze is blowing in. The air smells like my gardenias in the bushes under the windows. I slice a couple pieces of homemade sourdough I baked myself, and make myself avocado toast with a soft boiled egg from our sweet neighbors and lemon picked from trees in our yard. I then head to my studio in the back separate shed. I have my own potters wheel and kiln. On the studio walls are covered with inspiration photos and my own art. All of the furnishings and objects I own are flea market finds, sentimental, or pieces I’ve designed and had made by local artisans (or myself). I lay my yoga mat in the yard and do a morning flow. I then jump in the shower and then throw on a soft white tee and denim shorts or a light linen dress. I never have to wear any shoes. I go back to my studio and light some incense and my candles. I start working on my design projects. I always have a few clients that inspire me and also love the design process. We connect deeply and they are always grateful to what I present them. My processes are clear and since I have a holistic approach toward design I attract the best people who refer me to their equally amazing friends. These people often become great friends as well. I work creatively on a couple of different projects, write in my journal if I get any other ideas and then it is almost lunch time. I walk down to our favorite local Mexican restaurant and pick up two burritos and chips and guac. I make us some margaritas with limes from our tree and have it out for us in our window dining nook when he gets in for lunch and his midday nap. We crank the music and enjoy our food together. The salsa is extra spicy today. We dance in the living room to a song and then he goes to the bedroom for his nap. I cozy up in the corner of the sofa and read a few pages of my Psychology book, I’m also in the middle of another degree to incorporate into my design practice. It fascinates me. Then I water our indoor plants and head back to my studio to work for a couple of more hours. He comes out to kiss me goodbye and he will be back in a couple of hours for dinner. Most of my work is online and if I do have an in person meeting its usually at my favorite coffee shop down the street that I helped design. I always have plenty of notice from my clients. I take some time to finish the piece I was throwing to glaze it, I’m giving it to a friend for their birthday next weekend. I finish up my work in my studio and think about preparing dinner for the patio party tonight. Some friends are coming over with their partners. I brought some fresh tortellini and cheese from the farmers market I go to about three times a week. The sauce is made with tomatoes and basil from my boyfriend’s garden. I always have a huge wheel of parmesan. I make a huge pitcher of spritzes but the bar is always stocked if anyone wants anything else. I put the record player on and light all of my candles my boyfriend comes home from work. He is early since he had a late night exciting project the night before. Our bathroom is big and bright and we have a rain shower head and a skylight. We cuddle on the bed for a moment. Then we get ready for company. I put a new dress on and some earrings my boyfriend bought me from his travels. I throw on some strappy sandal heels and some red lipstick. All of our food is prepared all I have to do is throw the pasta on when we are ready. All of our friends arrive with wine and someone brought a blackberry pie for dessert. My boyfriend greets them with a drink and some charcuterie he prepared while I was getting ready. We head out to the patio and gather around the big wooden table I had made. There is climbing jasmine wrapped around our patio cover. We are all laughing the entire night lit by candlelight and I’m excited to hear what everyone was up to this week and how’s my boyfriend’s day was. We all have the best deep conversations and my boyfriend has everyone laughing like always. Its a warm night under our string lights and I am so happy. Our friends leave for the night. We both clean up a little and head to bed. We cuddle and fall asleep together. I’m excited to wake up tomorrow and go to the flea market with him. Then prepare for brunch with both of our families the next day! Since on my perfect day every day is Friday.

Love,

Catherine Rose

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve been asked by my clients and friends about how to create those Hotel-worthy white bedding ideas. And people, I get it. Honestly probably more than any other area of my home my bed is my sanctuary. Growing up my closest friends would jump into my bed, sigh, and tell me how it felt like they were in a cloud. It is deeply important to me to create spaces that support me, and the bedroom is up high on my personal list of priorities.

I want to try and take some mystery out of getting to that perfect end result for you in your space.

First off, there are no rules. Really, I know when I say this people get overwhelmed with all of the possibilities, which I get. However this space probably more than any other in your home is truly about you! That is where “perfect” in quotes comes in because I want you to create a space that welcomes your deepest self. Perhaps this includes your 20 year old favorite pillow, or your teddy bear that’s missing his eye that you cannot part with. It’s about comfort ultimately and I want to show you the tools to have a bed that supports your aesthetics as well as your reality, without the expense of either one.

I’ve broken down some tried and true pillow layouts, as well as some of my personal favorite basics in terms of bedding so you can have the master bedroom bedding you deserve.

If you follow these layouts above in terms of spatially designing your bedding you are going to be so happy with the result. These beautiful bedding ideas really are easy to replicate if you just follow the measurements, and fill in your own vibe with your favorite finds!

1. Duvet Cover: My favorite (and one that I personally own) is this linen duvet cover in white from H&M home. I’m obsessed with the quality for the price and it gives you such a fluffy and breathable feel.

   https://www2.hm.com/en_us/productpage.0188589001.html

   *If you are not a fan of the laid back linen lifestyle I would recommend Parachute’s cotton percale duvet cover. This one gives you the natural material without the linen wrinkles, or the shine of some other duvet materials.

   Percale Duvet Cover (White)

2. Fitted Sheet: The best bed linens in my opinion (and again one I actually sleep on every night) is Parachute’s Cotton Percale fitted sheet. Its super sturdy and crisp white it keeps its cool but also breathes. I really love it and think it works well with a wide variety of different duvet fabrics too.

   Percale Fitted Sheet (White)

3. Insert for Duvet: This one is a total preference! I do have a huge fluffy down insert however for my Vegan darlings I get wanting an alternative. You should pick a fill depending on your personal sleeping temperature as well as your climate!

   Hot Tip: if you really want that over the top fluffiness, get two inserts (I use one personally…)

4. Sleeping Pillows: Coop Home Goods pillows are so great. Never have I had a sleeping pillow that I loved before I found them. They are adjustable to your fill preferences so everyone can have one or a couple tailored to them. You should purchase between two and four sleeping pillows in either a queen or king size depending on your mattress size.

   Original Adjustable Pillow

5. Sleeping Pillow Cases: I would recommend purchasing the same pillow cases as your duvet cover so that you have a clean and cohesive canvas for the fun part (and the bane of my boyfriend’s existence)…the decorative pillows!

   *The H&M Home set comes with x2 pillowcases in pure white.

**I leave out the flat sheet from the party because much like dedicated dining rooms I find them to be more hassle than they are worth. However if your mother would twist in her tights if you didn’t have one tucked in, or you like feeling like a bound mummy in the middle of the night, I would buy one, or a couple, the same material as your fitted sheet.

If you just purchase an assortment of these five things listed above you will have a beautiful bed you will love to sink into every night!

But if you are here for a little more oomph I’m here for it…

So now for the part you have (if you are anything like me) been reading for, the throw pillows!

A. The Traditional Pile

• It consists of three 26” x 26” pillows filling out the back of a king bed. Two if you have a queen bed. These pillows can be the same material, two of the same and one different, or all different if you are going eclectic.

• Then layer in two 22” x 22” pillows in front (same goes for a queen or king mattress). You can go with the same material on both pillows or two different fabrics.

  *I would recommend keeping them the same if you went for three different pillow fabrics on the 26” x 26”s.

• Then in front should be a 12” x 24” bolster, or roughly these same dimensions to finish off the feel.

  Any fabric will work, but especially a brand new one!

  *Sleeping pillows to tuck behind the large pillows.

B. The Transitional Pile

• First is the two dutch euro pillows for a king bed 32” x 39”, or two standard square 26” x 26” euros for a queen.

  I would recommend these two being the same fabric…

• Then two of your sleeping pillows, either king or queen sized depending on your bed size.

• Then to finish off this look would be one extra long bolster about 12” x 36” to up to 42”.

*Sleeping pillows to tuck behind the large pillows.

C. The Minimal Pile

• You will need four sleeping pillows sized to your mattress stacked flat like the image above.

• Then a 20” x 20” pillow in front. I would recommend going bold in either pattern or texture on this one!

D. The Classic Pile

• You will need two sleeping pillows sized to your mattress.

• Then two 24” x 24” pillows in either the same or different fabrics.

• Then another 20” x 20” pillow layered in front in a new fabric to finish it off.

Another crucial tip for your bedroom design make sure all you decorative pillows have either down, or down alternative inserts sized one size above your pillow covers (often sized in 2” increments)! For example purchase a 24” x 24” insert for your cover measuring 22” x 22” Avoid any fiber fill inserts they are not comfy in my opinion. This will ensure you have the fluffy shape we all love too.

Down/Down Alternative: Fluffy and Awesome

Fiber Fill Insert: Flat and Meh…

Your basics paired with any of these pillow piles are going to look beautiful in your environment.

Even more so because you created it!

Let me know if you guys have any questions about this or anything else I would love to hear from you! Also if you are looking for some help on some bed pillow curation don’t hesitate to reach out at Here!

Best,

Catherine Rose

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Well have no fear people! No matter the budget or what you want to work with, you can create a cohesive space that speaks to you! You just need a few pointers to get you started in the right creative direction, which I will outline for you below. These are great interior design tips for beginners. Whether you are furnishing an apartment or re-designing your living room, feel free to use these tips as your “Interior Design: How to Start” cheat sheet!

First off I love found and heirloom pieces and I think that they often become the centerpiece of a beautifully designed room. I want you to feel confident incorporating pieces that you love and already own into a new environment for yourself!

It’s really easy to get stuck on some specific details when thinking about re-doing a space. I want to introduce you to some steps I have my design clients take when deciding if working around existing pieces is right for your and right for the space too.

I obsessed with a good thrift shop or second hand store. One of my favorite pastimes is thinking creatively regarding the usage of pieces that I’ve found over time that really make me happy. These pieces are the things that truly reflect my aesthetic and personality, however I make sure that they support the lifestyle I’m aiming towards as well.

I’m here to challenge some design norms. Most designers will tell you to start over when designing a space, and in all honesty that is the easier and often more functional route. However I personally believe that your home should truly reflect who you are as a person, and often this includes pieces that you have collected over time!

Re-designing and working around existing pieces and furniture can be tricky, and even though you may love the piece you must be willing to think outside the box and also be willing to let go if they don’t fit into the parameters I will share below. Design is a holistic process that involves you thinking about how you want to use the space, what objects will help you best achieve these tasks, as well as functionally fitting into your physical space and finally expressing your aesthetic! There are many things to consider here.

However when you think creatively in regards to pieces you own and understand how they may be used to best serve your needs you can have the satisfaction of saving money and using a piece that brings you joy.

If you follow the following tips when deciding whether or not to re-use or donating a piece you can’t lose. If you think you must start over because your designer told you so (even though you went through the steps below), follow your heart instead, it always knows best.

Here is my guide on deciding whether or not an object or

furniture piece deserves to share your environment with you:

Step #1: Purge

Decluttering and removing what doesn’t serve you is the most important step. Whether or not you have just moved into a new space, or are re-working in some within an existing space, you must take time to really analyze what you choose to surround yourself with. Dig deep here people, you cannot skip this step. Ideally you should touch every single object that you own and decide whether or not this object or furniture piece can serve you in the life you are trying to create for yourself. If not you must be strong enough to let this go, it is getting in your way trust me.

Step #2: Ok I love it. Now what?

Ok so you did your purge and many objects and furniture made it through your value system. You are set on an interior design vintage feel. Now its time to change focus and think about the specific space you are trying to re-work.

• How ideally will you be using this space?

• Who will be joining you in this space?

• How do you want this space to feel?

Think idealistically, a rooms function exists in the empty space around the objects, it’s how you use it.

Step #3: How can I use this to serve my needs?

Now back to your favorite furniture piece or object. Does this piece help you to engage with those activities that you outlined in Step #2. Maybe you love this piece but it can’t be used in a way that supports the activities and the feeling you wish to invoke in the space in question.

Don’t worry too much about this, this is still ok, we will pick this back up in Step #6!

Be honest with yourself please! A piece jammed awkwardly into a space with no true value or purpose will not create a functional, or enjoyable space for you!

Step #4: Does this piece reflect my aesthetic?

In Step #2 when you mused about how you want the space to feel, does this object or piece of furniture make you feel the same way? Does this piece reflect the good feelings within you? Think about what these feelings are. Often when true good feelings arise when thinking about an object the piece fits naturally within your aesthetic. The beauty of collected or found pieces are that you often picked the piece out yourself just by admiring it. These are often great things to start when thinking about interior design.

Step #5: Does it actually fit in this space?

Often when designers wish to start with a blank space it is because either the client isn’t willing to do the work to decide whether or not they truly love a piece. Other times the piece literally cannot fit within the space plan layout of the other pieces necessary to create the environment that you truly want. Designers are there to create the best environment for you, and you must hire one that you trust. Sometimes pieces do not physically or emotionally work in a space, you must be prepared to understand this too. Don’t sacrifice your Feng Sui for a forced placement of a furniture piece! If you need help with understanding the functionality of your space, seek out a professional!

*A fair warning here, if you are looking to re-use pieces that you already own be prepared to be honest with yourself. If your only goal is to save money you cannot expect a designer to make you fall in love with pieces that don’t really speak to you, or fit pieces in that don’t fit the room!

Step #6: Would it work better somewhere else?

See I told you there was a saving grace! Would this piece that you love serve you better in another room or space? Is it better suited to the activities you wish to engage in elsewhere? If so you should consider moving the piece! It’s better to keep a special piece in an area where it will actually be used often.

Step #7: Are you keeping it out of guilt?…                                                                                        Here is a huge trap! Often people keep things in their home out of bad feelings, and you need to be able to be honest with yourself. The most common modalities of this at work would be either: the guilt of spending money, or someone gave it to you and you feel as though you need to keep it out of respect for them.

Remember this is your home, you deserve to have things that make you happy.

Maybe if it is money that you are worried about (which is more than understandable), and you are forced to work with things you don’t love, you should think about re-working your space on your own. Again minimizing your things can help you to reclaim the space for yourself. Or if you still want to work with a designer, understand that they will do their best to create a space that works for you. But be clear that if you insist on a designer working with pieces that you already own that there are limitations!

When you are honest with yourself and your situation you can make informed choices for the things you build you life with! No matter your budget or your circumstances when you choose things with your intuition and intentions, you cannot go wrong!

I know for me I have many objects that I love, and a few that don’t light me up in particular, however based on my own budget and the activities that I wish to engage with in my environment, these things too support my ultimate goals.

Let me know if you guys found any of these tips helpful. I would also love to hear how you all choose what stays in your environments, as well as what some of your favorite objects are!

When tackling your own design projects, remember the wise words of Mr.Berkus…

“Be a ruthless editor of what you allow in your home, ask yourselves what does this object mean to me?”

— Nate Berkus

Thank you so much for reading!

• If you are looking for some gorgeous bath inspiration, follow my Vintage Aesthetic Pinterest Board!

• If you would like to read some of my own random journal entries go to •Musings•

• If you are interested in more Interior design, deeper self, wellness, or psychology posts…

• If you are looking to see more post like these in general you should join the community by signing up below!

I would love to connect with you deeper!

Love,

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What we can cover on your call:

• How to prioritize how you want to live in your space(s).

• How, how you uniquely see the world can be reflected in an environment that supports you emotionally and helps you to be a better version of yourself.

• How to begin defining your own aesthetic (not a false one that has been sold to you).

• How to choose the right materials for your environment.

• How your sensitivity is connected to your creativity and aligned expression.

• Your best strategy for keeping and/or letting go of certain items that you already own.

• Simple and effective rituals that will help you feel better in your environment.

• How to use your desires as inspiration!

• Catherine Rose Design’s particular brand of Holistic Design involves incorporating all aspects of who my clients are. From what their deeper desires are for their lives, to what inspires them, to how they want to live in their environments, to how they feel supported, energetically in the world… all of this inspires how I collaborate with my clients in creating their environments. It is these deeper aspects of the beautiful people I work with that inspire the creativity that ultimately creates the spaces that support them as individuals! Your deeper desires are messages from your intuition, and I believe that we must listen to your deeper self to create your space in alignment. If you would like more information on this check out the article on holistic interior design here.

• Yes, all of the time! Some of my clients hire me specifically just for readings in Human Design, Astrology, Tarot (Intuitive Readings, Channeling etc.). I have some clients who ask for one-time readings, and others looking for longer-term containers that we create together to support them. Check out my offerings here.

  *If you don’t see what you are looking for reach out to me, connect here.

• Holistic design is not one size fits all, that’s why I tailor my process to every individual client based on their specific needs (and deeper interests). I never want my clients paying for services that they don’t actually need! If you want more information please reach out to me. Let’s see if we can create an offering that speaks to your individual needs specifically.

  *I do not discriminate based on budget, I will tell my clients what can be provided for it honestly but I can work with anything!

• Don’t you worry! This is super common and I’m well-versed in blending seemingly disparate aesthetics! If you would like some instant free help though check out my article on Interior Design as Couple’s therapy.

• Totally understandable, and you are not alone. This process is designed to uncover your own creative voice. If you are looking for some more help regarding your personal design aesthetic before we work together check out how to discover your aesthetic article and video here.

• That’s amazing! I believe that my clients know best. I’m not here to push my own aesthetic, and I love when my clients’ have pieces that light them up! If you are struggling to decide whether or not you should keep an item in your home check out the specific advice in the article on when to decide what to keep in your environment.

• Honestly, there isn’t a huge difference between online and in-person design other than me being physically there! We do have to collaborate a bit more (which I love) but with my solutions for measuring remotely, as well as you holding the power regarding purchasing from your shopping list in the end, it’s in your hands! In my opinion, it’s way more important that you hire a designer that you really connect with… If you would like more information check out my article on online interior design here.

-Emily Dickenson

All viewpoints are sane here. No judgement allowed.

Often people don’t realize that their connection to their environment affects their mental health, and that their mental constructs equally affect their environment!

By being aware of your own inner landscape you can engage powerfully with the creation of your own environment, no matter your circumstances!

If you are feeling overwhelmed, and not quite at home in your space, I want you to take these tips and thought exercises to effect change in your own environments.

The solution lies within you.

I know first hand how challenging a space can feel. We all don’t realize how much our preconceived notions are affecting our spaces (or the rest of our life). I’m here to show you that really have the power and I’m excited to reveal some common thought traps and solutions for you below!

Being a designer for over a decade I have come into contact with all of these thought pattern examples, and many more. These patterns occur again and again and I want to free you from these unconscious modes of creation so that you can actually choose how you feel in your space. Empowering you to engage your emotional intelligence with intention!

I know you probably came to this blog thinking,

“Yay, cool, I’m going to get some nice interior design tips for my space to make it cuter!”

And yea, that is part of why I’m here for you. But I’m also here to teach my clients that there is always something deeper at play in their consciousness, especially when they interact with things as important as their own environment…

I’m here writing this to show you that you have the power to create the healing and serenity in your own environment, but you need to cultivate awareness of your thought patterns first!

When you step into your power and fearlessly unlock your resistance to new modes of reacting, you create environments in your full emotional healing power. Which in turn will change how you engage with the rest of your life, trust me.

If this doesn’t sound like something you want to do, feel free to continue acting out the patterns that are holding you back, no one is stopping you. But I am here to show you that there is a different way and you can do this!

I’m going to go over a few mental design traps that I have seen occur with my clients below. Comparing and contrasting an unhealthy and a healthy way of engaging with these thoughts.

Ask yourself if you see yourself in any of these modes of thinking…

Think of this as your design mental health check!

Get still, when you enter your space what feelings arise for you?…

“Make it Work”-er!

A. You have a bunch of hand me downs, that don’t fit or function in your space quite right but get the job done. You think design is frivolous and you have bigger things to worry about. You have been told that buying new things and caring about how things look is selfish and vain. You scoff at the people that care about how their home looks. Judging that they must be void of “real” things to worry about in their life.

*In this state of mind subconsciously you may be telling yourself that you aren’t worth the things you want. Even though the things you own don’t work for you, you don’t engage with your space, which pushes your happiness into the future. Perhaps your resistance to design informs the fact that you don’t feel creative enough to build a space that is beautifully functional for yourself (which isn’t true!) Telling yourself that caring about your environment is vain, allows you to stay in the shallow end of not having to try, so you can’t “fail” either!

B.OR>>> You have some hand me downs you love! You keep these because they help you engage with the activities in your home that you love to do (including those “important” tasks). You don’t keep anything out of guilt, or negative feelings. You are confident in following your heart and you find new pieces where you need them. You still care about sourcing things with the environment and bigger values in mind. But now you are brave enough to engage with second hand and vintage shops (another article on this HERE…) that allow both alignments for you! You understand that when you positively engage with your space you are simultaneously engaging positively with your inner self. You are in control, and engaging with your environment bravely. 

I’m Feeling Buried…

A. There’s clutter everywhere. You hate getting rid of things though because maybe you may need it in the future… You have kept every single thing anyone has ever given you, because you love these people and you want to make them happy obviously! You are often stressed out because you can never find anything when you need it. Every time that you come home a wave of anxiety washes over you. The thought of “Oh God, I have to clean this place again, it’s such a mess” is a constant for you. A sense of overwhelm pervades your home environment, and you never feel serene in your own space.

* In this state of mind you are subconsciously filling a sense of lack of that there isn’t enough within you. That perhaps if you surround yourself with objects you can protect yourself from a sense of not having enough. You keep all of the gifts you ever received, subconsciously believing that if those people came over and saw their objects, that you will insight a sense of love from them… for you… for keeping this thing… which somehow protects you from the precipice of lost love. Trust me this doesn’t actually happen! Keep things that YOU love, only. You don’t realize that all of these objects are telling a story, a story that may not still be your own. They are all shouting for your attention every time you come into your space. (if this sounds like you you may want to check out my other article on Empath Environments).

B.OR>>> You keep what you love and what is useful to you. You touch and engage with everything you own. You aren’t afraid of what’s lurking in the hall closet, because you know what’s in there: Only things that are functional and beautiful for you! You are confident in your ability to obtain items as they are needed, and let go as they are obsolete to you. You don’t keep anything in your home out of a sense that someone else would be sad if you got rid of it. You now understand that you are the arbiter of your environment, and those people that gave you gifts would much rather see you relaxed and at peace in your environment, (so that you have the power to choose to share your love with them from a sense of abundance)!

I wanted to share how I style a coffee table and more importantly the logic behind my choices so that you can decide what and does not work for you.

As always I invite you my clients and readers to look out for what you love and what actually works for you.

My hope here is to, instead of just showing you glorious over photoshopped photos of coffee tables filled with stacks of coffee table books and expecting you to recreate that to “fit in” to what is stylish right now… Break down what is happening here and list out some different ways to tailor this to you own lifestyle!

I’ve seen this futile attempt to chase after the perfect aesthetic in the moment fail, over, and over, and over again.

By getting specific on what elements are most important an entire world of coffee table decor creativity becomes open to you!

You have the power to make informed decisions for yourself!

A coffee table that is styled with function AND aesthetic in mind is one that you will be happy to use and interact with on a daily basis.

When you realize that all of the coffee tables you see online and in magazines are styled for photos and not real life, you can free yourself from following the crowd.

• Now here is my breakdown on how to create a beautiful and functional coffee table style for your home! •

A. Vibe

How do you want to feel when you gaze upon your gorgeous coffee table? Do you know what your aesthetic is? If not a great place to start if you are new to CRD is this post on Finding Your Design Aesthetic.

Picking your vibe in regards to your coffee table means having a common design thread running through it. For example let’s say your vibe is monochromatic, all of your design elements will be either black, white, grey or natural. This way your layout looks cohesive!

Some things that you can build a coffee table vibe off of:

• Color Scheme (or lack of color scheme)

• Natural Elements

• Feminine Style

• Plants

• Any Aesthetic that’s yours!

My own photo of the Zen garden of Ryōan-ji.

Is your inner voice driving you absolutely crazy with its out cry for perfection?..

Wabi-Sabi is a beautiful Japanese concept that introduces a different way of reacting to our environments, that may just be what you are looking for!

You can introduce some peace and serenity into your environments too by listening to what Wabi- Sabi has to say to us.

I know how intense the world feels right now, I wanted to introduce this concept to you if you are looking for some serene balance in your space.

I think the process of engaging purposefully in your environment can be extremely transformative. By exploring new concepts to yourself you can broaden your own horizons, and empower yourself to choose what is right for you.

Wabi-Sabi is a reaction to the false belief in perfection and materialism that plagues our current society.

By thinking outside of the box, and opening your perspective to include some of these Wabi Sabi principles you can have more autonomy over your own relationship to your environment (and I believe yourself as well).

Realizing how you emotionally react to your space you can create space for yourself and what matters to you the most instead of reacting to the outside world.

Wabi-Sabi is a more realistic and relaxed approach looking at the world around us than what is shown in our current society.

If you don’t mind following the crowd and the never ending “you aren’t good enough… buy this, or hire me to fix you!”, perfection narrative, Wabi-Sabi style isn’t for you.

If you are expansive enough to entertain the idea of embracing your flaws, change, and decay this could be a beautiful concept to explore for you!

I’m going to contrast some common societal drives with the concept of Wabi-Sabi below so you can further explore these concepts for yourself…

So… What is Wabi-Sabi?

“In traditional Japanese aesthetics, wabi-sabi (侘寂) is a world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of appreciating beauty that is “imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete” in nature.

Characteristics of wabi-sabi aesthetics and principles include asymmetry, roughness, simplicity, economy, austerity, modesty, intimacy, and the appreciation of both natural objects and the forces of nature.”

-wikipedia

Wabi-Sabi by contrast accepts transience, not in a way that it utilizes throw away materials that end up in landfills… But by allowing the truth that things are always naturally in a state of change and movement. This mentally frees you from the unhealthy action of grasping and clinging to the material things that you “own”, and feeling the mental turmoil when things inevitably fall apart. This concept is intimately connected with the natural cycle of life and death.

Did you know David’s hand was carved out of correct proportion from the rest of his body on purpose by Michaelangelo?

Even this guy ain’t perfect, give yourself a break please.

But Wabi-Sabi design shares the reality that NOTHING is ever complete. That the actual nature of our universe is constant change and movement. Birth and death. Growth and decay. Instead of trying to control your environment, you relax into the reality that completeness cannot actually exist in this reality, so there is no need to seek it in your environment (or your life for that matter)!

• Asymmetry 

Aesthetics is a complicated concept. Because of it’s subjectivity, there is no true right way. This concept makes me think of the female body in society, and the way we have been sold that there is a right way to be depending on the time frame you live in. Be “fit” have a symmetrical face, be ideal, symmetrical faces are the most beautiful.

These concepts spill over into the design world as well of course. Through trends we are fed ideals illustrated by touched up photos of fake set spaces. Telling us “don’t you wish your house looked like this, maybe you are a failure because your house doesn’t look like this…make sure you have this…put this here or else”… it never ends.

A Wabi-Sabi interior throws the “shoulds” out the window. It accepts that everything can’t be balanced all of the time. It accepts that beauty also exists in the imbalanced. Using objects in a new way that is perhaps unexpected. It embraces true creativity that doesn’t have rules!

• Roughness 

Our lives in society now have been very much sterilized. The edges have been sanded down completely! Advancements in technology and science have allowed for us to live in concrete jungles with paved roads and shiny glass glazed buildings. In a lot of ways we have lost character and meaning.

Wabi-Sabi celebrates the roughness. It doesn’t hide the rough edges it uses them and sees beauty in the unfinished and the unvarnished. It celebrates reality as it is right now. It doesn’t seek to hide or change things into a more perfect way, whatever that means.

• Simplicity

Society is an extremely complicated place. With our access to the internet and globalization there is so much complexity in the world. In design it becoming increasingly complicated to engage with the concepts of aesthetics that you want to explore in your environment. Because we are constantly being bombarded by different ideas that tout themselves as the right way. It’s all very hard to sift through.

This is where Wabi-Sabi creates with simplicity. Divorcing from over engineered solutions Wabi Sabi seeks the easy solution. Whatever gets the job done for you. It doesn’t seek to overcomplicate or over-engineer a space. It doesn’t chase down anyone else’s ideal.

• Economy

The next best thing! The constant rat race to buy the thing.. “because its the best.. and its NEW!.. and you need it because its the best.. and you will finally feel good when you buy it, and its worth the life and money you trade for it because you need it”… Ok stopp this is literally insane.

Wabi-Sabi says, maybe you can use what you have… Maybe you already have what you need. Maybe you don’t need that new expensive dining table, maybe you should re-finish your grandmother’s because it actually means something to you. Maybe you can share what you have because what you NEED isn’t that much…

• Austerity

The concepts of austerity vs. decoration oscillate on a pendulum depending on whats currently in style in a society. This oscillation is a way to constantly change the narrative of what is stylish at the moment, so that people have to constantly change the goals in their own life, spending more and more time and money in order to stay “relevant”.

Wabi-Sabi stays in the austere. It ignores the constant change in what is stylish. It keeps the aesthetic simple and celebrates negative space in regards to an environment. Never capitulating to what anyone else says is in style or the correct way to do things!

• Modesty

The seeking of approval through material or psychological boasting is a favorite pastime of our society at this moment of our culture. It is as if some people actually think that their inherent worth as a human being is attached to things like their appearance, what kind of car they drive, how big and beautiful their house is, how many degrees they have, all the exotic places they travel, how “successful” they are at their chosen career, what awesome adventure they had this weekend, what new clothes they bought, the list goes on forever…

Showing off CONSTANTLY to get external validation for their existence.

Wabi-Sabi supports the opposite. It opts out of showing off for validation. It celebrates modest problem solutions, divorced from fleeting ideas of what is worthy and sought after in our culture. It looks inward and finds value in modesty, and most importantly following ones own inner guidance.

Be like Georgia O’keefe…

“I have already settled it for myself, so flattery and criticism go down the same drain, and I am quite free.”

• Intimacy

What does intimacy mean to you today? In a lot of ways our connectivity as a society has allowed for further sharing of information, while simultaneously allowing the sharing of falsehood and fake-ness too unfortunately. Intimacy to me is the bravery of showing up as who you really are and not trying to paste yourself with a fake veneer of how you wish others would see you.

Within Wabi-Sabi intimacy within ones environment is essential. This one is beautiful to me and important to creating a holistically healthy environment for yourself. It’s the stripping back of anything that doesn’t align with who you truly are, showing up in your full power, flaws and all and understanding that it is these differences that will help inform and change the world for the positive.

As Carl Jung says, “One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but making the darkness conscious. The latter procedure however is disagreeable and therefore not popular.”

• Embracing Nature

In our overly materialistic society we have lost connection to nature on the planet. We expect things perfect, and we expect things fast. Two concepts that are foreign both to nature, as well as our own inner nature. When we place higher value on convenience rather than the earth, you end up with negative environmental and social impacts that we see playing out today.

Wabi-Sabi on the other hand exalts nature. Using what nature provides us as the backbone of this aesthetic. Creating with natural and sustainable materials, we begin to once again live in accordance with the world around us, instead of forcing our will upon nature. This brings us back into balance both externally in our created environments as well as internally since human beings are a part of nature too.

Wabi-Sabi is such a beautiful concept to me and Im so grateful to the Japanese for creating this thought framework.

I have found in my own environment that focusing on these principles have brought me more authenticity and a deeper connection to true reality. 

Let me know if you guys found any of these tips helpful. I would also love to hear how the concept of Wabi-Sabi makes you feel below!

Thank you so much for reading!

“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”

— Leonard Cohen

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Thinking holistically about your wellness in your environment is so important because your home shouldn’t just be something nice to look at, or something that primarily impresses others, it should support who you authentically are and who you want to become. Invoking feelings within you that lift you up and inspire you so that it can be a place of connection and rest from the outside world.

Often when thinking about working on our home we turn to what looks pretty primarily. I think that is what a lot of people have been taught the priority should be, and thats what the design industry often perpetuates. “Unfortunately, many leading trends in residential interior design today don’t align with what research finds is best for our mental health.” -psychology today. Thinking what would I like to look at instead of how do I want to feel, or how does this space facilitate the activities that make my life worth living? The idea of nature vs nurture is a huge element of human development. We must engage deeper with creating an environment that not only looks good but feels good for us.

We should really try to shift our perspective here to realize that our feelings are so much more important than the way a room looks. When we create a space that makes us feel good, we are creating a space in which we can be our best selves, and bring those higher selves into what we bring to the world and our relationships. People that are rested, energized and inspired are people that can positively contribute to others, making the world a better place for everyone.

More than an environment that looks good to the outside, don’t you truly want something that serves your highest self? What if I told you that you can have an environment that truly works for who you are, without sacrificing your aesthetic. When you focus on your inner needs when creating the environment around you, you automatically create a beautiful space that also has substance and meaning for you.

Shifting from aesthetics to holistics (:characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole) opens up your path to wellness. When you approach design from a place of serving your desires you stay in alignment with who you truly are instead of reaching for a superficial picture primarily.

If the way things look to the outside world is your prerogative then you are at risk of making concessions in your environment that don’t actually serve who you are. They may just serve the fads of the time and what others deem to be beautiful. You are a real human being who needs an environment that works for you and supports you and not just a room that looks good on the outside.

Through this article I want to illustrate some easy ways to start where you are in creating an environment that supports your well being.

These ideas should serve to analyze the creation of your environment so that you can decide for yourself intentionally what is and is not serving you directly. It’s time to experiment and see what feels right for you!

These suggestions are not by any means the end all, these home decor ideas should help you start understanding what is and is not working in your own environment and what else you may need to get to a place you love that includes wellness design!

1. Carve out a relaxing nook

   What do you do in your free time that brings you to a place of peace and serenity? A space in your home for self reflection is so important, it allows you to re-calibrate your thoughts and get in alignment with your deeper self. Your little nook should be somewhere just for you where you are comfortable and have privacy to be yourself.

2. Utilize Nature

   Allow yourself to get back to your roots. We are a part of nature, not separated from it! Incorporating the elements of nature in your home is so important. Think about how you can incorporate living things and look at what nature has made. This could be something like making sure you have your curtains drawn back to look at at the scenery or a plethora of indoor plants creating fresh oxygen for you. The way your space is laid out should also take cues from nature. “Research from environmental psychology—the wing of behavioral science studying how built and natural spaces affect our health, mental processes, and social interactions—consistently suggests that buildings support us best when they echo the scale and tone of the natural world, through pattern, dimension, light, layout, and sound.” -Psychology Today

3. Allow for space

   The minimalist movement is on to something in regards to wellness in you space. When you keep things simple and clean and allow for negative space, you have space for yourself to think and to feel. It also is inspiring because you have the freedom to feel as though there are new discoveries you can incorporate in your space as you grow.

4. Air flow and Scent

   It’s really important in your environment to let the outside in. Where possible you should open up your windows and allow fresh air to flow throughout your home and cleanse you and your environment. You should also think about what scents bring you peace and happiness and make it a habit to light candles or incense that invoke happy memories for you.

5. Materials

   The things that we wear and that we use should be made from materials as close to nature as possible. Natural materials ground us. Things like having a natural wood floor, or a jute braided rug, or cotton sheets compared to synthetic materials will change the way you interact with your space.

   This article from Psychology Today really explains what goes on mentally when we understand the connection between ourselves and our environment, How-to-make-a-happier-home

6. Reduce outside noise

   It is important for you to feel as though your space is yours. You may not always realize the impact, but when you are home and there is excess noise from others it can impact your stress level. Some ways you can combat this is of course having better insulated walls, but besides that, making sure that you have rugs and curtains that help dampen the noise levels!

7. Declutter

   A a lot of us who have implemented some of her practices Marie Kondo really knows what she is talking about. If you have a lot of objects in your space, even if you love them, when you walk into that room all of those things attack your senses. It’s really important for you to talk stock of what you you own and make sure everything that you have in your space deserves to be there and holds meaning for you. If you are interesting in learning more about the Konmari Method click the link. I would recommend reading the life changing magic of tidying up!

8. Natural light

   The light of the sun brings so many health and wellness benefits for us. There is a reason why our furry companions seek out the one sun ray streaming into the room. When in your home look at how the sun is positioned and interacts with your space. Think about how you can best use the natural light to help you engage in the activities that you love in your home. The sun’s rays will energize you and connect you back to the earth.

9. Ritual

   “Ritual- A solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order.”

   Finding specific actions that speak to you and align you with your deeper self are some of the healthiest actions you can take for your inner wellbeing. Make sure that you create places in your environment that support these things!

   Examples of some rituals:

   • Brewing a pot of tea and reading in a sunlit window on a Sunday morning

   • Drawing a bath with oils and bubbles with a glass of wine on Friday nights

   • Doing your multi-step skincare routine and watching your favorite show with some chocolate!

10. Comfort

    What sorts of things bring you comfort? It’s important to create an environment that welcomes you. There are so many environments outside our homes that are less than comfortable for us, the same should not go for your home! Whether that is decorating with your favorite color, creating a big fluffy bed that envelopes you, or surrounding yourself with the objects that you love from your travels, this is wellness decor. Your comfort needs to be a priority in your environment.

I know in my case some specific things stand out as important in my environment. I used to sleep with synthetic materials in my bedding when I was younger, picking out a bed set and pillows based solely on how they looked. When I got older I realized how much I hated getting hot in the middle of the night, tossing and turning when I still loved to sleep under the covers. I decided to make the switch to pure cotton and linen bedding and I have never looked back. If you would like some free help with your bed ensemble check out my post: bedding-ideas

I would love to hear if you guys have implemented any of these tips above into your environment or if you decided to do anything else that spoke to you! Please reach out to me! catherinerosedesign-contact

When exploring incorporating wellness ideas into your environment remember this perfect quote, “if it lowers your vibration then it is not for you, that’s how you will know” -Lala Delilah. Your environment should speak to your deeper self and always raise your vibrations.

Love,

Catherine Rose