Article originally posted by Architectural Digest
New year, new you—so does the adage go. But what about your home? This year, infuse your space with healing energy that will give off good vibes year around. It’s easy to roll your eyes at the unsightly piles in your closet or complain about that old ottoman that reminds you of an ex. Now is the perfect time to build a solid foundation for interior design that makes you feel good. It’s time to clear out anything that is dragging you down—both physically and mentally.
Before you get started on a design rehab, also think about the folks you’ll invite over. “People make the place, so be sure to surround yourself with the ones that make you feel good,” says Victoria Ninette of Victoria Ninette Interior Design in Long Island. “You can be in the most stunning beautiful space, but if you’re surrounded by people that don’t make you feel good, then it doesn’t really matter where you are or what you’re doing.”
Company aside, healing experts emphasize that cleansing the energy in your home can make you feel safer and more ready to embrace day-to-day challenges. “Start by taking some time to reflect,” recommends Lindsey Banis, a healing specialist at Miraval Arizona, a wellness resort in Tucson. “Perhaps ponder, wonder, ask yourself what each room in your home means to you, what type of energy do you want each room to hold that best serves you and your family.” Even if you’re skeptical of crystals, it might be worth trying them out. You don’t have to be obvious about it or build some sort of shrine, but something like rose quartz bookends can be incorporated into your home office design. Or create a calming space in your entryway. “If you don’t know where to start, or the thought of doing everything at once seems overwhelming, think about the place you spend the most time [in],” Ninette recommends. “What’s one thing you can do to make it feel better?” Here, six lessons from experts and designers on how to bring healing energy into your interiors
1. Invite a soft glow
Photo: Courtesy of Victoria Ninette
When it comes to refreshing design, Ninette notes on the importance of making intentional choices. She points out that light can help recalibrate the energy in your home. To embrace natural light but also soften its glow, consider sheer curtains. Candles and dimmable chandeliers further add to the serenity of the space.
2. Cleanse the bathroom
You know how to clean your bathroom, but what about how to cleanse it? Banis recommends a clear quartz or a rose quartz crystal for the bathroom to enrich self-care. Amethyst is also said to give the space a “clearing energy,” she notes. The key to utilizing crystals is to place them with intention. Perhaps place a crystal cluster near the bathtub and, as you take a nightly soak, keep a self-care in mantra at the top of mind. “The intention acts as ‘instructions’ for how your crystals’ energy will navigate in your space,” Banis says. “The intention is the most important part of the crystal practice. This can be as simple as a one-word intention or a fully articulated sentence”
3. Declutter the office space
Photo: Chad Mellon
“How you care for your space directly impacts your energy,” Ninette says. “For example, if you work from home and the office is a mess, you might feel like your thoughts are a mess.” She recommends taking the time at the end of the day to put everything back in its place so you can start anew and set yourself up for success the following day. Knowing that your work space is a clean slate is guaranteed to make you feel good. If you plan to add crystals to this space, Banis recommends tigereye and schungite for focus and concentration.
4. Renewing the bedroom
Photo: Victoria Ninette/Tatiana Epifanova
Color can have a huge effect on the mood exuded by your interiors. “Lighter, tonal rooms tend to read calmer as the eye moves through the space,” points out Ninette, who likes Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace and Classic Gray. Use the cloud-like blue lace agate as inspiration for the new color palette. The lilac lepidolite crystals, which according to Banis encourage relaxing energy, is another choice for a hue that can bestow healing energy upon your sleeping quarters. “Try a sample, check it out during the day, at night, with the lights on and off,” Ninette says. “It’s wild to see how it can change. ”
5. Cook up joyful kitchen designs
Since the kitchen is a gathering spot and it’s often filled with conversation, set it up as a place for sharing joy. Think about installing a whimsical backsplash, reupholstering the chairs with a vibrant fabric, or even putting out colorful Chilewich placemats. A fresh cut posy or a Rifle Paper Co. candle that smells like a bouquet will do wonders for the psyche.
Photo: Rikki Snyder
Since the kitchen is a gathering spot and it’s often filled with conversation, set it up as a place for sharing joy. Think about installing a whimsical backsplash, reupholstering the chairs with a vibrant fabric, or even putting out colorful Chilewich placemats. A fresh cut posy or a Rifle Paper Co. candle that smells like a bouquet will do wonders for the psyche.
6. Open the front door
Photo: Iryna Mylinska
Consider a smudging blend with white sage, sweet grass, lavender, creosote, and copal in the entryway to bring in healing energy and balance your entryway and the home, in general, Banis says. Open a window and light the bundle on fire, allowing the smudge wand to burn slowly, wafting a small trail of smoke through your space. You can also use an abalone shell to hold the smudge wand as you walk through each room, repeating a cleansing affirmation. For instance: “I take this moment to energetically cleanse, clear, and purify this space/stone of all energy that does not serve my highest and greatest good and I invite into this space true compassion, love, truth, unity, and clarity to fully nourish this space.” (You can play with the verbiage and say this silently or out loud).
“Make sure you are grounded and centered when engaging in a smudging practice, not secretly stressing about the to do list, grocery shopping, or chores,” Banis adds. “The best way to get into the centered grounded presence is to take some big deep breaths to arrive in the present moment then focus on your intention.”
Alternatively, Ninette suggests lighting a candle like Oud by Diptyque, a woody scent with patchouli and sandalwood. “Also, weather permitting, open the windows,” she continues. “Easier said in warmer months, but a minute of fresh winter air can do wonders. Let the air physically move the stale energy out. Fresh air bring new life.”