What makes a Space feel nourishing? Try these 4 Key Design Elements
@danielpeterphoto/Instagram
How can a space be in energetic resonance with your body?
Do you ever walk into a space and feel the warmth envelop you before you even cross the entryway? It’s as if your body knows it is entering into a cocoon of nourishment. You feel a tingle of anticipation for what awaits you when you emerge into this space.
Why do some spaces feel icky and others delightfully rejuvenating?
Most importantly, what does this do for you? How does having a soul-aligned space create more expansion on your earthly journey?
In this article, we’ll explore those contemplations and examine the foundational design aspects that will speak to your soul. When your space feels like the real you, it nourishes you from the inside out.
Home is where the body integrates.
Let’s turn it into an energetic haven with these four integral design elements.
Brighten with Light
Light, beautiful, beaming, vitamin D producing, natural light from the sun.
The first thing about a space that will need to be considered is the amount of light in the room/s.
Have you ever stopped to observe what light does to everything?
Illuminating your space is key to making it feel nourishing.
Light creates transformation.
A space that’s too dark will cause your body shrivel inward. Adversely a light-filled space will pull an exhale from you and might even cause you to deliciously close your eyes for a second to drink in the life force energy.
There are many ways to create a more light-filled space at every stage of design
If you are in a renovation or building stage: add north-facing windows. Don’t limit yourself to standard window sizes if you have more wall capacity (and budget). Look for ways to add to the overall volume of windows and consider those unique shapes in places that break up a large portion of solid wall space.
Photo: Studio McGee
Double it up by adding transoms to the top of doors. A solid pane with less grid lines is strikingly effective to bring in unobstructed access to light.
photo: Studio McGee/Instagram
In an existing space, access the amount of natural light in relation to the color. Tune into your body.
If it feels cave-like, it is.
To lighten a room without any structural edits, the brightest flex will come from painting existing walls and the ceiling a white or cream tone.
With the direct simplicity of using white or cream, these colors can actually be surprisingly difficult to choose. White is a combination of all the colors, so the hue of the most dominant color in the mix will come through.
photo: @vollrathhomes/Instagram
I absolutely love the way Benjamin Moore, Paper, goes on.
If you have plenty of natural light coming into a room you will have more opportunities to introduce color while retaining the bright feeling.
In general, anything that is dark in color will root the flow of the room into heavier feeling energy. With that in mind contrast provides interest, so as long as there is a balance between light and dark the room will feel expansive.
This is where your soul gets to chime in.
Want a moody and sultry vibe - go ahead and put that dark accent wall with a vivacious large abstract painting on top. Feel restored from a minimalist cozy bright space - commit to all white and cream tones, even in your furniture, and let your color come from warm wood accents and plants in your space.
2. Creating an Intentional Layout
Think about what would you love to use this space for?
The next design aspect to look at for creating a nourishing space is the actual square footage that’s available. The layout is the foundation and nothing trumps a good layout.
Something sturdy to build upon creates the possibilities for effortless unfolding. Even if how you use the space changes over time, the layout allows for this.
To design a meaningful space create a clear design intention.
If your soul jumps a little bit when you think of a dedicated place to indulge in your reading obsession, perhaps on a big chunky couch with an oversized ottoman near a modern yet still traditional fireplace, write that down.
Those details that make you exhale just a bit when you picture living in the room in a certain way, those are important notes to frame your intention.
Here are some examples to get the creative juices flowing:
“I want a hearth-centric great room with spaces for everyone in my family’s favorite restorative activities.”
“ A minimal and cozy place to unwind after a mentally stimulating day. Luxurious relaxing”
“Architectural elements in a neat, but interesting office space with a lounge area for meditation.”
Now that you have your intention what are the possibilities within it?
The layout should contain your must-haves, room for adaptability, and maximum use of the space.
3. Highlight Your Personality
A space that feels expansive will honor your soul’s personality.
Do you find yourself consistently drawn to clean lines, cool hues, and absolutely nothing on the countertops?
Or does a moody, sensual room with dramatic details and a rich color palette make your heart race?
There are endless possibilities for good design, but if it doesn’t resonate with your soul signature (and where you are at on your journey) then it won’t be as nourishing as it could be. Everything you have around you impacts your energy.
I have a rule, if I don’t love it, it's gone.
Within reason, of course, there is such a thing as renting and current budgets. But if you have an item in your space that you don’t like, that annoyance you feel every time you look at it takes away from your feeling of satisfaction.
Infusing your preferences into your space will create a ripple effect throughout your life. Your home is where you restore, reflect, rejuvenate, and align. It’s your safe haven and one of the only places you have the maximum energetic control over.
So let it be a reflection of what feels good to you (and your loved ones - let everyone’s personality have some room).
Ask yourself what textures am I drawn to?
What colors feel soothing?
What styles around me do I find myself returning to over and over again?
Sometimes your favorite restaurant or a friend's house holds the keys. Maybe it was a place you visited that was so “cute”.
Design themes are everywhere. Take stock of what excites you.
If you are feeling stuck figuring out what your soul is excited about right now, there is always Pinterest. Go browse and just start selecting images that appeal to you, once you have 10 or so you will see some themes in your interests emerging.
Run with those.
4. Take Stock of the Functionality
Does the space work? And how well does it work?
A functional space is productive.
It is organized.
It can be cleaned up quickly, and conversely fully lived in just as easily.
When determining this think about these questions:
If it's a lounge space, are there plenty of plush places to stretch out? Are there ample soft things to melt into and cover up with? Can they be put away to tidy the room that then feels put together?
Does everything have its place?
Does everything that doesn’t have a place get cut?
The space should be built around that intention you set for it.
If you want to be able to sit down to write by your favorite window with an inspiring view, then a comfortable desk set-up there wins. Time to get rid of the dizzying pattern armchair you inherited from your grandma that you don’t even really like.
Once you take inventory on the items in the room and ruthlessly abandon anything that doesn’t fit, it’s helpful to look at how you move around in the space. If you are in the renovation/creation phase consider how much space you actually need for your room to function.
Are there big empty spots or are things too squished and bumping into each other?
If you want a huge island in your kitchen, you may have to forego the big dining table or the double oven. How much do you use both ovens anyways?
Functionality often includes elimination. When we clear away things that don’t feel necessary, we make space for the things that will manifest contentment.
Your space serves as a reflection of you.
When you are surrounded by inspiration every day your soul sees itself here on Earth. That is immensely powerful. Your soul wants a say in this experience and the more you listen to its call, the more enriching the journey.
The spaces where you spend the most time have a profound effect on your alignment. What’s the first thing your bare feet feel when they hit the floor as you rise each and every day?
Expansion or contraction?
The promise of a space that truly nourishes you is always the former. So be intentional with the design. Use these tips to create a space that awakens your senses and enlivens you from the inside out.
Need the inspiration? Reach out and I’d be happy to help you connect your soul essence and your design aesthetic. You’ll know the exact design path to head down.
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Sources:
Juliana McCarthy, The Stars Within You: A Modern Guide to Astrology
Tashi Powers, Introduction to Evolutionary Astrology
RAMA Yoga Institute, Astrology with Guru Jagat, Teg Prekash, Remington Donovan and many other teachers
Some of the links in the blog post & Sources list above are affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase TERRA ETHOS will receive a small commission.
Kelly Johns
Writer + Artist + Yogi on a mission to inspire & uplift.
