THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
They say that out of darkness comes light. At Donna Elle Design, we wholeheartedly embrace that mantra. When the pandemic took hold in March 2020, we understood that it was more important than ever to harness and strengthen our intuitive voice. We trusted that it would open a vision to reimagining new possibilities in our clients’ homes today.
And it truly has. In today’s Design Journal, we’re taking a moment to share these insights with you.
It begins with practicing honesty with yourself. We enthusiastically encourage you to explore your needs and consider whether the design of your space is empowering you to live the life you want. Think about how you wish to spend your time there, how you move through the space, and the symbolic meaning of where you live. Our home is a measure of how well we’re coping—or not—with an unpredictable world. While we cannot control what happens outside our four walls, we can nurture ourselves by shaping our space to serve our needs.
Despite its many challenges, the pandemic reminded us of our resourcefulness and resilience. We learned that we could reimagine our domiciles as makeshift offices, schools, and care facilities. We saw that by thinking beyond the expected, we could surprise ourselves. We could manifest a positive way forward. Collectively, we didn’t just survive—we discovered we could thrive.
It can be stressful living in an ever-changing world. How does one create soothing spaces at home?
✴︎ Create a cozy nook that will provide you with a sense of calm and connection. Add a window covering, pillow, or a plant for warmth, and remove mirrors, whose reflections can be distracting and disrupt your focus.
✴︎ Have a home office? Consider adding a floor covering, such as a rug, beneath your desk. What seems like a small change can actually produce a significant feeling of purpose, intention, and comfort.
✴︎ Make a no-media zone. It can be as simple as a corner of a room where you can place two chairs and an ottoman for quiet self-connection or contemplation.
✴︎ Declutter and organize. Many of us have at least one closet that is either underutilized or needs purging. Dedicate the time to clearing it of unneeded items, and then have fun reimagining it. Perhaps it can be a chic private office or a neatly arranged workspace for crafts or other creative endeavors.
By returning to yourself—to the core of who you are—we believe you can find the answers you’re seeking, in life and for your home. This is the thread that winds through all of our projects at Donna Elle Design. Our practice is rooted in the principles of good design and informed by our intuition, but our greatest inspiration is you.
Spiritual Design Principle: Discover your core strengths and true needs.