A holistic approach to decorating - what a fresh idea. Imagine walking into a room and having it come to life and fill every one of your senses! By thinking outside of the box you can make your home come to life with a wide variety of decorating ideas.
Sense of Smell
An instant way to bring in wonderful scents to the home is to burn organic candles. Choose fragrances that blend well together if candles are burning in more than one area of the house. Adding essential oils to a pan of simmering water on the stove top is another great way to provide the home with pleasing scents. To making a linen spray, add several drops of lavender essential oil to distilled water and spray on linens before retiring for bed. Lighting an incense will give a warm and earthy feel to the home.
Sense of Touch
By adding tactile fabrics, the sense of touch is enlivened. Silk is soothing and creates a peaceful atmosphere. Try adding silk table runners or throw pillows. Rugs can establish areas in a home. Different fabrics provide different sensory experiences. Course, short-napped rugs can be stimulating, whereas faux animal fur is quite soothing to the feet. Smooth stone sculptures are intriguing and invite touch. Beaded curtains add flair, dimension and contrast to any area.
Sense of Vision
Seeing is believing. Adding visual interest will perk up the senses immediately. A splash of color to any room will instantly liven it up. Colorful artwork or bright colored candles can change a room's in minutes. Live plants are a ideal way of bringing nature to an indoor area. Mirrors are a great way of reflecting opposite areas of the room and can add significant visual interest. Lit candles are a warm and comforting way of establishing a focal point in any room.
Sense of Hearing
What’s more calming than the sound of running water? By adding a water feature inside the home creates a peaceful and serene environment. Wind chimes are a great way of moving the energy around the house. Placing chimes near doors or open windows invites the positive energies into the home. Music can enhance the mood of any home. Whether it is classical, jazz or meditative, it will set the mood for the home upon arrival. Instrumentals work well, as they can assist in altering the brain waves in acclimating to any desired mood.
Sense of Taste
Placing fresh fruit in ceramic bowls on the kitchen or dining table is a fantastic way to stimulate the sense of taste. Sliced citrus fruit such as lemons, limes and oranges can be placed in the bottom of a clear glass flower vase filled with fresh cut flowers. Cranberries may also be used in the same way. Having a display of herbal teas or organic hot chocolates in the kitchen is another great way of enhancing the sense of taste. Setting dishes of mixed nuts in shells in living areas is also a unique way of bringing the taste buds to life.
Let’s not stop with just the senses. Adding a few more features can round out your holistic decorating with style.
For the Mind
Find a quiet area in the home, away from the main traffic pattern. Add comfortable seating and some soothing atmosphere such as candles and soft music. Allow this area to only be used for you to unwind or perhaps meditate. If meditating is not your style, then add good lighting and make this a place where you can get away from it all to read or journal each day.
For the Soul
Love is a home for your soul. Be certain to add items to your space that reflect the things in life that are dearest to you. Pictures of family members or objects that they have created should be displayed throughout the house. Hanging children’s artwork, draping grandmothers afghan over the arm of a chair, or displaying some of your grandfather’s books on your bookshelf are just a few ways of adding treasured items to your home that reflect the love that your soul feels.
Taking the holistic approach to decorating by appealing to the five senses can create a peaceful and serene atmosphere that will enhance the mind, body and spirit. Becoming more connected to the surroundings of the home, not only will become more satisfying, but inviting and relaxing as well. Enjoy and bring your senses to life!
Lynne Nofziger - As a Reiki II Practitioner and a Holistic Therapist, I am particularly fond of natural therapies for the fact that they incorporate the ...
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