A SACRED SPACE

Tips to help you transform your home into somewhere you can escape, decompress and be more self-aware

PICTURE an escape. The first image that comes to mind is probably a sandy beach, or an exotic location. Chances are it was not your bathroom or bed-

room.

That is slowly changing, says interior designer and author Nate Berkus.

“With everything going on in the world, I think all of us want, and have always wanted, our home to be our sanctuary,” says Berkus, co-star of the reality show Nate & Jeremiah by Design.

Berkus has made a career of transforming peoples’ living spaces into private oases. As millennials join the ranks of home buyers, with their obsessive interest in self-care, mindfulness and the internet, the idea of design as escapism is expanding.

People are relying more on their homes to boost their moods and overall sense of wellbeing. Today, optimising your home for happiness and creating a safe space to decompress and disconnect from work, politics and technology are valued, and necessary.

“The best interiors are those where people shut out all the noise and do a great, careful assessment of what makes them feel best in their spaces,” Berkus says in a Washington Post interview.

“The first question everyone should ask themselves before launching any design project whatsoever is, ‘What makes you feel good in your home’?”

With minimalism in vogue and decluttering advocates such as Marie Kondo reaching Beyoncé-esque levels of recognition, the areas of home and wellness are becoming more intertwined. People are shying away from clutter and excess by placing more weight on the long-term benefits of the objects they choose to keep and display.

“As a culture, we have too many things. I think there is a fine line between hoarding, which is a medical term, and collecting,” Berkus says. “It’s important not to have too many things because then you stop noticing, engaging and caring about the details. That’s when you cross the line from collector into something more dangerous.”

A way Berkus avoids this is by selecting furnishings that have “age and patina” and “evoke a sense of history, permanence and use”. For example, displaying treasured travel souvenirs or incorporating beloved vintage and antique furniture.

“When you’re embarking on a renovation or redesign, ask yourself, ‘What choices can I make to promote a feeling of sanctity’?”

Berkus also recommends incorporating natural elements, time-worn finishes and architectural elements salvaged from old buildings to add layers of depth and character.

Many of his clients are devoting spaces in their homes to “wellness, tranquillity and serenity”. His celebrity patrons, including his friend Oprah Winfrey, often request spaces for