Self-care craze has seeped into home design
Picture an escape. The first image that came to mind was probably a sandy beach, or an exotic location. It likely wasn’t your master bathroom or bedroom.
That is slowly changing, said 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,” said Berkus, co-star of the TLC reality show “Nate & Jeremiah by Design.”
Berkus has made a career of transforming peoples’ living spaces into private oases. But as millennials join the ranks of homebuyers, with their obsessive interest in selfcare, mindfulness and the internet, the idea of design as escapism is expanding.
People are relying more on their home environments to boost their moods and overall sense of well-being. And in today’s heated climate, optimizing your home for happiness and creating a safe space to decompress and disconnect from work, politics and technology are not only valued but seemingly necessary.
With minimalism in vogue and decluttering advocates such as Marie Kondo reaching Beyonce-esque levels of recognition, the areas of home and wellness are becoming more integrally 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 in their homes.
“As a culture, I think we have too many things. I think there is a fine line drawn between hoarding, which is truly a medical term, and collecting,” Berkus said. “It’s important not to have too many, because then you stop noticing, engaging and caring about the details.”
One way Berkus avoids this pitfall is by selecting furnishings that have “age and patina” and “evoke a sense of history, permanence and use.”
Many of his clients are devoting spaces in their homes to “wellness, tranquility and serenity.” His celebrity patrons, including his friend Oprah Winfrey, often request spaces for silence and reflection such as craft corners, reading nooks, and yoga, prayer and meditation rooms.
Master bathrooms also have become a common place of respite, with trends toward personalization and spa-inspired amenities.
For homeowners on a budget, an easy way to carve out a slice of bathroom serenity is with candles, fresh flowers, relaxing music and recessed lighting.
Visual social networks such as Instagram and Pinterest can help homeowners curate their interests, hone their design aesthetic and create a home environment that reflects their personality and tastes, Berkus said.
Your best shot at creating a home that feels “safe, warm and protected,” Berkus said, is to do your homework and figure out what design style best suits you before pulling out your credit card.
“We all do better when our homes are better. Our homes do rise up to greet us, and they do make a difference in how we move through the world,” Berkus said.