I sense a change is taking place… People are tired, tired of feeling exhausted and stressed.
It is time to slow down and enjoy life more. Find a balance.
Because life is short, embracing the good and surrounding yourself with positive, healthy ways of living are more important than ever.
Don’t get me wrong. I am the first to get caught up in everyday life. Little things, that in the big scheme, don’t mean much.
But if we can make healthy changes in our home that have a positive impact on our quality of life, isnt this a good thing?
Here are five, easy, design ideas to create a healthy home, and therefore, a happy life. Here goes:
1. If you don’t love something in your home or aren’t using it, get rid of it. Clean out, pair down, and keep only what speaks to you and brings you joy.
2. Assign a purpose for every room in your home. Every single room, even the little “catch-all” closet. What exactly is the closet going to store?
3. LIVE in your home and ENJOY. No more off-limit rooms or saving your china just for special occasions… Use the dishes one night for dinner, just because…..
4. Make your home a reflection of you. Do you like a little edge but your home doesnt quite capture who you are or how you want to reflect your style? Reach out to a designer and hire someone who can turn your vision into reality. Ask around and check with their references to make sure their style, type of budget they work with, and their personality are a good fit for you.
5. Create a space somewhere in your home that makes you feel calm and relaxed. It doesn’t have to be big space- maybe it is a corner in a room with a chair, a blanket, and a table to place your morning coffee. Do a little self care and create a spot to call your own.
Dana Wolter Interiors. Photo by Jean Allsopp
Hope these five design ideas help you create a healthy home, and therefore bring a little happiness into your life. Let me know what you think-
dana
To see more of what we are doing on a daily basis, click to follow along…
Are you ready to leave behind the stress you find in your surroundings and create a healthy, happy life that begins before you walk out your front door?
Your environment is one of the seven top causes of stress, and your surroundings attribute to your health just as much as what you eat, who you surround yourself with, how much you exercise, etc…
Think about it… If you try to eat healthy, exercise, get good sleep, does it make sense to spend the majority of your time in a a space that is cluttered, dark and disorganized?
A healthy lifestyle is one that encompasses all facets of your life, not just a few areas.
Don’t get me wrong…..There are days when your house is going to be a mess. I have had people in and out of my home quite a bit lately, and with the holidays, mine is now. Too many children pulling things out and not putting them up.
But the difference is that when you have a mess in a healthy home, it is because things are out of their specific place versus having things randomly lying around and piling up.
Take a step back from your home and make an honest assessment about how your home makes you feel. Does it bring your joy and peace?
If you find your house a place of uneasiness, apply these few tips to your home and see if you can figure out why :
Organize your home so everything has a place. Incorporate hidden storage where you can create a visual calm and store alike things together.
You would never know it, but the hidden door under my stairs allows for all kinds of storage for my family.
Dana Wolter Interiors
2. Find a Purpose for every room in your home as no room should serve as a “walk-through” or a room used once or twice a year. Then take a step back and assess the items in each room. Do they bring your joy or are they useful? If neither, it is time to give them away or throw them out.
This may also mean switching rooms around, or changing how the furniture is arranged in a room.
Take this room in this cottage below that we worked on a few years back. It was a walk-through room, a catch-all, and the it was the largest room in the house.
By changing the type of furniture placed in this room, we were able to create a place to sit and relax, play on your phone, read a good book, etc… The chaises draw you in to sit and stay for awhile.
BEFORE
Dana Wolter Interiors
You can see more Before and After of this house from this previous post here.
We did the same thing with this home. The biggest room in their house was the “walk-through’ room. It was rarely used while this family of seven used a small sitting room off the kitchen to watch tv.
BEFORE
What you can’t see in this picture is that we tucked a television on a side wall that can be pulled out when needed. Our goal was to create a family-friendly space for this family to enjoy while keeping it formal enough to serve as a living room if needed. Mission accomplished!
3. Find a Balance with how your home flows and functions. Your home should work well for everyday living and be able to transition to host a party when needed.
4. What makes you smile and bring your joy? Whether it is a sparse room, layered objects, bright colors, or a wall filled with books, use discernment in adding these touches to your space. Find ways to add what makes you smile to bring you Warmth and Joy in your house.
Chad James Interior Design, Elle Decor, Photography by Alyssa Rosenheck
If you need help into turning your house into one you love, reach out to us here. We would love to hear from you.
Here’s to a healthy, happy life-
Dana
Like what you see? Connect with us on a daily basis….
With the new year just a couple of days away, I thought it would be fun to look back at 2016. This year has been a good one for us in so many ways, and here is a recap of a few things that took place:
We started the new year finishing up #ProjectExpansion for some favorite clients. They have a cute story as to why they needed more space. You can read about it here and here.
FOYER-BEFORE
FOYER-AFTER Dana Wolter Interiors, Graham Yelton Photography
FOYER-AFTER
FOYER-AFTER
FAMILY ROOM BUILT-IN -BEFORE
FR Built-in before the glass doors were installed
The kitchen in this home has been shared so many times on the web, yet very few people have seen the “before” pictures. It was quite the transformation.
BEFORE- KITCHEN
BEFORE- KITCHEN
This is the photo that has been shared numberous times on social media. It’s even been referred to as the “poltergist” picture with stylist Monica Stewart making an appearance. Dana Wolter Interiors
Dana Wolter Interiors
Dana Wolter Interiors
January began with a feature in Birmingham Home and Garden magazine. This home was approximately 12 years old and it needed an update. We took several of the rooms and dramatically changed them. Here are a few of the before and after pictures:
BEFORE- MASTER
AFTER- MASTER BEDROOM Dana Wolter Interiors
BEFORE- LIVING ROOM
AFTER- LIVING ROOM, Dana Wolter Interiors
You can read more on the transformation of a few of the rooms here, here, and here.
In February, I hosted a party for Southern Living‘s Design Conference that took place in Birmingham, AL. There’s nothing like a party to make you do a few things around your own house, and it was just the kick in the pants that I needed.
Dana Wolter Interiors
Dana Wolter Interiors
Dana Wolter Interiors
It was a lot of fun as designers across the country came together for a few days, and I was glad they were able to see all that Birmingham, Al, has to offer.
Southern Living also included me in their April issue with a feature on using lavender in your home.
In October, Flower Magazine used my home as a backdrop for a Fall feature.
Flower Magazine
I was also asked by Coastal Living‘s Ellen McGauley and Southern Living’s Zoe Gowen to take part in a panel for ADAC on how to use social media and technology to grow a design business. Designer Cortney Bishop from Charleston, SC, joined in on the fun with us.
While there, the Editor-At-Large followed up by asking my thoughts on how ADAC is a great resource for designers.
Editor At Large Interview with Arianne Nardo
The last quarter of 2016 did not disappoint, either. We announced we are moving our office into the heart of Mountain Brook Village in Birmingham, AL. We are finishing up a few details now and will be in by the first of the year.
I was THRILLED to have one of our favorite kitchens for amazing clients in the Holiday Issue of Traditional Home. This was such a fun project for clients who trusted my vision, and the detail and customization in this home truly paid off.
November/December 2016
Dana Wolter Interiors
Dana Wolter Interiors
Dana Wolter Interiors
Dana Wolter Interiors, Photography by Graham Yelton
You can read my blog post here to learn more about this project or click here to see the actual feature in Traditional Home.
The feature of my house in the November/December issue of Southern Living was a ton of fun. We photographed my home for Christmas in the summer and with the Southern Living elves setting everything up, it was as easy as it could be.
They spoiled me and I was missing their help when December rolled around and it was time to decorate again. You can read the 10 page feature here.
Stylist Buffy Hargett did an amazing job on the flowers and decoration
The Southern Living team
As I look back at 2016, I cannot forget the online mentions and other amazing projects we have been part of this year that I did not highlight. I am having several projects photographed in a few weeks we have designed this year, and I cannot wait to share.
Thanks to all of you for following along on this journey. I have met some amazing people because of my job and am grateful to those who have trusted us with the investment of their home.
But more importantly, watching how an organized, functional, healthy home changes how a family lives is truly the best part of my job.
Here’s to a happy, healthy, blessed 2017 for all-
Dana
If you are looking to transform your home or looking to start anew, reach out to us here. I would love to discuss your project and see how we can help you.
Like what you see? Connect with us on a daily basis….
