I recently was invited to design some buildings for a new online university for the Edesign Tribe as part of a design contest. I’ll let you know if my design wins!
I had numerous buildings I could choose to design from but decided to pick the Wellness Center. To me, the foundation for all good design is feeling happy, healthy, and inspired.
The building structure was already determined, and my challenge was to create something that embodied “wellness” as I see it and that could nourish and provide health and wellness for a wide variety of beautiful, creative e-designers!
Wellness has become extremely important to me this year, especially since the pandemic began but even before that. I thought about all the things I do personally and are important to me for my own wellness. I identified 6 areas I think are important to make space for because I personally do this daily. I designed each of these areas into my Wellness Center design.
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Here is the initial floor plan, incorporating the six areas.
View from the front entrance doors.View of the left side of the building .View of the right side of the building.
Meditation Area
I start the day with meditation and reflecting on things that are important to me and what I want to focus on. I write in a journal, read and take time for silence. Select a comfortable, quiet and beautiful place to relax and enjoy the silence.
Meditation Area
Learning Area
Every day I take time to learn something related to my wellness, whether it is listening to a podcast, watching a video, taking an online class, or reading. It is important to me to have an area to do this where I have books, a laptop and/or TV. The design below is set up with books, and a TV to watch online videos or listen to podcasts.
Learning Area
Nutrition Area
One of the key things that helps me stay healthy and well is eating whole foods, shakes, drinking lots of water and supplements. Whatever diet you are on, we all need a place to prepare the things that nourish us. The design creates a place to gather with friends and refresh yourself with a healthy drink or snack after going for a walk or creating an amazing design.
Nutrition Area in the Edesign University Wellness CenterNutrition Area in the Edesign University Wellness Center
Dance Area
My main form of exercise, other than a daily walk is dancing. I take `online dance classes every day. This is one of the silver linings of the pandemic for me, is the ability to learn dance from instructors all over the world on zoom that I never had a chance to study with before. Dance is great for your mind, body, spirit and creative self expression. In the dance area below, the chairs and table can be moved out of the way to dance on the rug as well as on the hardwood floor. There is plenty of room for dance practices and performances, and to add live music in the adjacent area.
Dance AreaMe performing at the Seward Music and Arts Festival
Music Area
Music is important to our wellness. Whether you express yourself in your own song, or you play in a group and make that connection that happens when you all play as one and the magic happens, music is good for us. Every day I play my steel pan drum, and often play one of my many other drums from all over the world. What vibrations are you putting out into the universe?
Music Area
For fun, here are some pictures of me performing or modeling with a few of my favorite drums.
In my Afghan dance costume with a Daf.Playing middle eastern drums in a performance on my frame drum.Playing my doumbec for a classical Persian performance.
Strength Training and Flexibility
I believe being strong and flexible is essential to our health and well being. An area to do yoga, stretching and weightlifting is important. It doesn’t have to be large. Just somewhere comfortable, quiet and preferably with a nice view! Why not try working out with a beautiful yoga mat and leggings designed with my fractal art. See all my yoga mats and leggings at my store on Society 6.
Strength and Flexibility Area Jenna Yoga Mat-Fractal Art by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design Jenna 2 Leggings- Fractal Art design by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
Do you like some of the pieces I used in this design? Shop the look. Some products have affiliate links, meaning I get a small commission for sharing at no additional cost to you.
Are you Ready to Design Wellness Into Your Life?
Let me help you create a space that nourishes your heart, body, mind and soul. Let’s start with a design/color consultation which we can do in person or online.
We are working, learning and entertaining from home online to stay connected. Our co-workers, parents, teachers and students now have an intimate look into our homes whether we like it or not! Or do they? Not if you have a great Zoom background!
Turn your messy bedroom or kitchen table into a beautiful office, or a beautifully decorated living room set up for a party designed by an Interior Designer!
The EDesign Tribe has created beautiful Zoom Room Backgrounds to download through a fun #MyZoomRoom Contest for it’s Edesigners. The most downloads by for a designer wins the challenge! Search through more than 100 high-quality, 4K renders created by professional designers to find the perfect virtual backgrounds for you for any occasion.
I have 9 zoom backgrounds including 3 of a beautiful, serene office, 3 of a beautifully elegant living room for a party, and 3 colorful living rooms in the forest, beach or the city. You can use code MaryAnn to get any one of my Zoom Rooms for free. A download is a vote for me in the contest and I appreciate that!
There are lots of other beautiful designs as well for you to look at. The Edesign Tribe is an amazing group of designers that are raising the bar for Edesign worldwide! There are a variety of styles for everyone!
This is also a great way to support small businesses.
Click on any of the images below to purchase them for $10 each and vote for me in the contest. Get one free with code MaryAnn.
To learn more about how to use a virtual background for zoom meetings, check out my blog article The #MyZoomRoom Challenge.
Living Room Virtual Backgrounds
Beach House- BACKGROUND #1
Learn more about this Beach House design and shop the look in my blog article, Start with the Art.
These backgrounds were created to celebrate an elegant adult birthday party, Valentines day or other special event where you might exchange presents and celebrate with adult beverages and treats. The mood is magical with beautiful lighting. Learn more about this design and shop the look in my blog article, How to Make Magic Happen in Your Home with Lighting.
Elegant Birthday Party- Background #2
Office Virtual Backgrounds
These office backgrounds were created to provide a beautiful, stress-free office setting that brings the outside in and has a feeling of spring. Find out more about how this design was created and shop this look in my blog article, How to Work from Home Stress Free.
Let’s Get Your Real Background Looking Great!
Let’s face it, we can fool them with a virtual background on Zoom, but what do people see when they come to your actual house? Whether you need to update the look of your office for a great space to work and invite clients to, or a great living room to entertain, I’ve got you covered.. Try a Full Service Edesign project. Or try my Refresh Edesign service which includes everything but a render of the design. Click on the pictures to learn more and purchase. Feel free to call if you are not sure which is best for you and we will figure it out!
If you like any of my designs, I would love your vote. It’s $10 to download one background and if you do, it is equal to one vote for me. Click on the images below for the links to my designs. My designs are on page 3.
There are lots of other beautiful designs as well for you to look at. The Edesign Tribe is an amazing group of designers that are raising the bar for Edesign worldwide! There are a variety of styles for everyone!
This is also a great way to support small businesses and of course, make your background look amazing while you are working at home.
SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS & DOWNLOAD YOUR #ZOOMROOM BACKGROUND
Need Help Designing Your Home Office?
Check out my Edesign Services so I can help your create your perfect stress free office. The example in this article is of a Full Service Edesign project. Or try my Refresh Edesign service which includes everything but a render of the design.
I hear you laughing through your computer. Yes, I know. You are thinking yeah, right! I can hardly wait to have my life interrupted with endless showings, lay awake at night wondering if I will be able to sell for a good price or will lose money, find a new house that I actually like and can afford, pack a million boxes, move a million boxes, unpack and not know where the heck anything is for months! Yes!! I can hardly wait!
OK, well, let’s think about this in a new way. How about this? I can hardly wait to sell my house fast and for more than I expect, move into the cool new house I found and make it my perfect dream home! It will be so much better than my last house and I will have some extra cash from the sale to fix it up just right! When I am done, there will be no place in the world I would rather be! Yes!! Bring it on!
Now, I can’t help you find your new home, but I can help you with all the rest! OK, HOW?
Sell Your House Fast and for More
The absolute best way to sell your house fast and for more is to hire a professional home stager to prepare you house for market. Get yourself a top realtor with great marketing skills and get professional photos of your beautifully staged home.
The price of staging should be fully paid for by the final asking price, and more. Bypass looking for the cheapest options, letting your realtor or friend do it, doing a partial staging job and all the rest. The best staging job will bring you the highest profit and fastest sale.
Give me a call to discuss local in person home staging. Live outside my service area or want to do the staging yourself? Try my online home staging consultation. Traditional home staging not in the cards for you? Consider my Virtual Staging package but check out my article on the Pro’s and Cons of Virtual Staging first. Does your home need a lot of remodeling that you want to leave to the buyer, but you are worried they won’t be able to see the possibilities and it will take forever to sell? Try my Virtual Remodeling package.
Download a copy of my brochure with all my home staging services and give me a call to see what works best for you.
Make Your New Home Everything You Imagine
Well OK, if you are imagining a mansion and that is not in your budget, maybe not. But there are so many things you can do with your new home to get it set up to be perfect for you with the budget you have, even if you bought a “fixer upper”.
One of the first things most people need is a new paint job, and possibly some new flooring if you are ripping out carpeting from the previous owners. A color consultationcan help pick great colors you love and that also work with the fixed finishes you will not be changing. Do you have some colors in mind already but just want to ask an expert if they will really work together before spending money on paint? Try my Will these colors Work Together package.
You may need to remodel a kitchen or bath, which also requires picking out the right colors, countertops and more. An Interior Design/Color consultationcan also help you with this. Need to visualize everything before you start spending money? Try my Virtual Remodeling package.
Since you are moving all your belongings into a new space that has a different floor plan, you may be struggling with how to lay it all out. Try my Floor Planning package.
Maybe you need to update the look of your new rooms and feel like most of your existing stuff will no longer work in the new house or you are ready for a change. Try my Full Service Edesign package. Learn more about Edesign- How it works in my blog article and in this video.
You want to redecorate using mainly what you already have and could also use a little help with room layout? Try my Refresh Edesign package. Want to redecorate with what you already have and feel like you already have a good handle on the floorplan? Try my Interior Redesignpackage.
You want to tackle all the redecorating yourself, but could use a little advice from a pro to get you off on the right track and help you develop a plan that you may need to take your time with? Try my Interior Design consultation. Or try my Designer on Call package and pick my brain for a couple hours.
Planning to start a home-based business or Bed and Breakfast in your new home? I can help you get it set up for success to increase your income, bookings and attract your ideal customer with my Vacation Rental Staging package.
All of the options above can be done online.
Bottom line, you don’t have to tackle this all alone. And in all honesty, yes there will be a little pain involved because it all takes time and disrupts your life. But why not look at it as an opportunity to make some magic happen?
Now that 2019 is in the rear-view mirror, I decided to look back and see what I did with all my time, what I accomplished and consider what’s ahead. Have you done the same? I hope the last year was all you hoped for!
What the Heck I did with my time
For me, 2019 this was especially meaningful as I retired last December 31st from a 33-year career as a wildlife biologist. Although I started Northern Lights Home Staging and Design five years ago, I had more time to work on my design business in 2019. A big change was the decision to offer Edesign, or online Interior Design, online color and home staging consultations and virtual staging. Living in small town Alaska, I have a limited market and thought this would be a great way to expand my ability to help more people. So 2019 was a year of learning how to do Edesign and work with clients in a new way.
Colorful Projects
The year was filled with home staging, virtual staging, color consultations, local design projects and Edesign. When doing consultations or working with people taking their time to implement their design or staging, I don’t always get to see the “After” photos. Here is a video of my favorite projects where I did see the result. It was a very colorful year!
Cool Things
Some other exciting things that happened in 2019 were that:
I won the “Best of Houzz” for Customer Service again for the 4th year in a row.
I was awarded Best Interior Designs of 2018 and noted as an Interior Designer to Watch in 2019 in an article by Searchmetry.
One of my Edesigns was published in an international magazine! See the article, 5 Things You Need to Know About Edesign by JoAnne Lenart-Weary on page 50, and my design on page 55.The picture below is my design. More on how it came together in a future blog post. (shown below).
Edesign in Vision Magazine by Mary Ann Benoit of Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
So Much Writing!
In 2019, I posted articles and tips on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest daily and wrote weekly blog posts compared to monthly in 2018. I did my best to provide information that you might find valuable on Interior Design, Color and Home Staging. I hope you will follow me and find some information helpful to you.
Here are some of my favorite blog articles which I think really tell the story of what I can do to help you.
In discovering Edesign, I also discovered some things about myself.
I LOVE color. Well, I already knew that, but Edesign gave me a chance to indulge my love of color, challenge myself and delve deeper into using the art and science of color I learned when I became a certified color strategist.
I LOVE global style and the layering of textures, handmade and exotic art and decor, eco-friendly materials, the history and culture, magic of lighting, rich colors and so much more!!
I LOVE eco-friendly, sustainable design. I realized how important it is to our health, well-being, and our planet and how easy it is to create beautiful and unique designs with eco-friendly elements.
I LOVE Edesign. It’s fast, affordable, unique and opens doors to working with anyone with a computer (is there anyone without one?).
What’s Next?
Now that I know more about the things that make my heart sing, and hopefully yours too, I plan to do more of the things I love! The current design trends are embracing color, global styles, eco-friendly design and new ways of doing things such as Edesign and I am ready to spread the love! Are you ready? Check out my blog article, Re-Invent Yourself and Your Home in 2020 to get inspired!
Vote for my Master Bedroom Design in the Edesign Contest
I recently entered an Edesign for this global style master bedroom in a contest! We were given room dimensions and a photo, and could develop any design we wanted. I had recently seen Benjamin Moore’s new 2020 color of the year, First Light, and was not really a fan, as I am not fond of “pink or blush” for wall colors. I decided to challenge myself to come up with a design I loved using “First Light” as the wall color for this contest.
The contest is for Edesigners of the Edesign Tribe of which I am a proud member. We were required to submit a concept board and a 3D render of the design.
My “ideal client” for this design was a single professional woman who prefers a more neutral palette, wants a serene space for her bedroom and of course, likes pink. She likes mixing modern and vintage pieces with a touch of glam and global style elements.
The design above is an example of full service Edesign, where you would get a floor plan, a concept board, a 3D render and a complete shopping list with set up instructions. Check out my Full Service Edesign package. See all my Edesign and Online packages here.
What’s Your Global Design Style?
The project above is an example of global style design. Are you curious what your global style is? Take the quiz and find out.
By now, you have probably heard of Edesign, which is sometimes called online Interior Design or Virtual Design.
Edesign is a collaboration between the designer and client, where the client takes on some of the design process since the designer is not there in person to implement the design. All you DIYers out there, I am speaking your language!. As the client, you will share some of the responsibility for the design by taking room measurements, ordering the products that your designer recommends and putting everything in place. Because of this shared workload, Edesign tends to be more affordable than full service Interior Design. Learn more about if Edesign is right for you or if you would be better served working with a local designer in my blog article, How Can I work with an Interior Designer on my Budget?
The video below shows my process of how Edesign works. Different designers may offer different services or work with you in different ways. Most will likely provide all or some of the following services which include a floorplan, concept or mood board, shopping list, 3D render of the final design and set up instructions.
Most Edesigners, just as local designers will start the process getting to know you, your style and tastes, your lifestyle, your design issues etc. A local designer does this with an in person visit. An Edesigner will likely send you a questionnaire, or may do a video or phone call.
Once the designer determines what you like and need, they will start developing a design for you. This usually starts with space planning and developing a floor plan so they know what will fit and how things can be arranged to best fit your lifestyle. An in person designer will usually take room measurements of the space and any existing furnishings that you may want to use. Because the Edesigner can’t visit your home, they will ask you to take these measurements and photos for them so they know what they are working with. This information may be requested as part of the questionnaire.
You may be asked to draw a floor plan for your Edesigner.
The next step includes coming up with a concept of a design including furnishings, accessories, paint colors and finishes to try to create a space that meets all your needs functionally and makes your heart sing with the beauty of the finished design. While a local designer may present all the pieces of the plan to you in person, with samples that you can see and feel, the Edesigner will provide a concept board showing all the elements and how they look together.
Example of a concept board.
The next step usually involves collaborating to make adjustments to the plan to make sure you love everything and it works with your budget. Both a local designer and an Edesigner will ask for feedback and provide additional options for product ideas if needed. The Edesigner will get your feedback and show you additional options online.
Before you get you get your shopping list, in some cases you may want to “see” how the design will actually look in your space before ordering to be sure it will look the way you want. A local designer or an Edesigner can create a 3D rendering or other drawing to show you the final design. Or you may feel comfortable going forward without a rendering if you feel you can visualize the design without this extra step.
Example of a 3D Render of an Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
Once you love everything, you will be ready for a final shopping list of all the items for your design. An Edesigner will give you a document or picture of all the items with clickable links to the products, so you can go directly to a product website and purchase everything yourself on your own timeline. You would be responsible for setting up deliveries and returns if needed and putting all your products in place. An Edesigner will provide you set up instructions for everything, and often includes final advice on the installation if you send “after” pictures of the space. A local designer usually takes care of the ordering, delivery and installation for you.
And like most things, you get what you pay for. Finding an edesigner that offers premium design services will give you more personal service, unique product choices and quality design. The Edesign Tribe has set a high bar for industry standards in the world of Edesign and is a good place to start your search.
Ways to Use Benjamin Moore’s 2020 Color of the Year- First Light
How to Make Magic Happen with a Color You Don’t Like
As a certified color strategist, I get excited when the major paint brands announce their colors of the year, and dream about how I can use the colors in a design, various global styles, or create color palettes for you to use the new colors.
When I first saw Benjamin Moore’s color of the year for 2020, “First Light”, I thought “meh”.
I am not a pink/blush person, and generally love working with rich saturated colors over pastel colors. I also love global style Interior Design, and most global styles have a richer color palette. If I use pink, I like to go bold or go home such as with a deep rich fuchsia! I thought “First Light” was boring. Even for home staging, where I usually select more neutral colors to help sell homes, this color has enough chroma to look “too pink” for most buyers.
Benjamin Moore describes it as a “soft, rosy hue blooming with potential”, and they say “a refreshing wash of pink, First Light 2102-70 uplifts”.
According to the color data, “First Light” is a warm Red hue bordering on yellow/red, that is very light and that has low color saturation or chroma. Notice I said nothing about “undertones” (just put that meaningless term out of your mind). The way it will look on your wall is based on the hue family (red), the light, surrounding colors and your own vision. Here is the magic tool I use to measure color.
I decided to challenge myself to come up with a design I love using “First Light” as the wall color. Soon after, I heard of a design contest for Edesigners of the Edesign Tribe of which I am a proud member, to provide a design for a master bedroom. I thought, OK First Light, Bring It On! How can I use you to create a beautiful global style bedroom that is interesting, unique and still colorful?
Before
For the contest, we were provided some empty room photos and measurements. We could do whatever style we wanted and could choose who our ideal client was.
The Concept
My “ideal client” is a single professional woman who prefers a more neutral palette, wants a serene space for her bedroom and of course, likes pink. She likes mixing modern and vintage pieces with a touch of glam and global style elements.
Here is the concept board showing the floor plan and the elements I chose for the design. The door on the left goes to the master bath, center door is the closet and right hand door is the entry to the bedroom. Because this south wall is mainly a travel corridor, there is no furniture. Only a ” The Frame TV” that can display art when not in use near the bathroom door, and my unique fractal art clock on the wall between the entry and the closet.
Inspiration
I searched for inspiration by looking for two key pieces, a global style rug and a beautiful bed.
I found this gorgeous handwoven wool area rug from India in tones of blush, olive, cream and black which provided a global style focal point and set the color palette for the rest of the room.
The gorgeous bed has beautiful curves to contrast with the straight lines of the rug, it’s dark metal worked nicely with the black in the rug and it has old world charm and a vintage feel.
To work with the wrought iron and vintage look of the bed, I chose other metal accents such as the dresser and end tables made with aluminum sheets pressed with a delicate pattern, an iron and crystal chandelier for a touch of glam, and an antique hammered metal lamp. I thought the metals would provide a little masculine energy to balance out the feminine energy of the pink walls.
I added a variety of global style and natural elements in pink, blush and various shades similar to “First Light”.
To pull in the olive color from the rug and other harmonious shades of green, I selected a soft side chair, green end table lamps, art and plants. The greens and green/blues work perfectly with First Light as they are complimentary colors on the opposite side of the color wheel.
To provide depth and highlight the other colors, I added black and white accents.
Final Design
Here is the final design, created as a 3D computer render, and several close up views.
Shopping List
Do you love the products in this design? Sign up to get a clickable pdf with links to all the products as well as my monthly design and color tips. Unsubscribe anytime. It contains affiliate links, meaning they give me a small commission for sharing at no additional cost to you.
Downloadable Shopping List
Vote in the Contest!
I hope you love this design as much as I do, and you will stop by and vote for my design in the contest! Contest voting will be December 13-15. I will post the link to vote HERE on December 13.
Do I like First Light Now?
You might be wondering if I like the color now that the design is done. Not really. I do love the design though! I love the color combinations, the mix of masculine and feminine, softness and hardness, the mix of straight lines and curves, the feeling of serenity the room evokes. It seems like a wonderful place to wake up at “first light” in a gorgeous bed, and then snuggle up on the soft chair with bare feet on the sheepskin rug and a great cup of coffee while watching the sun comes up.
It just goes to show that you can create something beautiful by putting the right design elements together, even if you don’t have everything you want. This is great thing to remember as you develop your design plan, or if you choose to do Redesign, working with what you already have. I hope it also re-assures you that a good designer can design to create something you love, even if it is not something they love. It is all about you, after all!
Are You Inspired?
The design above is an example of full service Edesign, where you would get a floor plan, a concept board, a 3D render and a complete shopping list with set up instructions. Check out my Full Service Edesign package. Learn more.
Above, I mentioned Redesign, where we work with what you already have. Here is my Interior ReDesign consultation package. Learn More.
You can see all my other online and Edesign services here, as well as my color consultation packages if you need help with your own colors. I offer science based color consulting, using both the art and science of color together to get your colors right the first time!.
What’s Your Global Design Style?
The project above is an example of global style design. Are you curious what your global style is? Take the quiz and find out.
I just entered an office design in a edesign contest. I hope you will stop by and vote for me here! Voting closes Monday at 12pm EST.
The Contest
We were given some photos of an empty room and some measurements and asked to design an office for our ideal client. My ideal client for this design loves color and a vintage Bohemian style. I found the beautiful desk and designed everything around it and included vintage accessories and some really cool wallpaper to add to the vintage look. Here are the before pictures.
Before Photos
After Photos
Vintage Boho Office Concept Board by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
Vintage Boho Office Render by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
Vintage Boho Office Floor Plan by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
Coming soon, I will write a blog article about this project, describing how the design came together, the vintage and other items I chose for the design and why it was perfect for this “ideal client”.
Thanks for reading and for your support!
Want to learn more about global style design or get help with your project? Take the quiz and check out my Edesign and Online Services.
Mexican interiors are full of color, are welcoming, warm and there is often a sense of playfulness and whimsy. A mix of colorful, exotic Spanish and Indian handcrafted items and practical things add old world charm.
The furniture is made from solid wood or leather with designs from the Spanish and Mayan cultures. Most are made from pine, walnut and cherry. Sofas, beds and tables often have a rustic look. Rugs are usually hand woven and brightly colored. Multicolored cushions and geometrical patterns for the curtains are common.
Accessories are colorful and bright and include candles, vases and mirrors, painted wooden animal figurines, wall hangings, clay pottery, woven baskets, traditional masks and paintings.
Colors are bright. Red is common and Yellow is also used heavily in shades ranging from bright lemon yellow to deep earthy golds. Terracotta is common. Blues are commonly used in art and accessories.
Mexican style is a global design style. Global styles are all about your worldly adventures and telling your story! They are usually very colorful, rich in bold designs and natural textures, patterns, colors and arts and crafts of various cultures. Each piece has a story and becomes a conversation starter. Treasures are displayed without rules or grouping by the part of the world each piece is from. Antiques mix with modern pieces, and natural objects such as animal horns, plants and rocks add to the charm. While global design styles are eclectic and may mix and match items from a variety of countries, you may be drawn to the colors and cultural artifacts of some countries more than others.
Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Living Room
Here is an example of an eco-friendly Edesign I did for a Mexican style living room. The clients were a retired couple that loved to travel and enjoyed collecting art and figurines from Mexico and other countries. They wanted a space rich in color where they could relax, read, watch TV, entertain and share their love of travel and ethnic art. They also wanted a space that was as eco-friendly as possible.
Before Photos
The clients had just moved into a new home. Here is what it looked like before their new design. They provided these photos and floor plan to create the design from and information on what they liked in term of style and color and how they wanted to use the room. The only things that would be staying in the room from the photos was the flooring, which was new.
Sustainable Mexican Living Room Design-Before Photos. View from the living room toward front door.
Sustainable Mexican Living Room Design-Before Photos- Back wall
Sustainable Mexican Living Room Design-Before Photos- Room Dimensions
After
This project was a full service Edesign. These after pictures are 3D renders of the finished design which they received with a concept board, shopping list and set up instructions. As you can see, I changed the wall color, and used PPG’s color of the year for 2020, Chinese Porcelain which I extended into the entry way to create a feeling of more space. I changed the front door, window treatments, lighting and furniture.
Mexican Style Eco-Friendly Living Room. Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
Mexican Style Eco-Friendly Living Room. Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.
Get the Look- It’s Healthy and Great for Entertaining
The products I used are all sustainable and healthy for your indoor environment. See my article on “Eco-Friendly Interior Design- Why You Should Care” on the Edesign Tribe blog. All the items are made from natural materials such as wood, cotton, wool, copper, iron, sheepskin, clay, ceramic, palm and leather. Here is the concept board I created for the clients.
Mexican Style Living Room- Whimsical, Colorful and Eco-Friendly. #Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design
Inspiration and Products
The following products were used in this design. Some are trade sources in which I was able to work out a discount for you if you like them and order directly yourself. Others may be affiliate sources, meaning I get a small commission if you purchase them for sharing them with you, at no additional cost to you.
The inspiration for this room was this mural from Anthropologie. The whimsical, crewelwork-inspired motif is based on an embroidery style created by the Otomi people of central Mexico and is filled with pre-historic symbols based on native flora and fauna, local beliefs and even primitive cave drawings. Animals, were thought to be bearers of important news. This piece inspired the color scheme, the purple couch, the colors of the leather chairs and velvet pillows on the sofa.
Mural used as inspiration for the design. Melika Mural. Photo from Anthropologie.
Eco-Friendly Accessories
The animals in the mural inspired the collection of painted wood animal figurines on the book shelves which I got from La Fuente and Wayfair. The ones from La Fuente are Oaxacan Woodcarvings. The wood carvers of Oaxaca Mexico create whimsical designs in festive colors, are carved by hand from the wood of the copal tree. They are painted in stunning detail with acrylic colors. The carvers believe their figures will bring good luck to the potential owner. The figurines from Wayfair are representations of these, which I chose because I loved the colors and some of the cats were just too cute!
Oaxacan Woodcarvings. Photo of the carving from La Fuente.
Stevensville Excited Cat Figurine. Made in Mexico. Photo from Wayfair.
I set this cat up on the side table to peak at you from behind the sofa.
This purple cat had some nice colors that tied in with the purple sofa and colors on the wall and mural.
Wood Kittycat Folk Art Figurine. Photo from Wayfair
The whimsical mural’s focus on plants and animals also inspired the use of the ceramic masks which feature plants and animals.
Ceramic Hand Painted masks from La Fuente. Photo of mask from La Fuente.
I found these gorgeous eco-friendly baskets made in Mexico from palm leaves, at The Citizenry.
Mercado Floor Baskets. Photo from the Citizenry
I found the velvet cotton pillows at Bryar Wolfe, where you can get 5% off with code northernlightsstaging at checkout.
Cotton velvet pillows from Bryar Wolfe. Photo by Bryar Wolfe. Get 5% off with code northernlightsstaging at checkout.
Eco-Friendly Furniture
The sofa uses natural latex cushions, wool stuffed pillows and hardwood frame from Medley Furniture which specializes in eco-friendly furniture. Get a 5% discount on all their products with the code NLS5 at check out. They use sustainable materials such as certified hardwoods and bamboo, no harsh chemicals or fire retardants. Cushions are made of latex foam, pillows are stuffed with wool, cotton, hemp or down. The furniture is custom made for you within 6-8 weeks and they offer free returns. And they have some beautiful fabrics and colors! Who doesn’t need a purple couch!
Get a 5% discount on all the eco-friendly, sustainable furniture at Medley with the code NLS5 at check out.I love these copper tables, made in Mexico, from La Fuente. Copper is a great option for incorporating unique, authentic and eco-friendly furniture in your design. I found the coffee table, console table and side tables, all made in Mexico there, and loved the color and the petroglyph cut outs on the console table. I thought it related nicely back to the pre-historic elements of the Otami art.
Round Copenhagen Coffee Table- Photo from La Fuente
Petroglyph Console Table- Photo from La Fuente
This picked this end table from Mexico because it was made from reclaimed wood and re-purposed hammered copper on the top and the drawer.
French End Table- Photo by La Fuente
I loved this small floating hardwood and iron table made in Mexico from The Citizenry because it did not take up a lot of space and was perfect for the reading area I created near the bookshelves.
Centro Floating Table- Photo from The Citizenry
These beautiful leather chairs from The Citizenry are unique and made in Mexico
Aldama Chair-Photo from The Citizenry
San Rafael Safari Chair- Photo from The Citizenry
Eco-Friendly Rugs and Throws
The beautiful wool Moroccan Azrou rug is from Atlas weavers. I could not find an eco-friendly rug that fit the design from Mexico, but this one from Morocco is simple and has that folkloric look that worked nicely with the design.
Azrou rug from Atals Weavers. Get 20% off at check out with code “northern lights”. Photo by Atlas Weavers.
Atlas Weavers will give you a 20% discount on their beautiful authentic new or vintage rugs, made from wool or animal hides. Use the code “northern lights” at check out on any non-sale item. To learn more about Moroccan rugs, see my blog article on the Magic of Moroccan Rugs.
Get 20% off any non-sale rug at Altas Weavers with code “northern lights” at check out.
At Arhaus , I found the sheepskin rug and throw to add a feeling of softness and create an atmosphere you just wanted to snuggle up and relax! Not made in Mexico, but eco-friendly!
Sheepskin wool linen rug. Photo from Arhaus
Ivory Tibetan Wool Throw. Photo from Arhaus
Eco-Friendly Lighting
I also found the iron and onyx chandelier, and the clay sconces, made in Mexico at La Fuente.
Castillo Collection Three Light Chandelier- Photo from La Fuente
Castillo Collection Double Table Lamp- Photo from La Fuente
Clay Wall Sconce- Photo from La Fuente
Plants are Great for Indoor Air Quality
A nice touch to add beauty to your room and to help filter your air is to use plants. I found these clay and marble pots and vases, made in Mexico at The Citizenry as well, where you can shop “by country”.
PUEBLA MARBLE PLANTER . Photo from The Citizenry
PUEBLA MARBLE PLANTER- Photo from The Citizenry
CANTARO POTS- Photo from The Citizenry
BLACK ENGOBE VASE SET- Photo from The Citizenry
Are You Inspired to Create your own Mexican Oasis?
I love the way this design came out. It seems like a happy, magical space where you can sit back, relax, and tell stories about the wonders of your travels to exotic lands.
Wondering what your Global Design Style is? Take the quiz and find out!
Edesign and Online Services
Northern Lights Home Staging and Design is an award winning company with training in home staging, Interior Design and color consulting. We have won numerous awards for customer service, our blog, youtube channel and Interior design.
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