As humans, we want to be connected with nature and other living things such as people, animals, and plants because it makes us feel good. This longing for “connection” is called “biophilia”.

There are numerous ways that we could use Interior Design to get that connection for a happier, healthier home including using natural materials, plants, animals, color, art, scents, and lighting.

Some tips include”

• Bringing the outdoors “in” through the use of design, strategic window placement, and use of colors that harmonize with the outdoor environment. Use your outdoor windows as indoor “art”.
• Using the colors of nature in your home such as blues, greens, browns, off whites and grays since they are prominent in trees, shrubs, the sky and water.
• Using color from your outdoor landscaping visible from your windows in your color scheme.
• Using art that shows landscapes, plants, animals, or other natural elements.
• Designing to make it easy to live with pets such as pet-friendly upholstery, washable rugs, etc.
• Creating exterior landscapes that are visible through your windows and are beautiful, colorful, smell great, and attract wildlife.

This Edesign for a global style living and dining room is a nice example of how to apply some of these ideas.

In this design, the windows and beautiful views of the forest provide the perfect indoor “art” and create a focal point and color scheme for the design.

• The color palette from this “art” or view includes greens, yellows, browns and blue from the sky which are incorporated in the furniture, pillows and wall color. Various shades of green are used to highlight the various shades outside. The area rug creates the illusion of flowing water.
• The art shows a natural mountain landscape showing yellow birch trees similar to what is in the outdoor landscape.
• The furnishings use pet friendly materials, and as you can see, makes it comfy cozy for pets such as the kitty on the chair.
• The décor includes plants and flowers.
• The furnishings and flooring are wood and include different wood types and colors for variety.
• The window treatments allow in natural light and are simple in color and pattern to keep the focus on the outdoor view.
• The lamps use the shape and pattern of a natural element (pineapple).

In the adjacent dining room, the forest theme continues.

In this room, the browns of the forest are highlighted in the wood of the chairs and table the area rug with various shades of brown on the wood floor and the art. The fractal art which I designed is part of my “Old Growth” series I developed because it reminds me of the colors and patterns of an old growth forest. Each frame is in a different wood tone.

The greens in the chair cushions add a pop of color and harmonize with the outdoor view and the living room colors. The décor includes plants.

The wall color here and window treatments are neutral to keep the focus on the outdoor views and the art.

Overall, this design is simple, affordable to create using color, natural elements such as wood and plants and art that highlights nature. The overall feeling is one of serenity with a focus on the amazing forest views. The look of this room will change as the seasons change and the yellow from the fall foliage changes to green, but it will still look great.

Ready to Bring the Outside in To Your Home?

Need help with your home? Try my Aligned Design consultation or my Design Coach package.

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Has your home become the backdrop for most of your day? Whether you are working out of the house rather than in the office or skipping restaurants in favor of home-cooked meals, these tips from Northern Lights Home Staging and Design can help you refresh your living space and make it as cheery and welcoming as possible.

Declutter Your Space

Many home improvements are simple enough to be done without professional help. For example, decluttering is a DIY job that can make an enormous difference in the appearance and energy of your space. Moreover, research shows that clearing clutter from your environment increases your ability to focus, process information, and be productive. Additionally, keeping things clean and organized can help eliminate dust, which can reduce the symptoms of breathing conditions such as asthma (wheezing, feelings of breathlessness, etc.).

To begin, set realistic expectations and pick a method that appeals to you. You can attack the problem with the KonMari process, which encourages you to keep things that spark joy and get rid of the rest, or try a longer-term approach, such as getting rid of at least one item per day. The method is not as important as the commitment, so choose an approach that resonates with you to increase your chances for success.

Decluttered living spaces also contribute to a home’s feng shui, or positive energy that aligns with and supports your life’s natural balance and rhythms. As Architectural Digest notes, it’s a simple way to improve the vibes of your home’s interior, taking steps like strategically arranging furniture (which is difficult to do if clutter abounds) and integrating vertical shapes and lines in each room.

Let in More Light

Exposure to natural light can offer many benefits, including better sleep, improved mood, and increased productivity. Aim to increase the amount of natural light in your home by replacing heavy curtains with sheers or blinds that allow the sunlight to shine in. Adding a few strategically placed mirrors can increase the amount of daylight in your room through the power of reflection.

If your windows are outdated or too small to allow enough light, consider replacing them. Unless you have advanced renovation skills, you should hire a professional for the job.

Carve Out a Workout Space

Being home every day can take a toll on your health if you allow yourself to be sedentary for long stretches of time. To offset this, consider devoting a room or space to be used as your at-home gym. Having a designated workout spot increases your likelihood of maintaining a consistent exercise regime.

While it doesn’t need to be large or fancy, your workout space should provide:

• Privacy while exercising
• Enough space to move around
• Adequate storage for your equipment

Make Strategic Changes

When you are making home improvements, it always pays to think strategically and focus on changes that can increase the value of your property. For example, repairing or replacing your roof is a sure-fire way to reap a good ROI, so look into nearby roof replacement companies to get the job done right. This is especially true if you are planning to sell your home soon.

With this in mind for the home’s interior, invest in renovations that give you the most return for your money. Experts suggest that you can get 10% more for your home if you invest in kitchen and bathroom upgrades, including:

• Modern bathroom fixtures, such as a freestanding tub, a glass shower enclosure, or a frameless LED vanity mirror
• A kitchen island or breakfast bar, especially one with contrasting surfaces or interesting architectural details
• New, energy-efficient appliances
• Updated cabinets, often achievable with a simple coat of paint and new hardware
• A kitchen backsplash that features contrasting colors or textures
• A whimsical touch in the bathroom, such as a chandelier, a waterfall showerhead, or a black-and-white mosaic tile floor

While you can tackle the smaller jobs yourself, large-scale projects are best left to the professionals. Document any major home improvements with before and after photos as well as receipts.

Investing time, energy, and money into your house can pay off both now and in the future. In addition to enjoying your revived space right away, you can also benefit later when you decide to sell.

This article was written by Suzie Wilson of  Happier Home for Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

Ready to Create the Perfect Space?

My philosophy of great Interior Design, which I call Aligned Design, considers three key factors which are art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection). The intersection of the three is where the magic happens.

I like to start with a look at what you already have and how we can re-arrange or re-purpose to create your perfect space. This is part of the art of great design.

Learn more about Global style design in my article, Tell Your Story with Global Style Interior Design.  Curious about what Global Style might be right for you? Take the quiz below. Ready to try to get the look in your own home? Try one of my Edesign packages.

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Where do you spend most of your time? 

 

Indoors, both at home and at work. All the things in our indoor environments can affect our health. While we probably don’t have much say about our work environments, we can totally control what is in our homes, and we can use those things to make our homes both beautiful and healthy at the same time!

 

 Furniture, rugs, upholstery, flooring cabinets and paint all affect our indoor air quality. Some of the chemicals used to keep us safe, such as flame retardants in synthetic fabrics and rugs can also be hard on our health. Chemicals in some carpeting and flooring off-gas into the air. Adhesives used in furniture, especially particle board, contain formaldehyde that emit harmful substances into the air.

Ways to Create a Healthy Interior Space

How can you reduce or eliminate the negative effects of common products that can affect our health and still have a beautiful home?

 

 • Buy higher quality furniture that uses wood joinery and fewer adhesives.

 • Get rugs made of natural materials such as wool, cotton, silk or jute. 

• Paint with brands that use fewer chemicals (low VOCs). VOCs are compounds that evaporate into the air and smell bad and are bad for indoor air quality. Benjamin Moore makes a low VOC paint in their Natura collection in all their fabulous colors with reduced levels of allergens and irritants.

 • Purchase furniture with upholstery that does not use fire retardant chemicals. 

• Purchase furniture that uses foam made of natural materials such as latex. 

• Go for furniture and décor items made of wood or metal and avoid plastics.

 • Look for pillows, mattresses, upholstery and beddings made from wool-stuffed materials rather than synthetics. 

• Consider flooring made from natural materials such as stone or wood and avoid vinyl.

 • Give your space plenty of natural light and fresh air.

 • Add plants to add beauty and filter your air.

 • Use natural cleaning products. 

• Use natural materials and objects from nature as decoration.

 • Use rammed earth or adobe for walls instead of plaster or cement.

 • Use rubber walkways made from recycled rubber outdoors rather than concrete

How Your Choices Help the Planet

Besides actions you take to improve the air quality directly in your home, consider how your choices affect the health the planet too! 

 

• Buy high quality, long lasting furniture rather than cheap low-quality stuff that will end up in landfills or on the street as “free stuff” in a few years. Many cities are being overwhelmed with furniture no-one wants.

 • Find local products so that the shipping doesn’t contribute to emissions in the environment.

 • Use energy efficient lighting.

 • Use vintage items.

 • Use products made of recycled materials such as glass tiles or paper wallpaper. You can use glass in your countertops, tiles, lamps and accessories and paper for beautiful wall coverings. Even some polyester can be recycled. If you must use polyester, use rPET which can be spun into yarn and dyed without toxic properties. 

• Use renewable or sustainable materials such as bamboo, cork, teak, hemp, palm, soy fabric or cotton. Bamboo is used in fabrics, flooring and window treatments. Cork is used in textiles, floor and wall coverings. Teak is used in furniture and decking. Hemp is used in furniture upholstery, bedding, curtains and paper products. Soy fabric is soft and silky. Palm is used in some baskets. Organic cotton can be used for upholstery fabric, bedding, pillows and more. 

• Use sustainable metals that can be recycled such as copper, aluminum and steel. 

• Use solar energy for your home.

Get the Look- Eco-Friendly Design.

So, what does eco-friendly design look like? 

It can really reflect any style that you want. Most of the eco-friendly furniture produced is in a more modern style with fabrics in a wide range of colors and uses beautiful natural wood and bamboo. 

Ethnic rugs, pillows and decorative accessories are often made of natural materials and can create a global style or Bohemian look.

 Whether you are starting fresh with a new home or redoing a whole room, consider making it eco-friendly. Or add eco-friendly elements as you update your look over time. 

 

Eco-Friendly Furniture and Decor

It is easy to find beautiful sustainable products for your home décor. Sometimes these products may cost a little bit more, but it is worth it!

Ready to Create a Beautiful Eco-Friendly Space?

My approach to interior design, termed “Aligned Design,” revolves around three pillars: art, science, and energy. The sweet spot is where they intersect.

Color is central to the science of this design. As a certified color strategist, I harness the science of color to bring unique vibrancy to spaces.

Begin with the Aligned Design blueprint, blending art, science, and your home’s energy. By fusing creativity with color and connection, we can craft your ideal space together.

Learn more about Global style design in my article, Tell Your Story with Global Style Interior Design.  Curious about what Global Style might be right for you? Take the quiz below. Ready to try to get the look in your own home? Try one of my Edesign packages.

Call 907-362-0065 today

 info@northernlightsstaging.com

Download my Brochure

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With the home buying and selling process comes a lot of paperwork. It can be overwhelming, but there are ways to make it easier. Northern Lights Home Staging and Design has compiled some tips and tricks to take the stress out of this process.

Find the Best Rates

Before you start looking for homes, it is important to know what budget you can work within. Carefully estimate what you can afford to buy and research mortgages that will fit your needs and budget. Knowing your budget will help narrow down your options and save time when looking for homes.

Use Tools to Make Collaboration Easy

Digitizing documents into PDF forms helps you keep them organized and easy to find in one place. A PDF merger saves time by quickly merging multiple documents together, eliminating the risk of losing track due to clutter. Conversely, you can use a tool to streamline documents—you may consider this option to delete pages from a PDF for free, so you don’t have to handle massive file sizes.

Track Timeline and Deadlines

A timeline document is an essential tool for tracking key dates and deadlines in the home buying or selling process. The Balance notes that these dates can be used to keep track of important events, such as closing day, as well as any tasks that need to be done before a given deadline. Crosschecking these timelines ensures all steps are completed on time, which is critical for a successful transaction.

 

Plotting key dates in advance is an important part of the home buying and selling process. This will ensure that documents are properly retrieved from storage or sent to other parties to be completed on time. Setting reminders ahead of time is a good idea.

Gather All Your Documents

When selling your home, it’s important to be prepared. Realtor.com suggests collecting necessary documents such as title deeds, mortgage details, and tax information beforehand so that the process is smooth and you get paid promptly once closing day arrives. Not only will this save time, but it can protect you from any potential issues during the sale.

Consider Online Banking

Online banking can help keep track of closing costs, taxes, and legal fees associated with any transaction. It also makes it easier to file taxes at the end of the year since all transactions are documented. Additionally, tracking expenses online eliminates worry over paper receipts getting lost due to clutter or forgetfulness which could lead to unexpected fees in the future.

Color-Code Your Physical Files

Color coding files is a great way to simplify organization during a hectic time. Different colors can represent different categories so that documents are easily identifiable at a glance. This eliminates the hassle of searching through tons of files just to find one document, thus taking away the stress from an already difficult situation.

Stay on Top of Your Budget

Moving to a new home can be an exciting time, setting your sights on a new life ahead, but it is expensive. To make sure you keep track of your budget, create a document listing all your expenses. On the list should be major payments from both parties, as well as estimated costs and what you actually spend. This can identify where potential savings might have been made.

 

 

Buying or selling your next home can be a daunting process with the long list of paperwork you have to handle, but by digitizing and organizing documents, color coding physical files, listing expenses, and researching mortgages beforehand, you can make sure that everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Taking the time to prepare ahead of time will make the home buying or selling process much more straightforward for you.

This article was written by Suzie Wilson of  Happier Home for Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

Tips for Before and After You Buy

Before you buy, you are probably trying to sell your current home as fast and profitably as possible. Home staging is the best way to make that happen and keep your stress levels low while looking for your new home. I can help you sell fast and for more, wherever you live.

Once you buy your new house, if you are like most folks, you move in quickly and everything remains where it is initially placed.  Why not get your colors and design right from the start! Let me help you with an Aligned Design consultation which combines color and design advice and can even create some custom art and decor for you and your new home.

Learn more about Global style design in my article, Tell Your Story with Global Style Interior Design.  Curious about what Global Style might be right for you? Take the quiz below. Ready to try to get the look in your own home? Try one of my Edesign packages.

Examples may contain affiliate links, meaning I may get a small commission for sharing them with you if you buy something, at no additional cost to you.

Aligned Design©– All Rights Reserved.

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Prices are subject to change without notice.

Call 907-362-0065 today

During these uncertain times, it is likely we are going to all be spending more time at home. Whether that is working from home or spending leisure time there rather than going out, it may be the best way to stay safe and healthy for now.

If you have not spent much time at home before, you may be looking around and thinking, wow, I wish my home looked or functioned better! I wish it was more comfortable, cozy, more of a sanctuary or an easy place to work from.

Think of it this way. Maybe it is the perfect time to do some updates or projects to create your perfect sanctuary. All those projects or ideas that you have meant to do but didn’t have time for. Why not now.

It could be painting an interior room, re-organizing, redecorating or refreshing a room or series of rooms. Maybe updating your office space so that it is more beautiful and works better for you.

Maybe it is a great time to set up a workout area to stay healthy and avoid the gym. Maybe set up a place to meditate and relax or listen to music. How about an entertainment area to watch movies or play games? A reading nook with a window seat? Update your kitchen or dining area and do more cooking and entertaining at home with your family.

How about a craft room to start working on those projects you have put off forever or to learn a new art form you always wanted to try? How about a great outdoor living space to relax, read, get fresh air or get more connected to nature. How about starting a garden or working on your landscaping? Why not update your décor so it is more healthy and eco-friendly?  Take an online course,  learn a new language, start a blog or research a future trip.

While social distancing is one way to stay healthy, we are still all connected online and can enjoy each other on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, through Skype or Zoom calls or Facetime.

This too shall pass; we just don’t know how long before that happens. So, why not make the most of the extra time we may have at home and do something productive or make our surroundings more beautiful and fun.

If that idea appeals to you, you might consider Edesign as an option to work online with a designer to come up with great ideas to refresh a room or your whole house.  Create the perfect sanctuary or a home office.  You can take the ideas from your designer and implement them yourself while ordering everything you need online. Check out my Edesign services and let me know if I can help.

In the meantime, I will be writing blog articles on things you can do at home yourself to create your perfect sanctuary, so stay tuned! Or sign up for my monthly design, color or home staging tips so you never miss a great idea.

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