It should be. You may already recognize that for many of us, our office, whether at home or work, often becomes a source of stress. How often do we associate work with enjoyment and relaxation?

If you are like most people, you may have been working at home lately and your experience may not have been fun or relaxing. There are many things you can do to create your perfect office space at home.

An office is more than just its physical components like desks and supplies; it’s about harmonizing art, science, and energy to create the ideal environment. This space should empower you to do what you love, deliver valuable services, enhance lives, and be generously rewarded for your efforts.

Begin by reflecting: Are you pursuing your true calling? Is your work something you’d passionately engage in even without compensation? Does your profession uplift and enrich others? If so, your office should be a sanctuary of joy. If not, perhaps it’s time to design a workspace that nudges you towards that ideal while ensuring your current tasks are handled with ease and efficiency.

I learned alot about the path I was meant to be on as part of the Transformational Coaching Program with Jim Fortin (TCP) I am taking. It helped me determine how to take what I was already doing, Interior Design, and transform the work into something that supported me better. 

How is your workspace arranged? Reflect on the room’s energy dynamics. Feng Shui principles, which often align with intuitive design, suggest avoiding a desk position where your back faces the door. Such a setup might leave you feeling uneasy, as if someone could approach unnoticed. Instead, position your desk to have a clear view of the door, but not directly in its path, preventing you from feeling overwhelmed by the room’s incoming energy flow.

Do you have a great view? Consider how you can “bring the outside in” to your office design. Make a connection to nature with your view, art, accessories or plants to feel more relaxed, happy, and connected.

Think about the hues gracing your space. Opt for colors you’re drawn to, with calming tones like blues and greens or neutrals for a tranquil work environment. For a more invigorating feel, pivot to bolder shades like reds, oranges, or yellows. Harnessing color science ensures a seamless blend with fixed finishes, furnishings, art, and external views. Without this precision, colors might appear pleasant but slightly misaligned, leaving an indefinable sense of discord.

Consider the art of what makes a good office space. Is your furniture beautiful, comfortable and arranged in a way it is easy to move in your space and access your tools and storage? Do you have storage that can hide away most of your work products so your space feels organized and clutter free? That contributes to feeling relaxed and happy, compared to feeling cramped and not knowing where things are or seeing papers everywhere.

Is the art on your walls meaningful to you? Does it make you smile to see it? Do you even have art?  What you see everyday affects your mood. Look for art, a mural or other décor that you love.

A Relaxed and Happy Office EDesign

This Edesign perfectly encompasses the principles discussed earlier, tailored for someone who hosts frequent client meetings.

The desk strategically faces the door but is thoughtfully offset for easy transitions between the desk and client seating. Ample storage solutions grace one wall and are discreetly concealed behind mirror doors, maintaining a clutter-free atmosphere. These mirrored surfaces also double as light reflectors, enhancing the room’s ambiance and showcasing the stunning view beyond.

The decor harmonizes a soothing mural in tranquil shades of green, blue, and purple, seamlessly integrated with custom-designed fractal art that complements the mural’s aesthetics. Natural elements, like the outdoor scenery, potted plants, clay pottery, and bird sculptures, further infuse the space with organic energy.

The room exudes a serene and inviting ambiance through its calming, joyful color palette, with vibrant hues balanced by neutral white and gold furniture, achieving a harmonious and peaceful atmosphere.

This space is an example of a design I created using my Aligned Design process, aligning art, science and energy together to create a perfect office space to support the client to BE their best selves, to do what they love, while helping others and getting paid well for it!

Creating Your Perfect Office Space that makes you relaxed and happy.

Creating that perfect space for you includes developing a plan to aligns art, science and energy in your space and then thoughtfully implementing it. As you consider the benefits of having the perfect office space for you, I would like to show you how you can get that with a Aligned Design consultation today.  

Imagine what it would be like to work in your perfect space. 

When your space is better, you are better. When you are better, the world is better.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.

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Expansion is the thing that we all want. Expansion is a better life than we have now. It is something more, something bigger, something better. We are always striving for expansion.

When people buy something, it is because it provides expansion in some way in their life.

One of the reasons Interior Design is important is it creates expansion. It is worth investing in.

Creating a perfect space for you gives you something more, a better life than you have now.

If you have a business, creating the perfect space that attracts customers is key.  They come because they believe what you are offering is giving them expansion. It may be a better meal, a more luxurious room, an easier life or a more attractive look.

If you are selling a house, home staging, which is like Interior Design for home buyers, creates an atmosphere that the new house offers expansion, or a better life than the buyer has now.

Has the last year made you rethink how you are living your life and what is important? Maybe it is time for some expansion in your own life.

Have you noticed while spending more time at home that many things may not be serving you to create a better life?

Does your home serve you as your workplace, sanctuary, gym, school, or whatever you need it to be?

Imagine a home that looks great, feels great, and supports you so that you can be great:).

Creating a perfect space is important. Why wait?

How Aligned Design Creates Expansion

Interior design, especially when integrated with the principles of aligned design, plays a pivotal role in shaping our experiences, influencing our emotions, and improving the overall quality of our lives. Here’s how:

1. Space Optimization: Efficiently designed spaces can make a room feel larger, airier, and more open. This spatial expansion can have a psychological effect, making inhabitants feel less confined or restricted.
2. Harmonious Flow: Aligned design often emphasizes creating a harmonious flow within a space. When items and furnishings are positioned in a way that complements natural human movement and activities, it reduces obstacles and enhances functionality.
3. Emotional Impact: Colors, textures, and patterns can all influence our emotions. For example, calming colors like soft blues or greens can reduce anxiety, while brighter shades might energize a space.
4. Improved Productivity and Focus: A well-designed home office or study area can boost productivity by minimizing distractions and providing an organized environment.
5. Health and Well-being: Incorporating natural light, plants, and elements of nature can improve air quality and bring about a sense of well-being. This connection to nature is often referred to as biophilic design.
6. Personal Reflection: When our homes or workspaces reflect our personalities, values, and passions, we feel more connected to them. This personal connection can improve mood and create a sense of belonging.
7. Safety and Comfort: Good design ensures that spaces are not only aesthetically pleasing but also safe and comfortable. Ergonomic furniture can prevent body strain, while proper lighting can prevent eye fatigue.
8. Social Cohesion: Open-concept designs or communal areas can encourage social interaction and strengthen familial or communal ties.
9. Flexibility for Life Changes: A design aligned with the inhabitant’s life can adapt to changes, whether it’s making space for a new family member or adjusting to a work-from-home routine.
10. Enhanced Aesthetics: Beauty has an intrinsic value. Being in a space that is visually pleasing can elevate mood and enrich daily life.
11. Sustainability and Longevity: Sustainable design choices ensure that the space is not only good for the inhabitants but also for the planet. These choices often lead to longer-lasting, durable design solutions that don’t need frequent updating or replacing.
12. Power of Energy Art: Integrating energy art into interior design can be transformative. Energy art, often imbued with intention or inspired by certain frequencies, can act as a focal point that resonates with inhabitants, evoking emotions, memories, or aspirations. Such pieces can serve as daily reminders of one’s purpose, dreams, or spiritual journey, amplifying the energy in a room and facilitating personal and spatial expansion. When art is more than just decorative, but carries a deeper energetic resonance, it can catalyze introspection, motivation, and a profound sense of connection to the broader universe.

In summary, interior design, particularly when it’s aligned with the specific needs and lifestyles of its inhabitants, can create a profound impact on daily life. It goes beyond mere aesthetics, deeply influencing our emotional, physical, and psychological well-being. Combined with other elements of aligned design, energy art can amplify the holistic benefits of a space, making it not just aesthetically pleasing but also spiritually enriching.

Get the Look

This Edesign I created of this beautiful bedroom is an example of expansion. This bedroom is relaxing, yet happy and inspiring. It brings the outside in. It is eco-friendly. It provides a  calm and relaxing retreat or sanctuary to spend time in front of the fire with your special someone. This design could be for a homeowner, or for a business if you had a hotel or Bed and Breakfast. It is also a beautiful example of how a bedroom could be staged if you were selling the home. In each case, it shows an example of a better life and appeals to people’s emotions.

Aligned Design

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

Interior design is not just about arranging beautiful furnishings or picking attractive colors; it’s a blend of art, science, and energy.

• Art: This is the creative aspect we often associate with interior design. It includes selecting furniture, decor, lighting, and architectural details to create a cohesive and appealing space tailored to one’s lifestyle.
• Science: This brings a higher dimension to design, especially when considering color. Instead of just relying on personal preference, using color science ensures that the hues in a space not only look good but also evoke the desired emotions. Furthermore, understanding eco-friendly and sustainable design options means creating spaces that are both beautiful and responsible.
• Energy: This is about making deeper connections. It’s tying the design to personal stories, aspirations, and the surrounding environment, including elements of Feng Shui and biophilia. When a space resonates on this level, it elevates the overall experience from just being in a room to feeling truly connected to it.

In essence, a truly transformative space considers all these pillars holistically, aligning them perfectly to create magic in design.

Are You Ready to Create Expansion in Your Life?

Are you ready for your house to look great, feel great and support you to be great? Let’s get started with an Aligned Design consultation today.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.

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I am so glad you are here.I get it.

After potentially spending more time than usual at home in the last few years, have you found yourself yearning for a change? Perhaps you’ve felt your space is too cramped, cluttered, or simply doesn’t resonate with your tastes anymore.

Amidst ambitions of career growth, health, and nurturing relationships, our surroundings can often take a backseat. Yet, they hold profound influence over our well-being. In times of uncertainty, refining our living spaces can provide a semblance of control and positivity.

It’s time to prioritize our living environment. Making even small changes can be a refreshing step towards creating a harmonious sanctuary that supports all aspects of your life.

Are you open to embracing change? Personally, during times when the world feels chaotic, I find solace in cleaning, decluttering, organizing, and redecorating. Enhancing my living environment brings a sense of control and stability to my life.

Have you realized how important living in a great space is to your well-being?

While you have a keen eye for decor and a passion for design, do you ever feel like things just aren’t falling into place? Perhaps you’ve collected beautiful pieces over the years, but your space doesn’t feel cohesive. Maybe the task of selecting the right paint shade leaves you overwhelmed, or decluttering seems like a monumental task. Over time, instead of getting better, does it feel like your decor challenges are amplifying?

You’re not alone; I’ve walked in those shoes too.

I faced those challenges as well. Picking colors used to be a source of frustration for me until I became a certified color strategist and delved into the world of color science. Designing a home that truly resonated with me was a struggle before I embraced the role of a designer and learned more about how everything is energy.

In my personal transformation journey, I realized how design nourishes who we want to be so we can live our best lives.  I delved more deeply into how Feng Shui and Biophilia can connect our homes to nature to create positive, healthy energy in our spaces. To learn more about personal transformation, check out the Jim Fortin podcast.

We all spend more time at home than almost anywhere else. Living in a place that we love, that reflects us, nourishes our spirit, and supports our journey to be who we are meant to be is important!

After all, the world needs us.

The better we are, the more we can contribute to the world. A beautiful, colorful, and energetically aligned home is the perfect environment to make that happen.

My Aligned Design philosophy aligns Art, Science, and Energy to make magic happen in your home and life.

I believe in creating beautiful, colorful homes that look and feel great and energetically enhance your life.

When your space is better, you are better. When you are better, the world is better.

Are You Ready to Create Your Perfect Space?

I assume if you have read this far, you are serious about making a change you know will make you happy.

Let me help you take that trip to your perfect space in a Ferrari instead of a stagecoach. Try my Aligned Design consultation and let’s get started.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.

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At the end of a long day, what is nicer than having a beautiful space that you love to unwind and relax.

Kick back and enjoy a wonderful glass of wine with your family, friends, or just your amazing self.

So what do you need? Your perfect space and a perfect glass of wine.

Create Your Perfect Space

Let’s start with creating your perfect space. A place that feels like your sanctuary, tells your story, and gives you a feeling of comfort and relaxation as soon as you walk in.

As an example, I created this beautiful Bohemian style living room that celebrates jewel tones mixed with beautiful woods, soft denim. upholstered walls,  colorful global style rugs and pillows, unique artisan tables, one-of-a-kind art, and beautiful lighting.

Follow your heart’s desire!

Add vintage pieces, globally inspired textiles, and rugs, and display your collections of cool things found at markets. thrift stores and in your travels.

Add glamorous fabrics, lighting, and accessories. Anything goes if it makes you happy.

Bohemian 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. Mix antiques 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.

For style elements, I created a mono-chromatic color scheme using denim blue for the relaxing feeling it evokes. I upholstered the walls with denim for a unique look. I mixed that with beautiful wood furniture and hardwood maple flooring to give an earthy and relaxed feeling that brings the outside in, mixed with my unique fractal art. I mixed different textures and styles with velvet, cotton, leather, wood, rattan, textured pottery and wool.

I mixed modern side chairs with a more rustic and ethnic coffee table and side tables. I mixed my modern computer fractal art with faux horn mirrors. The rug has a vintage look against the modern sofa and velvet side chair.

My design is more curated, and less is more.

I used this beautiful Kachina maple flooring from the Revel Woods Skyway Collection.

Named for the petroglyphs, this natural bridge in National Monument, Utah is the widest and youngest bridge in the park. The rich colors and variation of this natural maple floor are inspired by this natural bridge.

According to Revel Woods, “Perhaps the most important symbol of human ingenuity is the bridge. Whether it’s crossing a fast-moving river, or spanning a dangerous crevasse, a bridge makes these impossible tasks so simple we tend to take them for granted, yet there is a tremendous amount of science and technology that goes into each one. For our American Skyways Collection we looked to these engineering marvels for inspiration as we present a flooring collection that bridges the gap between traditional looks and modern technology. This collection is a very traditional look, but contains several technological advancements such as a bleeding-edge flex core technology to improve performance, as well as our new R-air finish, which neutralizes harmful compounds to create cleaner air in the space”.

My fractal art is called The Sea and is based on the beautiful colors and feeling of white caps on the ocean. The blues bring the outside in and create a calm and relaxing atmosphere. They work beautifully with the denim velvet upholstered walls.

Create Your Wine-Bar

Creating a small wine bar area is easy. Find a cabinet that you love that can store some of your favorite bottles of wine, and your favorite glassware, and a Plum Wine Dispenser! It does not need to take a lot of space.  The setup in your living room enables you to enjoy the perfect glass of your favorite wine in your favorite room, easily. And, it is a great place to entertain friends.

In this design, I used a cabinet with a combination of open and closed shelves with room for wine bottles, glasses, and a few decorative items, and of course the Plum Wine Dispenser. The Plum can sit on a countertop or can be built in to the wall. The focal point is the beautiful watercolor wallpaper mural that sets the space apart.

The Plum Wine Dispenser fits right on your countertop or wherever you choose to create your mini-bar.

It holds two bottles of wine and automatically preserves, chills, and serves any bottle by the glass.

Change the Look

Change the look with some different area rugs or paint colors. All of these could work.

Learn More about Bohemian and Global Style Design

I have written numerous articles on Bohemian style Interior Design and other Global Style you may like. Check out my articles and why not take my style quiz and see which style might be right for you!

Take the Quiz

Let’s Create Your Global Style Design

Are you ready for your house to go to the next level where your house looks great, feels great and supports you to be great? Imagine that. 

What’s it like when you are living in the perfect space for you?

My philosophy of great Interior Design, which I call Aligned Design, considers three key factors; art, science and energy. The intersection of the three is where the magic happens.

Creating a space that envelops you in your vision of beauty and  color, while fine tuning the energy of your space to promote wealth, health, love and perfect self-expression aligns you with the universe, allowing you to live your best life so you can make a positive impact on the world.

Global style Interior Design is part of the art of great design and one of things you are really going to love about creating the perfect space for you.

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Transitions Make Magic Happen

Its the moments between the moments, the transitions, where the real magic happens.

Every dance is made up of a series of moves, but how a dancer goes from one move to the next shows what they are made of and creates the flow of the whole performance.

What happens in that space between the moves? I bet you never thought of that. 

Is it like watching a slide show, where you see one picture, and then the next and the next?  Or is it like a film or video where the transition between moves is seamless so you do not notice any break in the action?

And is it truly a work of art, where each transition is just as beautiful as the move that came before and what comes next?

The most amazing dancers put their hearts and souls into the transitions! Take a photo during any part of it and it will be a beautiful moment.

The transition leads the audience from one part of the dance to the next, telling the story in such a way that nothing breaks the magic.

Even in moments where there seems to be a pause, the energy continues to flow and move, pointing o what is coming next.

Interior Design Lessons from Dance

How does this relate to Interior Design, you wonder? Well, transitions play a pivotal role in weaving the enchantment, whether on the dance floor or within your living space. Welcome to Part 9 of my insights, drawn from my experiences in dance, on the art of crafting your ideal environment.

As I grow older, I’ve come to realize the profound interconnections that exist within the realm of artistic expression. The very principles that underpin the mesmerizing beauty of dance are equally applicable to the realm of Interior Design, or indeed, any other form of artistic endeavor. All it takes is a discerning eye, an attentive ear, and a receptive heart to uncover these shared truths.

It always seems to come back to the alignment between art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection) that makes the magic happen. I use this alignment to create both beautiful dance pieces and interiors.

Learn more in some of my other articles:

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing : Surprise Me.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing and Learning to Tell a Great Story.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- There Can Only Be One Star.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Be Brave.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with Shapes.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with a Focal Point.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing.

How Do Transitions Relate to Interior Design?

Ever walked into a house and instantly felt a sense of tranquility, with each room flowing seamlessly into the next? Conversely, have you ever felt slightly overwhelmed or uneasy, unable to pinpoint why, while navigating another home? This feeling often hinges on the art of transitions.

Transitions are the bridges between distinct spaces. They manifest in entryways, hallways, staircases, and even doorways leading to different rooms. Beyond the indoors, a window offering a view of the outdoors acts as a transition, merging the external and internal environments.

Within rooms, transitions might be found between separate seating arrangements or areas dedicated to diverse functions. Think of them as choreography in the dance of interior design, guiding your movement and experience.

Harmony emerges when there’s a purposeful connection between these spaces. Whether it’s through congruent colors, shapes, textures, or other design elements, these transitions create an interwoven tapestry of design that pleases the senses and soothes the soul.

Creating Beautiful Transitions

Enhancing transitions within your home’s decor is effortlessly achieved through the strategic use of color.

A clever approach involves selecting a consistent color that appears in each room, even if it serves as a subtle accent in some spaces while taking center stage in others. This establishes a unifying thread throughout your home.

Alternatively, you can experiment with varying shades of the same color or opt for a monochromatic color scheme that spans your entire living space.

Another effective method is to designate a primary color as the foundation for your interior palette, with all other rooms harmonizing with this chosen hue. This way, your home’s color schemes work together seamlessly, creating a sense of cohesion, whether you’re employing complementary, triadic, diadic, or other color schemes.

Transitions from Outdoors to Indoors

The entryway of your home carries immense significance, particularly if your home serves as your place of business. It’s the initial point where visitors form impressions about your residence and, by extension, you as the owner. This impression is shaped by various factors, including the exterior aesthetics, colors, landscaping, surroundings, neighborhood, and the design and color of your front door.

For this Bed and Breakfast, the flow between the exterior and interior is not working well.

While the exterior boasts a vibrant dark teal blue complemented by a striking hot pink door, the interior’s existing paint palette hasn’t been updated to match.

Then you enter and experience the transition to the interior. Do they go together?  How does it feel?

The entryway is painted in a shade of blue, which works well since it belongs to the same hue family as the exterior color. However, when you peer through the doorway, you transition from the yellow living room with its assorted accents of rust and blue into the red kitchen

The yellow walls aren’t a major issue because yellow stands opposite to blue on the color wheel, making them complementary. However, the presence of red clashes with the teal.

The most straightforward solution is to repaint the kitchen. It could be refreshed with a neutral white, a similar yellow, or perhaps a shade of blue or green that harmonizes better with the exterior color. Furthermore, a makeover is in order to modernize the entire area and bid farewell to the outdated 1990s faux painting.

Just envision the welcoming atmosphere that would greet you upon entering.

Transitions Between Rooms

Transitions happen in every space where there are entrances and sightlines into adjacent rooms, regardless of whether it’s an open concept or not, as seen in the previous example.

In the illustration below, you’ll notice that the two rooms share a similar color palette. They both feature the same wall color, and there are resemblances in the colors of the bed, rug, and pillow in comparison to the living room pillow.

I could change the wall color or the bedroom to an off white or gray, which still ties in to colors in the living room and the transition is still beautiful.

Or, I could pick a clashing color that may look nice in the bedroom, but in the context of the transition between rooms does not work as with this green.

Transitions between the Outside and Inside

Another important transition is between the outside and inside. Wherever you have windows with views you want to highlight, the transition is important and can often be the focal point of the room. Find similarity in colors and patterns you see outside and bring them into your interior in your art, decor or wall colors.

For example, in the bedroom below, the whole design is based on the view and the colors of ocean and sky. To create the smooth transition from outdoors to indoors, and make the room feel one with the outdoors, the color of the wall, bed, bedding, furnishings and even my custom designed fractal art all were harmonious with the colors  and patters of the outdoors.

In the design below, the colors of the forest, sky,

and trees were used in the furnishings, pillows and rug.

Get the Look

See some of my energy art in the designs above on Society6 and Fine Art America.

“Icefield” and “Arctic Night” by Mary Ann Benoit of Northern Lights Home Staging and Design.

“Watercolor” fractal art collection by Mary Ann Benoit of Northern Lights Home Staging and Design. 

Are You Ready to Create Beautiful Transitions in Your Home?

Knowing the elements that craft your ideal space, are you prepared to bring that vision to life in your home? If you were certain that the perfect environment would elevate your life, you’d jump at the chance, right?

Let’s tell your unique story and find the alignment of art, science, and energy that makes you happy.  Try my Aligned Design consultation and let’s get started.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.

Aligned Design©– All Rights Reserved.

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Prices are subject to change without notice.

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Bohemian style celebrates warm earthy colors, metals and jewel tones. Bohemian decor often uses deep browns, greens, grays or other neutral colors for base colors, then accessorizes with saturated purple, fiery orange, and electric blue and other jewel tones.

Bohemian style lovers are often carefree, dislike rules and want to follow their heart’s desire!

Do you like vintage furniture and light fixtures, globally inspired textiles and rugs, and love displaying your collections of cool things found at markets. thrift stores and in your travels?

I bet you like glamorous fabrics, lighting and accessories with well-worn items, antiques or cool pieces from other styles. Anything goes if it makes you happy. More is more!

Bohemian 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.

Get the Look and Celebrate Your Favorite Color- Blue!

A great way to get the look of Bohemian style is with a beautiful area rug. It can become a focal point for your room and help guide the color scheme and your choices for accents and accessories such as throw pillows, art, lighting, and more.

Celebrate your favorite color by picking a rug that highlights it and build the rest of your room around the work of art you picked for your floor.

One of my favorite colors is blue, so here are some examples of my favorite blue Bohemian or global style rugs.

My Favorite Blue Global Style Rugs

I changed the look of the following living room by changing the rug and sometimes the paint color. See how the room changes its look and feeling just by changing the pattern of the rug and shades of blue in the room, while still using the same art, furniture and accessories.

CRAIL AREA RUG

I love the colors and the abstract modern watercolor design of this rug.

BARN AREA RUG

This rug has a Transitional, Bohemian, Vintage vibe.

THOUSANDSTICKS AREA RUG

Love the rich teal colors in this  Bohemian, Vintage rug made in Turkey.

BEVERLY AREA RUG

Love the colors and the textured look of this more contemporary design.

KENMARE AREA RUG

One of my favorites, I just love the design and colors of this Bohemian, Vintage rug.

And for those of you a little scared of so much color, you can still get your blue fix with the rugs, furnishings and art and go neutral on the walls.

LIMESTONE AREA RUG

I love the vintage look of this area rug, and it is a great rug if you love darker blues.

KAI Area Rug

Here is a beautiful Bohemian-style rug that you could use with a dramatic blue room or a more neutral room. I have also used some of my fractal art, called Bioluminescence in this design.

Let’s Create Your Global Style Design

Are you ready for your house to go to the next level where your house looks great, feels great, and supports you to be great? Imagine that. 

What’s it like when you are living in the perfect space for you?

My philosophy of great Interior Design, which I call Aligned Design, considers three key factors; art, science and energy. The intersection of the three is where the magic happens.

Creating a space that envelops you in your vision of beauty and color, while fine-tuning the energy of your space to promote wealth, health, love, and perfect self-expression aligns you with the universe, allowing you to live your best life so you can make a positive impact on the world.

Global style Interior Design is part of the art of great design and one of the things you are really going to love about creating the perfect space for yourself. Are you ready to immerse yourself in rich beautiful colors and truly tell your story?

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.

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Every Part Must Do Its Part

Music is made of parts and every part is critical to making the magic happen. When they work together perfectly, then you have created a masterpiece!

All music has a structure. This usually includes a series of parts in order such as an introduction, a verse that is repeated several times with variations, a chorus or bridge that is different, and often the memorable highlight of the piece, a few more verses, and an ending. Often there are solos in the chorus.

All of these parts help build and tell the story and create something “delicious to the ears” as my drum teacher Amir likes to say.

Within the structure, there are more parts. These are the instruments, which layered together create a rich, delicious song for your ears. Eash has an important role to play in the final result.

The drums keep the rhythm for all the instruments. The bass is the bridge between the drums and the melodic instruments, playing both rhythm and melody. And there are several melodic instruments.

The melodic instruments usually take turns supporting each other with one or two playing the main role while the others back them up playing supporting roles or harmonies.

In the video below I created a 13 beat piece of music and played all the parts myself. Even as a one-woman band, I needed to make sure all the parts would work perfectly in harmony with the others and each supported the whole.

Mary Ann Benoit performing all the parts of her composition, For the Love of 13’s.

In many pieces, every instrument has a chance to be the star for a short time during a solo or by playing a more prominent part, while the others back them up. But, there should only be one star (at least at a time).

The magic happens because of the layers, which work in harmony for the greater good of the musical composition.  The collaboration creates something much more beautiful than any particular part or instrument on its own.

Even if all the instruments are the same, the layers of all working together to create one piece is magical.

Khoda, performed on Dafs and Frame Drums by students at Amir’s School of Music.

Yet, every part has a chance to shine. The piece needs just the right number of parts, no more or less.

Interior Design Lessons from Dance

What does this have to do with Interior Design?

Your perfect space has a structure, tells a story, and is layered with pieces that all have their supporting roles and time to shine. When done in perfect harmony, that is when the magic happens.

This is Part 2 in my revelations from lessons learned from playing music on how to create your perfect space.

The older I get, the more I realize the connections between all things artistic. The same principles apply to making the magic happen in Interior Design or any other art form. You just need to open your eyes, listen, and feel it to notice.

It always seems to come back to the alignment between art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection) that makes the magic happen. I use this alignment to create both beautiful dance pieces and interiors.

To learn more, see Part 1, I Learned to All my Interior Design Problems by Playing Music.

You might also enjoy my series on lessons I learned about Interior Design from dancing:

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing: The Magic of Transitions.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing : Surprise Me.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing and Learning to Tell a Great Story.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- There Can Only Be One Star.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Be Brave.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with Shapes.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with a Focal Point.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing.

Intro, Verses, Chorus and Finale

Like a piece of music, your design also has a structure. You can think of it as an introduction, verses that lead to the dramatic chorus, more verses, and an ending.

As you enter the room, the flow to your focal point is like your introduction. All the supporting pieces that create the meat of the room and the story are like your verses. The focal point or main attraction is like your chorus or bridge and then you have an exit or end. All working together, tell the story of the room.

Play Your Part

Like instruments that each add a different sound and unique character to the music, your design parts include your flooring, furnishings, accessories, art, and lighting. They all need to coordinate and work together to create something more beautiful together than any individual part. The parts all have roles to play. If they are not contributing to a better “whole piece” than it may be “clutter” and should be removed.

Take a Solo

Musical compositions often allow the instruments to take a solo and have their time to shine while being supported by the other players.

Your art is often the focal point or soloist. Why not take a cue from music and change out your art to change the look and feel of your room from time to time. It creates a more interesting composition.

Here is an example of this same room (an Edesign by Northern Lights Home Staging and Design), with different art or “soloists”. See how the energy of the room changes by changing the art?

https://northernlightsstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/FB_change_art.mp4

Playing with One Instrument or Many

One playing with a group of similar instruments, each piece still needs to add to the overall texture of the compositions in the Daf arrangement for Khoda above.

This neutral living room is an example of a musical piece with all the same instruments, due to the similar neutral colors. Each part stands out with its different patterns or textures to add to the final design.

This monochromatic and neutral design as the same feeling in that all the parts are very similar, but the subtle but interesting differences of the individual elements creates a beautiful layered final design.

In the Edesign below, all the parts are very different, as when you have a musical piece with many instruments. When the parts are so different, extra care must be taken to make sure all the parts work in harmony (such as with your color palette).

Are You Ready to Create Your Masterpiece?

Now that you know some of the elements that work together to create your perfect space, are you ready to take action to make it happen in your home? If you knew absolutely for certain that creating a perfect space would create a better life for you, you would do it, wouldn’t you?

Let’s tell your unique story and find the alignment of art, science, and energy that makes you happy.  Let me help you take that trip to your perfect space in a Ferrari instead of a stagecoach. Try my Aligned Design consultation and let’s get started.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.

Get Your Free Issue of Seasonal Living Magazine!

Contrast is the Key to Striking Beauty

While in my doumbek class last week, my drum teacher Amir Etemadzadeh, who is a native of Iran was talking about the importance of being able to distinguish clearly all the notes we can make on our drums. The more notes, the better.  The more clearly they are different from each other, the better and more beautiful it sounds to the listener.

Amir describes it as creating a beautiful and delicious meal and all the notes are like the spices and layers that make it delicious to the ears. 

As he waxes poetic about the beauty of contrast and how critical it is to distinguish the doum from the slap, and how the Teks and Kas should be as bright and high as possible, my mind wanders to Interior Design and the importance of contrast there as well. 

In music, if the notes are not easily distinguishable, they can all start to sound the same, and some notes will make others sound muddy or dull because each is not living up to its full potential. Your playing becomes boring for the audience.

Interior Design Lessons from Dance

What does it have to do with Interior Design?

Just as a drummer wants their music to sound delicious to the ears, we want our rooms to look delicious to our eyes. Contrast is one of the keys to creating great beauty.

This is Part 1 in my revelations from playing music on how to create your perfect space. 

The older I get, the more I realize the connections between all things artistic. The same principles apply to making the magic happen in Interior Design or any other art form. You just need to open your eyes, listen, and feel it to notice.

It always seems to come back to the alignment between art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection) that makes the magic happen. I use this alignment to create both beautiful dance pieces and interiors.

You might also enjoy my series on lessons I learned about Interior Design from dancing:

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing : The Magic of Transitions.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing : Surprise Me.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing and Learning to Tell a Great Story.

I Learned To Solve All My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Bring on the Bling.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- There Can Only Be One Star.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Be Brave.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with Shapes.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with a Focal Point.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing.

How Does Contrast Relate to Interior Design?

Contrast is important in creating interest and making you feel something in the room. You can create contrast with color, texture, shapes, lighting, levels, patterns, sizes and more.

The more contrast between things, the more they each stand out and shine with their own inherent beauty, complimenting each other, rather than one stealing the spotlight and making the other look dull.

There is a lot of complexity to this subject. Today, I will focus on color.

Creating Contrast with Whites and Neutrals

As my teacher spoke about the sounds of the drum, the first thing that came to mind was how important contrast is when using the color white.

White. How seemingly simple but how complex. Many, when confused about color will say, lets just paint it white and be done with it. Haha, well, that just opened a big can of worms.

There are so many whites out there, it is amazing. Why? Because white is a color, just like any other, and is ultimately, the least saturated or a low saturation of a hue. Example, take a blue and reduce its chroma until it looks white, It is still that same blue, but with very little chroma. That is why all whites look so different.

P. S., it has nothing to do with so called “undertones”, which is just a word people use that do not understand color science to subjectively describe what they see.

No big deal, until you decide to mix whites in your space. One white can make another look muddy, or dirty, or just “off”.

Why? You need to make sure there is enough difference in chroma to easily distinguish the two whites. And there should still be some color harmony between the hues the whites come from. Whites that are opposites on the color wheel look better together than ones that are so close to each other that they look off.

Neutrals are the same as whites. They just have a little more chroma.

Finding the beauty of a neutral palette using various shades of whites, off whites and neutrals with enough contrast to see all the variations can be gorgeous. Throw in a variety of shapes and textures to add even more interest and variety.

Get the Look

 Here is an example of a beautiful and relaxing Edesign I created using whites and neutrals with contrasting colors and textures.  

Creating Contrast with Opposite Colors

Of course, you can get maximum contrast with saturated hues. The highest degree of contrast comes from either using black and white, or opposite colors on the color wheel, which creates a complimentary color scheme.

Maximum Contrast with Black and White

Maximum Contrast with a Complimentary Color Scheme

Blue and yellow are opposites or compliments on the color wheel. Each makes the other look even more vibrant.

In the Edesign below, the green in my Spring Fractal Art is the complement of the purple walls. It has the effect of making the art really pop!

Are You Ready to Create Beauty Through Contrast in Your Home?

Now that you know some of the elements that work together to create your perfect space, are you ready to take action to make it happen in your home? If you knew absolutely for certain that creating a perfect space would create a better life for you, you would do it, wouldn’t you?

Let’s tell your unique story and find the alignment of art, science, and energy that makes you happy.  Let me help you take that trip to your perfect space in a Ferrari instead of a stagecoach. Try my Aligned Design consultation and let’s get started.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.

Get Your Free Issue of Seasonal Living Magazine!

Bring on the Bling

A dance performance needs some bling.

It can be sparkly and glittery jewelry or fabrics that create magic under the stage lights. It can be accessories that make musical or percussive sounds as you move. It might be the tassels and sparkly bits that show off your movements. It could be or a costume with cultural elements that tells the story of the dance or the culture it came from.  The bling adds depth, excitement and the final touches.

It is about more than beauty. It’s about the story it tells and the mood it creates.

It’s like the jewelry that completes the perfect black dress. The jewelry says who you are, how you are feeling, and the mood you are setting for your evening.

It is also like the elements or accessories that finish off the perfect space in your home.

For example, I am in a dance company named “Tavus”, which means peacock in Persian.  The peacock is a sacred bird in Persian mythology and a symbol of royalty and power. The peacock has been sacred and revered throughout history by many cultures.

We designed classical Persian coats by attaching beautiful peacock appliques to sequined blue material to tell the story of our dance company. We designed  hats that have a peacock and peacock feathers. Our jewelry highlights the peacock colors and resembles a peacock tail. Everything sparkles under the lights, shows off movement, and a variety of textures.

Our bling tells the story of who we are, and adds depth and texture, like adding the shadows in a painting so you bring out the three dimensions.

Interior Design Lessons from Dance

What does it have to do with Interior Design? I learned to solve all my Interior Design problems by dancing. This is Part 6 in my revelations from dancing on how to create your perfect space.

The older I get, the more I realize the connections between all things artistic. The same principles apply to making the magic happen in Interior Design or any other art form. You just need to open your eyes, listen, and feel it to notice.

It always seems to come back to the alignment between art (creativity), science (color), and energy (connection) that makes the magic happen. I use this alignment to create both beautiful dance pieces and interiors.

Learn more in my other five articles:

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- There Can Only Be One Star.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Be Brave.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with Shapes.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing- Create Drama with a Focal Point.

I Learned to Solve all My Interior Design Problems by Dancing.i

How Does Bling Relate to Interior Design?

As in dance, bling, is what finishes off the room, creates the mood, and helps tell the story.  Bling is the special elements, accessories, and accents.

Here are some examples of some favorite accessories or elements that can help create your perfect space. Some contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you buy something at no additional cost to you.

It is about more than beauty. It’s about the story it tells and the mood it creates.

Fire Can be the Best Bling

Fire adds light, sparkle, warmth and a magic all its own. It can be your best bling. A fireplace is perfect in a bedroom or living room. Candles can create the same effect on a smaller scale.

In the Edesign I created below,  the fireplace and candles are the main bling. Additional accessories which would highlight the colors and natural elements of this beach front bedroom are listed below.   

https://northernlightsstaging.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Copy-of-Animated-Fireplace.mp4

Natural Elements Make Great Bling

Nature is great bling. A spectacular view highlighted by natural decor elements creates an inspiring and relaxing space.

While accessories made of natural elements such as wood, stone, plants, metals, and more are not often shiny, sparkly, or dramatic, they add warmth and texture and align the energy in your space with the outdoors.

In the Edesign I created below, the view is the bling, highlighted by natural elements for the decor such as the wood table, stone lamps and planter and plants. Everything is very simple, letting the view stand out as the main decor element.

Lighting is Great Bling

Lighting adds beauty, color, style and  creates the ambiance that can really make a room.  Layers of lights create the magic. Use overhead lighting, floor lamps, table lamps, and spotlighting for art and other elements. Learn more in my blog article, How to Make Magic Happen in Your Home with Lighting.

Below are some of my favorite table lamps. Some contain affiliate links.

Are You Ready to Create Your Perfect Space?

Now that you know some of the elements that work together to create your perfect space, are you ready to take action to make it happen in your home?

Let’s tell your unique story and find the alignment of art, science, and energy that makes you happy.  Let me help you take that trip to your perfect space in a Ferrari instead of a stagecoach. Try my Aligned Design consultation and let’s get started.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.

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Some time or another, we all get our five minutes of fame, or infamy depending on what you do with it. I think your choices tell a lot about who you are.

I have had many chances for my five minutes of fame on the radio, on the dance or music stage, in publications and more. This time felt a little different, maybe because the audience seemed so big!

I thought I would share my experience, in case it helps you when your five minutes comes around:)

The Experience

I had a call from the Podcast Business News Network in New York City, inviting me to do an interview on home staging and Interior Design. The man I spoke to gave me the impression the interview would be about 20 minutes and it would happen either the next day or the day after. They found my name on the Staging Diva Directory of Home Stagers. They mentioned how they had 21 million listeners live and 40 million listeners total. There were about 100,000 in Alaska where I live (mouth drop).

I asked if I would know what the questions were in advance and they said yes. They also said it was free, and there was no obligation. The interview would be live and then I would get a link to the recording to share on social media or wherever I wanted.

I thought OK, what the heck. What could go wrong other than saying something dumb when 20 million people could hear me. Why not. Sign me up.

I was transferred to someone else who was to schedule me. Then I was told it was only 5 minutes and they would send me a questionnaire to fill out. Hmmm, OK, well that is fine too.

I got my questions quickly by email, took the evening to consider my responses, and sent them in the next day. I considered what message I really wanted to get across, and practiced, timing myself to make sure it could be said in under 5 minutes. Not easy! There was a lot of editing.

Other People’s Reaction to the Upcoming Interview

Now it gets interesting. I posted some info about the interview, the day and time, and how people could tune in. I hoped a few people might be interested and it would be easier picturing some friendly faces listening.

Friends on Facebook were all very supportive.

Crickets from anyone on my Facebook business page.

Some colleagues downplayed it or warned me about it. One said, oh I got one of those messages and deleted it. Another mentioned the red flags to consider, such as the reviews made it sound like the show was a bunch of infomercials and it may just be about selling me something. Others just ignored my post altogether. After all, most of us are busy with our own stuff with no time to waste listening to interviews.

The Facebook group I am in for a business class was incredibly supportive, with all kinds of positive things to say and suggestions on how to make the most of the interview, especially the call to action at the end.

My mom said, oh I will be busy then so can’t listen. You will do fine.

After all that, I had mixed emotions, running from nerves to excitement to wondering if I was being taken in by some too good to be a true scam.

What Would You Do?

What would you do? 

I started thinking, if I help 1 person out of the supposed 41 million just by jabbering on for 5 minutes, it is all worth it.

Whatever happens, I can share it in a blog article and help others as well.

All the preparation for the interview helped me clarify how I describe my new Aligned Design system to people which will help me with my website copy.

I learned a lot from my business class friends about how to make the most of these short interviews when the opportunity presents itself.

I also learned to consider what the red flags might be and if they were worth not doing it for. 

The Interview

Please give a description of your company and the products/services you offer.

Northern Lights Home Staging and Design offers Color Consulting, Edesign, Interior Design, and Home Staging, for homes and businesses in south-central Alaska and everywhere online. I also create a one-of-a-kind fractal art home décor. My unique method, called Aligned Design aligns art, science, and energy to create the perfect space for you or your customers. Considering these three key things together what makes the magic happen.  

2. How long have you been in business?

7 years.

3. Tell us about your background and business.

• Homeowners hire me to collaborate with them to create the perfect space for them, which makes them happy and it supports them in being their best selves. I think of this as creating “expansion”, or the look and feel of a “better, happier life”. Who doesn’t want that!.
• Business owners also hire me to create that perfect space to attract their ideal customers. People buy when they think you are offering something that makes their lives better or happier in some way, whether it is an experience or a product.
• Home sellers hire me to create that perfect space through home staging. I portray the possibility of that “better life” which makes an emotional connection with buyers so they make an offer.

Creating the Look and Feel of Something More, and a Happier, Better Life

To create the look and feel of something more, and happier, better life, I use a holistic approach, that aligns art, science, and energy,

Art is the creativity I use to express your style, tell your story and create a room that is beautiful to you.

Science is the color science which I use to help you create your perfect color palette. As one of the few color strategists in the country, I measure your colors and use color data as well as what looks great to give your extraordinary color.

Energy is the connection I create between you and your space and surroundings using tools like Feng Shui, and biophilia or connecting to the outdoors. 

Example of Creating Expansion

Imagine,  a master bedroom that looks like a calm, relaxing sanctuary with great views of the ocean and a fireplace. The design and colors connect with the outdoors. It had beautiful furniture and art, soft rugs and a fireplace with 2 chairs and a bottle of wine. For a homeowner, this “perfect space” would provide a sanctuary at the end of the day. For a business owner, say a Bed and Breakfast owner, the room would offer an experience of a “better and happier” life that people would pay for. For a home seller, a room staged this way would offer the buyer a glimpse of a better life they would have if they bought the house.

P.S., the design below was what I was thinking of and describing. Find out more about it in my blog article, Are You Creating Expansion in People’s Lives?

What Do You the Listeners to Know About You?

I believe that your space has a huge effect on how you feel every day. When your space is aligned with who you truly are or want to become, you feel better. And that feeling can spread to other areas of your life, and to everyone around you. Your surroundings influence who you are and can become. It is worth investing in yourself by creating your perfect space.

How Can People Contact You?

If you are ready to create your perfect space, give me a call at 907-362-0065 to discover for yourself what’s possible.

Visit my website at northernlightsstaging.com and take my free style quiz to discover what your perfect space might look like and get my free top ten design tips to start creating your perfect space today.

During the Interview

I was a little nervous, not too bad. All was going well. Then, they threw in the surprise question.

Seriously?

Why oh why do they do that? But guess what. I rolled with the punches. The question was, tell us about your background.

Ahhhhh, no. That will take the whole 5 minutes and no one cares. I would rather tell people about my business which could actually help them. So what did I do?

I answered with one sentence and then proceeded to tell them about my business. In other words, I took charge of the interview and talked about what I wanted to:)

I felt a little bad about that , but not that bad. Anyway, it was over in a couple minutes so I didn’t feel bad for long!

Over all, I think it went pretty well.

After the Interview

One friend listened that I know of, and was very complimentary.

I got a call from their executive producer who wanted to share the feedback from the show. She mentioned 8 people tried calling in, they had numerous compliments and three people inquired about it. It was funny, when she said this I thought this is probably the sales pitch they give everyone. But, when she opened the conversation she said they had an amazingly good response, and the tone in her voice made me wonder if it was really true and it surprised her. Or maybe she was just that good.

In any case, she did try to sell me on more. She said the free shows were a way to see who was a good candidate for a longer show and judge audience response. They had a variety of show packages you could do ranging from $500 for one show to 5 weeks for $7500 with individual commercials created, and the podcasts being listed forever on the site. I did not pay much attention to all the details because I was not interested in doing that.

This might be a good opportunity for you, however, regardless of the business you are in, so you can check out their website and see if you want to get your free 5 minutes of fame and go from there.

FYI, my mom actually listened to it after all. She is generally more critical than complimentary on just about anything I do, but in this case, was gushing with praise. That made it all worthwhile for me:)

How about you? What would you do? Take it, leave it, make the most of it or pass it by? Let it scare you? Rise to the challenge? Think about it….maybe they will call you tomorrow!

Aligned Design

Ready to create your perfect space and make a little magic happen? After all, where will you be six months from now if you continue to wait? Re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic and expecting a more beautiful outcome? You already know the end of that story! Call me at 907-362-0065 to see what’s possible for you and set up a consultation.

Are You Ready to Create Expansion in Your Life?

Are you ready for your house to look great, feel great and support you to be great? My Aligned Design consultation considers art, science and energy to give you guidance to create the perfect space for you.

Curious about your Interior Design style? Take the quiz and find out.