Spirituality in interior design is more than just an exploration of our set of faiths and beliefs. During this moment in time when wellness has become a priority, it becomes more important to refocus our connection with our inner selves- our intuition, our creativity, our purpose.
Images from Leslie Dizon
If you take a look around you, what was once considered witchy and weird has now become a growing practice such as the use of essential oils, astrology, crystals, smudging, tarot reading, and so on, with the goal of understanding our subconscious and healing our energies to become better versions of ourselves. With the growth of our consciousness, one aspect that we have to also realize is that our external environment and the spaces where we spend the most time in can provide support for our spiritual growth. Subtle energies, although not physically seen by the naked eye, can ultimately affect our vibrations. So how do we create living environments that can help sustain our spiritual journey?
Images from Leslie Dizon
Take a cue from your signs
Nothing beats being in a space that reflects your own personality, your beliefs, and your values. Of course, with all the design inspirations that we see on different platforms, it can be a daunting feat to identify where to start. Believers of astrology know that your signs (sun, moon, ascending as starters) represent your different personalities. Your innermost personality can be aligned with your external environment so you can truly feel at home.
Image from etsy.com
Treat your spaces as your three-dimensional vision board
Various laws of the universe teach us that what we see in the outside is a reflection on what is inside of us and what is outside of us can also affect our inner states. Although we’d like to maintain positivity at all times, in reality it can be hard to maintain, with all of the things that are happening externally. One of the basic practices in Law of Attraction is the creation of vision boards where you combine images and quotes into a collage that will provide you with inspiration when you look at it. But inspiration and feeding your soul doesn’t have to stop in a flat board tacked on your bedroom wall. Feng Shui expert Marie Diamond says that what we see when we first open and the last time we close our eyes in the day and the hours in between send subconscious messages to our brain and influence the brainwave patterns (beta, alpha, theta, delta) which can ultimately affect our state of wellbeing.
@pradeep.designer and @goldenhill401
Surround yourself with art
Still on the topic of visual stimulations, one specific aspect that you can focus on is incorporating art pieces that highlight the things that you want to manifest in your life. Artworks or photographs, for example, that represent harvest or wealth can be placed in your dining area to invite abundance. A word of advice: do not place imagery or representations of water in your bedroom. Although water represents flow in wealth and prosperity areas, it is also a rapid and unpredictable element that can affect intimate relationships. Instead, place images of birds in pairs to invite romantic bliss in this space.
@bookie_homedecor and @idesigninsta
Treat cleaning as a ritual rather than a chore
Cleaning and decluttering your home is one of the simplest ways to get rid of stagnant energy. Set a day in the week (ideally on a Sunday, to bid farewell to the past week and welcome the new one) where you can do a thorough general cleaning to get rid of whatever’s been stuck in your space and get the energy flowing. Put your playlist with inspirational, pumped-up music, wipe your furniture and décors with rosewater, and smudge your home or spray your space with sage essential oils after. Don’t forget areas in your room where heavy furniture are, such as in closets, as these serve as home for stagnant energies. As a perfect ending, say a little prayer of gratitude for this time and invite for positive energy to enter your space. Light incense sticks to either visualize your prayers being sent to the gods or to create a relaxing space, whichever works for you.
@tonje.interior and @lovelycleanspace
Supercharge your space with crystals
When placed with intention, crystals can help harmonize the energies and align the function of the space while improving your mood. Crystals which are used as displays are generally bigger than the ones we use as personal implements. If you have small ones at home, you can also put them in a bowl and place it on top of a stack of books for added height.
Photo by Dan Farrell on Unsplash
Although there are suggested crystals depending on the element and position, your intuition will always serve as the best guide. To welcome abundance and positivity, a citrine geode placed in your living room positioned in the farthest left from the main door will help you align towards happiness, success, and prosperity. Meanwhile, in the southwest side of your bedroom, place rose quartz, to attract and maintain love and romance. Green aventurine is another great crystal for the bedroom which attunes you to become more empathic to your relationships. Although not a stone, Himalayan pink salt lamp is also a great addition to the bedroom due to its health, environmental, and mood-enhancing benefits.
Crystals can also balance the energy of space, especially in this tech-filled times. If you’ve been spending a lot of time working from home on your laptop, place a tourmaline cluster or orgonite to filter radiations.
Photo by Caroline Gravino on Unsplash
Whether you see yourself as a spiritual person or you are on the fence about this topic, we can all agree that we like to be in spaces that support our inner need to be calm, relaxed, and inspired. As we foresee people staying indoors more than usual, fostering spatial experiences that transcend the mundane is probably one of the things we need to keep our well-being in check.
Cover Photo by Sarah Brown on Unsplash
Denise is an interior designer, educator, and entrepreneur. She finished her Masters Degree in Interior Design at Florence Institute of Design International. She was previously the Academic Chairperson for ID at SoFA Design Institute. Currently, she is the president and creative director of ARKonst Construction Corp, and the Business Development Director of ACIIID. Sharing her love of design, she regularly gives public lectures here and abroad and has earned international citations and awards in education. When she's not designing, Denise delves into mystical and spiritual practices.
