One of the best ways we can show our love to something or someone is by giving them our full attention. Energetically speaking we now know that where attention goes – energy flows and small changes in the way we approach things in our lives can make a big impact. This month we’re taking stock of the hundreds of client walk-throughs we’ve done and common issues we see and want to share three easy ways you can “show love” to both your home and work space for a better sense of order, inspiration and well-being.
RESIDENTIAL SPACES
COLOR
If your space is feeling a little BLAH and uninspiring, the quickest way to show it some love (and get a little boost yourself as a result) is by painting a wall. Bright colors are great for breakfast nooks and home offices where you want to be awake and productive in and softer more tonal colors are great for relaxation and rest. If your space is feeling like it needs a little something fresh, paint a wall a nice, bright color that goes well with your existing décor and the mood boost will be instant. Color is one of the most powerful elements of design we can wok with so knowing that- use it to your advantage.
CLUTTER
Clutter represents old, emotional baggage that no longer serves us and is “taking up space” where new opportunities could be coming into our lives. We see it on almost every residential project we work on so it’s a big one for most people. Once you realize what it represents and how powerful releasing it is, it’s an easy one to tackle.
Since it can be overwhelming, it’s important to start one room or closet at a time. We love using the Marie Kondo method where we ask- does it spark joy? And if the answer is no, then you thank the item for its service and give it away. Once you get through your first closet or room, the thought of doing your entire space will become a whole lot less overwhelming as you will begin to feel lighter and may even see a new opportunity
come your way.
SANCTUARY
Because the pace of life just keeps getting faster and faster and being stressed has almost become a daily ritual, the importance of creating a pocket of sanctuary at home is paramount to wellbeing. Whether it’s a super chill bedroom or a comfy chair next to a window with a nice throw blanket, it doesn’t matter. The idea is to create at least one small area that screams relaxation and that you can spend a couple of minutes in daily, off your phone, doing nothing. Is there any other way to practice self-love than doing nothing?
COMMERCIAL SPACES
GOOD LIGHTING
Bad and insufficient lighting is one of the main issues we see when visiting clients’ office spaces and this can have detrimental effects on employee wellbeing and productivity. One of the best things we can do in an office space is maximize employee access to natural light. Science shows us that natural light affects our mood, energy levels and hormone levels and that these change throughout the day as the sunlight changes. So maximizing how much natural light an office space gets is the easiest thing to do. After that, the other thing we see a lot of and that is fairly easy to fix is making sure that the office has plenty of light so all work spaces and areas are properly lit and there are no “dark areas”.
CLUTTER
We see this in office spaces as much as we do in residences. Sometimes in office spaces it’s worse because you have a bunch of employees sharing a space (versus a small family). Knowing that clutter holds us down and takes up space where new and better things and opportunities could be coming into our lives, and considering this is a place of business, the office is the first place we should be doing monthly edits of anything we don’t need or aren’t using. It’s a great way to keep teams feeling light and energized and helps create a orderly office environment for everyone to work in.
PRIVACY
The best way to show love to employees? Make sure that they have plenty of areas in which they can have private conversations. The most consistent qualms we hear from companies is that employees do not have enough areas to have quiet, private conversations in. Purchasing a phone pod or converting a meeting room to a phone room is a great way to create this for employees.
SEEN + HEARD
This month, we want to highlight some of the vendors that we LOVE! Our projects wouldn’t be possible, or as beautiful, without their products.
Whenever we design a kitchen space or cafe area, our minds go straight to Concrete Collaborative for the most gorgeous and unique countertops and backsplashes.
Another one of our go-to vendors for substrates is Tile Bar. They have a huge selection of tiles (of course) and their customer service cannot be beat (shout out to Brittany!). Working with them makes every bathroom and kitchen project a pleasure. We are loving this tile for a new project we’re working on and can’t wait to show you the final results.
For the best selection of accessible artwork, we head to Society6. They feature tons of artists, and their website is easy to navigate with an endless selection of styles.
Gala Magriñá Design works with clients that understand the importance of creating a beautiful space and want to work with a no-nonsense design team that is able to clearly chart the best way forward. What separates or approach from other designers is our extensive knowledge of how people live and how best to create a customized space that nurtures that. We aim to merge cool and beautiful interiors with a holistic, mindful and intuitive approach to design that results in powerful, healthy spaces that elevate and transform people’s lives. For more information please visit www.galamagrinadesign.com.