Top 05 Ways to Create a Simple, Beautiful, Meaningful Home.

Your home doesn't have to be perfect, just meaningful. I believe a home should be your sanctuary and enable meaningful living.

By this, I mean simplifying life to be able to enjoy the experiences and people that make it wonderful and become so fulfilled that you overflow and give that joy to others around you as well. That way of living is hard to do if you come home to a house full of clutter and chaos or uninspired or stressful!

05 Tips to Help You Achieve a Beautifully Simple and Meaningful Home.

1. Choose calm colors.

Soothing colors will help your whole home feel calm, and therefore give YOU an immediate sense of calm when you walk into your space. Light, calm colors on the walls also act as a backdrop to display the beautiful and meaningful things you display in your home. You want your eye to go to that jar of sea glass from your vacation or the books you love - not the dramatic color on the wall! I highly recommend painting your whole home in a light and soothing soft white or off-white shade.

2. Bring in natural elements.

Every home should have something natural in it like living plants, flowers, natural wood or stone, or even branches or driftwood. When these things delight our senses daily it helps to ground us and renew our energy.

3. Bring special items out in the open.

Don't make your space a slave to design rules - a room should contain personal items that make you happy and are meaningful to you! Hang your favorite piece of art, whether it's the kids' drawings, a family heirloom, or a crazy abstract piece sculpture that makes you smile.

Have photos of those you love. Use items bought on trips or special occasions as functional items - ex. a bowl in the entryway for keys. Stack up your favorite books on the couch, or display some on the coffee table. Bring your pretty antique chest or bench out from the storage room. If it elicits warm memories of Grandpa you should have it out.

4. Let the light shine in.

Open up your windows, and give them a good cleaning as well. Make sure that any drapes or curtains are hung outside of the window frames so that they can be opened up fully during the day. Open them up and receive the uplifting energy that comes from the sun. Consider painting your walls white so that your spaces feel lighter and the sun bounces around more. And make sure to layer in enough ambient and task lighting for dark days and evenings.

5. Carve out a special spot just for you.

Whether it's an art studio or a chair for reading, each person in your household should have a spot in the home that's they feel-good place to unwind. It should be comfortable and restorative. That means if everyone is fighting over the one comfy chair in the family room, sell the uncomfortable couch and bring in more comfy chairs!

One Final Note:

For all of these meaningful and beautiful things to stand out in your home, the backdrop should be calm and light. That almost always means white, off-white, or light neutral colors.