Apartment Transformation
EntryBefore
Before: Office is set up for Zoom calls, not spacious living.
Entry After
After: Blue accent wall, layout changes and art curation transform the office.
OfficeBefore
Office After
After: Highlighting artwork against a blue accent wall and opening up the layout transforms the office.
Catherine was hiding her power.
She hired Practical Sanctuary after a divorce and a series of business setbacks sent her reeling. Over the course of a few months, she downsized from her elegant penthouse to a small apartment, storing or selling most of her furniture in the process. When we came into her space, she was running multiple businesses from her living room.
During our consultation, she showed me a truly stunning collection of stone sculptures. The sculptures had both personal meaning and aesthetic power, but they were tucked into corners and displayed against walls which made them virtually disappear. The way they were situated minimized their visual and emotional affect.
Once we chose accent colors for a few walls and highlighted the sculptures against them, they radiated power and elegance. We then designed a layout around them, arranging cabinets, seating and accessories that complemented their shape and color. Without buying a thing, the energy of Catherine’s home shifted, from implying “you’re stuck in this little apartment until you can make more money” to “you are brilliant and powerful, with a rich and storied history.”
When we worked with Catherine, we kept uncovering icons–embroidered, painted, sculpted, sewn. As we curated her layout, a strong theme of spiritual guardianship emerged. We were able to place a powerful icon of protection in every area of her home. She had lost that sense of spiritual safety in her move.
MeditationAfter
Handmade quilt, Buddha and stone sculptures
Meditation After 2
Lounge chair with spiritual icons in meditation room
For the meditation room, we moved the blue rug from the office and swapped the upright seating for a lounge chair. We hung a handmade quilt from her stored collection, and created a layout that supports yoga, napping and contemplation.
Bedroom Sculptures
Rose accent wall sets off miniature sculptures
BedroomQuiltColor
Quilt colors resonate with rose accent wall
In the bedroom, we chose a warm rose accent wall that resonated with the colors in another handmade quilt, and set off the miniature sculptures in a way that white walls did not.
Even the landlord likes it.
Case Studies in Sensory Interior Design
The Eccentric Genius Habitat Intervention
Your space, your nervous system.
Most of us were never taught how our bodies actually experience a room–the light, the sound, the layout, the smell–and what happens when those things work against us instead of for us.
This free seven-day course is a gentle introduction to sensory design. Each day brings one exercise–noticing what you feel, photographing what you’ve been editing out, dreaming about what you actually want. The exercises are all optional, and you can go as deep as you like.
By the end, you’ll understand more about why certain rooms drain you, what your body knows about your home, and how to start shifting without stressing out.
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