Interior Design And Wellness

How many interior designers, architects, and so forth do we have on the East End? The answer is: a lot. And without any scientific or psychological proof, or input from the professionals, I’ve concluded, based on my own personal experience, that the décor of a room has a direct effect on overall well-being.

I’ve recently moved from Sag Harbor to East Hampton and, for the first time ever, am completely designing my bedroom to fit my tastes. The reasons this was never done in the past is an entirely other column in itself (best saved for the mental health issue). Pinterest has been a huge help, as has walking into numerous home stores, combined with a few online quizzes of “What’s your decorating style?”

It turns out, my style falls under the banner of “eclectic farmhouse.” I blame Chip & Joanna Gaines’s “Fixer Upper.” Neutral tones, wooden accents, plants everywhere, clean lines with modern finishes, and the occasional travel trinket.

Without any professional help, combined with my obsessive need to only buy things I can touch or see in person, the process has been exhausting. This is only a single room. How do people decorate entire houses? But each piece I end up adding to my mini sanctuary sparks joy (thank you, Marie Kondo).

In my previous rooms I felt like a guest overstaying my welcome, sometimes by years. Many times, I’d allow mess to accumulate, feel anxious upon entering, lose sleep, wake up with a chip on my shoulder. As my room now comes together, I’m finding the opposite to be true. I can’t wait to open the curtains with the sun rising, and each inch of the space is utilized for function. It feels like me. Through this, I’ve started meditating more and become more productive.

The way we walk into a spa, a high-end fitness studio, or even that luxury hotel room, we should want to walk into the doors of our own living spaces. My room feels like a mini getaway and yet has a sense of self at the same time. Artwork from global artists met through my travels, a desk for writing, a chair by the window to sink in and drown out the world, a mirror to add depth to the space . . . it all takes me away from the outside world and creates a safe space, one I’ve created. That adds peace, clarity, motivation. It adds a sense of self.

nicole@indyeastend.com
@NikkiOnTheDaily