How to Create Your Own In-Home Retreat
When your schedule is demanding and time is a luxury, an in-home retreat can completely change how you feel each day.
Imagine having a designated space to unwind, destress, and restore your energy for the things that matter to you — like time with your family.
Today, I’m going to share LBI’s best tips for creating your personal oasis right at home. (For a look at a spa bathroom we recently completed, read here!)
DECIDE WHAT KIND OF IN-HOME RETREAT YOU WANT
An in-home retreat has no definitions other than being exactly what you need — whatever that means to you.
Here are just a few ideas:
• Yoga room
• Reading nook or library
• Your own office
• Bath/Steam shower
• Art studio
DECIDE WHERE TO PUT YOUR IN-HOME RETREAT
An in-home retreat is usually tucked away from the rest of the home (cue peace and quiet) but you could also carve it out of some existing space.
If you have the luxury of options, we suggest choosing a room with great natural lighting and visible nature. Both are well-known for their restorative effects!
PLAY UP THE EXPERIENCE OF YOUR SENSES
Part of a successful, intentional design is playing up the space’s effect on our senses — sight, touch, smell, and feel.
(We’ll leave “taste” out for now, but if you want to throw it into the mix, you’ll hear no objections from me!)
OUR SENSE OF SIGHT
WHAT DO YOU LOVE LOOKING AT?
• Keep the area clean and uncluttered
• Include your favorite things in the room
• Add calming, inspiring art (great post here on discovering art around Calgary)
LIGHTING
• Play up any natural lighting in the space
• Decide which kind of lighting (task, overhead, etc.) will be most needed and enjoyed
• Always put fixtures on dimmers so you can control the ambiance!
OUR SENSE OF TOUCH
Feel is both physical (the furnishings you use) and visual (the textures your eyes “feel” in the room). Play up both to achieve the feel you want!
COMFORTABLE FURNISHINGS
When choosing chairs, a daybed, or a comfy sofa, prioritize comfort. How does it feel? Could you happily enjoy this furniture for an hour or two?
TEXTURES YOUR EYES LOVE TO FEEL
Layer textures to create the feeling you want. For a cozy vibe, play up a few thicker textures with visual softness. A cashmere throw blanket. A rug you can sink your toes into. You get the idea.
For a more clean and refreshing vibe, go with less plush textures that are just as comfortable.
OUR SENSE OF SOUND
The right sounds can make you feel relaxed or energized, cozy or blissfully at peace. The choice is yours…
WHICH SOUNDS WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR?
A few ideas for you…
• Golden silence
• Your favorite relaxing or restoring music
• Birdsong through an open window
• Wind chimes (if you know you like them)
ELIMINATE ECHOES
Remember that hard surfaces cause echoing. So if your in-home yoga room has a hardwood floor and a single mat, know that you’ll be hearing every mat twist and joint creak at double volume.
Some suggestions…
• Use drapery, an area rug, or other soft materials to muffle echoes
• Fill the space a bit (an empty space echoes whereas furnishings absorb sound)
• Decorate any hard surfaces, like walls
OUR SENSE OF SMELL
I saved the best for last… our sense of smell is highly underestimated! It has such a powerful effect on how we feel and can transport you to your happy place in mere seconds.
WHAT IMPACT DO YOU WANT?
• Relaxing
• Invigorating
• Walk Down Memory Lane (take yourself back to that perfect Hawaiian vacation…)
WAYS TO INTRODUCE SCENT
• Aromatherapy
• Candles
• Essential oils
• Stick diffuser or electronic diffuser
KEEP THE AIR FRESH & CLEAN
• Air purifier
• Humidifier (revive yourself during our dry Calgary winters)
• Open window… not in winter
If you create an experience your senses will love, there’s no way this space could be anything but your mini at-home paradise.
Ahhhh… just thinking about it puts me in a relaxed mood.
If you discover you need a little help along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out. We love obsessing over spaces like these and would love to help bring your happy place to life for you!
XxLeAnne