Creating Sacred Space In Your Home - Let Nature Be Your Guide!

Are you in search of "down to earth" home decorating ideas that create an ambience of serene beauty, contemplation and inner peace? If so, the answer is revealed outside your doorstep! When stepping into nature and observing its myriad of colors, shapes, patterns and textures; decorating with elements of nature are "free" for the asking!

You can create an interior sanctuary when applying symbolism of nature's elements: Earth, Air, Mineral, Wood, Nature, Water or Fire to the decorating style of your space. Element represents a season of the year, cardinal direction, color and textures. Element can even reflect a style, or in this case, a room theme! How does it work? Since Water represents the season of autumn, and is an element that evokes contemplation, introspection, repose and revitalization, let's apply this element for our example!

To create a decorating plan that represents the Water element, you would start by developing a "Water" theme. Creating a color scheme that symbolizes this element would be the first phase of the theme. The element of Water symbolizes the colors blue and black. You can select fabrics, window treatments, carpets, vases, candles and other accessories in variations of blue and black. To create visual interest naturally reflected in water, you can marry up these colors in a variety of abstractual patterns of ocean waves and smooth silky sea textures.

The next phase is the selection of furniture. The element of Water is reflected in the furnishings you appoint to your space. Contemporary furnishings in glass will create the illusion of water. Furniture can represent fine, simplistic lines and contemporary styles depictive of the repose and relaxation of the sea.

Summarize your theme with accessories. Accent accessories can carry the Water theme with seashells, rocks, bamboo, cranes, fish, lotus and other sea life. Rocks and seashells can evoke special symbolism when "personally" selected from nature. A sand garden (Zen Garden) is a wonderful conversational piece that inspires relaxation, contemplation and meditation. Waterfalls (tabletop, free-standing or wall treatment)and aquariums are therapeutic accents that lend peace and tranquility to a lifespace.

The element of Water represents the west cardinal direction. Furnishings are aligned with the west to enhance energy in the space.

These simple ideas can guide you in creating a personal sanctuary - one that lends peace, harmony and balance for the mind, body and spirit.

Author is a residential/commercial interior designer and has written books on the subject of interior design and feng shui.

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*What Nature Element are you? Find out by writing "Ask Lifespace." Visit www.lifespacedesigns.com. Enter the Medicine Wheel, click on "Ask Lifespace." Write and tell us the month or season you were born. We reply with your Element and ideas on how to start creating an elemental lifespace. It's FREE for the asking!