Take ten steps inside your home and your psychic and spiritual state is either lifted or drained instantly. You know what I mean, most especially if you are a working mother. The aesthetic qualities which greet you are not merely for the utilitarian satisfaction of the body but sustinance for your inner poet.

Like a tender muse, our entries should draw forth a letting go of formal affectation. You should feel a deep breath and release of posture waiting at the door. An entrance transition which flows from gate, to porch, to door, to foyer, to a space filled with something that represents your personal JOY allows multiple levels of  shedding. This archetypal pattern is a natural  part of us as we seek to find reconnection to peace, harmony and joie de vivre. The question is this – how did you make the most of your own transition from entrance to the arms of your inner sanctum? And then, what collection was waiting to greet your senses? It doesn’t matter what it is, only that it solicits a smile every time you see it – a piece of inspirational art, a sculpture, the perfume of fresh blossoms, family photos, a water feature, a family heirloom? None is wrong. Nothing is bad design if it uplifts you. Only you can be the judge of what you need in the design of your restorative sanctuary. Find something inspirational and place it at the door to be that loving friend waiting for you.

Let the first ten steps into your home be an invitation to retreat and recharge on all levels – physically, spiritually and emotionally.

Philip Bess, School of Architecture at the University of Notre Dame wrote, “ we build out of gratitude, memory, and transcendent hope.”  I would add to that by suggesting that all are related in regard to the sacred connection to all things living, life giving and life affirming.

 GRATITUDE for peace, fresh air, stable temperatures, healing food
in MEMORY of days spent rolling down a hill of tall grass or watching lazy, sunning turtles in a local pond and in the HOPE that future generations will thrive beyond physical and intellectural bonds but also soulfully

As this applies to our homes, look at the connections where your personal refuge meets with it’s natural setting.  Does the SACRED meet RESTORATIVE here? There is more going on in your front yard, side patio, garden niche, porch and at the front door than mere built form. According to Therapeutic Environmental theory, Stess Response research and Design Psychology publications, your outdoor/indoor connection has the potential to inspire, nurture and even heal you emotionally, spiritually and physically which means the reverse is true as well.

I would say the best designs are those that bow down to the kids, the walkers, the pets, the birds, the bees, the water system, historical ecology… and in doing so, keep us healthy and connected to one another.  It is simple task. Embrace all things living from driveway to front door and create spaces that encourage such reflection. It is a win win.