The Alchemy of Foundations
Alchemize your space by grounding in your foundation
When I think about the foundation of a space, I think about what constructs the room. Aside from the actual foundation of the house and structure of the home itself, the furniture we select is the first structural form that we give to a room. The furniture, where it’s placed and how it’s used sets the stage for the story of our home.
When you walk through each room, do you flow through with ease, feeling settled, grounded and at peace in your environment? Does the room make sense as it is?
Sometimes, in our homes, things can feel clunky and awkward, unfinished or off balance. We find ourselves navigating our day to day in ways that don’t feel natural — almost like we’re working against a natural energy flow.
To recalibrate the energy of your space, let’s start from the ground up.
First, Act Natural
Pick a room and walk through it as you use it day to day.
Is it awkward to move around?
Do you have to walk around things to get from one end to the other?
Are there things blocking a more natural path?
If you answered yes to any of these, your space might benefit from some rearranging.
Try: The command position
Standing in the entrance of the space, note where your eye is naturally drawn. It’s usually across the room or fanned out from where you’re standing — like a triangle.
Try putting your commanding piece, like sofa or bed for example, in this line of site for an open and “commanding” feel.
Next, Take Care
When pieces in our homes are neglected, they feel it. We feel it. Dingy fabric, torn edges and dusty or grimy surfaces suck the energy right out of the room.
Spend some time taking special care of your furniture, and you’ll notice a difference in the energy of the room. If you’re able to replace overly-worn or broken pieces, go for it!
If not, here are a few of my favorite Foundational Alchemy tricks to keep your home feeling cared for:
Deep clean furniture and sprits with a light or organic fabric spray.
I like to vacuum, spot clean with dawn, and spray my furniture with a vinegar + water mix (it smells at first but kills bacteria and odor amazingly) and then spritz over with a light, refreshing spray if you like added scent.
Wipe down and polish hard surfaces. If you’re a DIY person, you can strip and re-stain or sand and repaint when needed — tending to your things with reverence and care will help them last longer and it gives you something creative to do instead of scrolling all day (Noted!)
Snip frayed fabric and stitch up tears. Maybe this is just for the cat owners, but actually taking the time to do this shows care and attention for your things, especially if you’re not able to or don’t want to replace them.
Last, genuinely practice showing love to your furniture! It sounds weird, but your furniture does a lot for you. It holds you and your family and pets up every day, absorbs tons of your energy and endures the wear and tear of life right alongside you.
The space you live in matters. Treat your home like a part of you — because it is.
A Foundation that Lasts
The Alchemy of Foundations is the third step of 7 in my signature style method: The Foundry Formula. Using an easy-to-follow style formula, we go beyond aesthetics, step by step, to transform your home into a space that’s not just beautiful, but intentional and storied. You can learn about The Foundry Formula method here.
If this sparked your curiosity and you’re ready to alchemize your space top to bottom, download The Foundry Formula Framework right here. It will help you get your ideas out of your head and into your space.
If you like how that sounds but need more hands-on support, contact me here, and we’ll meet for a free consultation before we craft a custom Foundry Formula specifically for you.
No matter your goals or vision, building a strong foundation is the key to achieving them.
With Warmth & Wonder
Liz | Alchemy of Home
P.S.
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