10 DIY Spa Retreat Tips For Home!

At the Green Spa & Wellness Center our guests are always asking us for tips on how to make their home a sanctuary.  Here is a great article we found from Live Love Spa.  There are some great tips that we can truly turn your home in to an every day Spa Retreat.   

10 DIY Spa Retreat Tips For Home!

1. Start with the sacred.
2. Engage your sense.
3. Clear the clutter.
4. Create a bath ritual.
5. Color it calm.
6. Bring the outside in.
7. Let in the light.
8. Negate the noise.
9. Consider comfort.
10. Grow a Garden.

One step at a time:

Start with one tip at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed. You will be amazed how your home will become a restorative space that is a constant source of comfort and pleasure. What are your tips for creating a spa sanctuary? We’d love to hear from you!

– See more at: http://www.livelovespa.com/spa-articles/diy-spa-at-home#sthash.5FPNspHE.dpuf

 2. Engage your senses
Why not make use of each of your five senses in your home? The feel of a soft blanket or cushion engages our tactile sense; a beautiful bowl of different colored fruit is visually pleasing. The wonderful scent of essential oils in an oil burner is uplifting and sensual. Don’t forget the power of music to improve the feel of your home. Music not only improves your mood, research shows it reduces stress and chronic pain.

 3. Clear the clutter
According to Feng Shui principals, clutter is stagnant energy. When you organize things, you discover what’s meaningful. A great place to start is with stacks of mail and paperwork. Clutter can be defined as the things or possessions that you either don’t use any more or do not love. Even clutter you can’t see in closets and your garage need to go!

 5. Color it calm
“Painting is an inexpensive way to remodel, and everyone can do it” says Gwendolyn Lewis Huddleston, academic director of interior design at the Art Institute of California in San Francisco. Earth tones provide a rootedness. Blue-greens are compatible with earth tones because they lie next to one another on the color spectrum and share some of the same tints.

6. Bring the outside in
The most peaceful environments contain elements of nature. The most common way to add nature to a home is with houseplants. Natural furnishings such as earthenware, bamboo window shades, raw silk pillow covers, all-cotton slipcovers, wicker chests, cork or bamboo floors, granite counters and wool rugs are all evocative of the natural world. Windows into your yard are a great way to bring the outside it.

 7. Let in the light
We need sunlight to stay synchronous with our body’s rhythm. Natural illumination provides a continuous spectrum of light with a high content of blue (which stimulates the circadian system) compared to the greenish yellow of electrical light. Skylights dramatically increase the amount of natural light in a room. Eliminate theglare from artificial light by switching from direct to indirect overhead lighting. For a quick fix, table lamps and wall sconces create pleasing “puddles” of illumination.

8. Negate the noise

Buffer unwanted sounds with double-pane windows and insulation, and by planting trees and bushes. To keep the decibel level lower inside the house, install thick carpets or wall tapestries.. Introduce positive sounds as well. Place a fountain inside in a spot where you can hear it from a distance. If you live in the country, open windows so you can hear birds singing.

 9. Consider comfort

Soften the edges of your home with fluffed-up pillows, footstools, reclining chairs and welcoming couches. Inviting textures will also make a room warm and inviting. “Decorate with cushions and throws made from soft, luxurious fabrics such as velvet, lambs wool and mohair; elegant wooden furniture with a smooth, silky grain; and thick carpets or fluffy rugs underfoot,” suggests New York City interior designer, Juliet Pegrum in her book, Peace at Home.

 10. Grow a Garden

Extend your sanctuary outside your home’s four walls. Thoughtful landscapes provide a beautiful view from your windows, and keep you in touch with nature. Consider adding an edible garden of vegetables and herbs allows you to put fresh, nourishing food on the table. Your family will love it, and there’s always plenty left for friends!

 By: Nancy Griffin

– See more at: http://www.livelovespa.com/spa-articles/diy-spa-at-home#sthash.5FPNspHE.dpuf