01:39:23:10 – 01:39:59:15
Speaker 1
Welcome back to episode two. Season one. Coming home to Wellness. This is the podcast. The space to be, well, where we’re talking about, wellness design. You know, there’s such a a thing right now. A lot of noise, a lot of, seeing and hearing about wellness. It’s such a big thing. And, but we have a we have a different point of view about wellness.

01:39:59:16 – 01:40:20:10
Speaker 1
And that is, that’s wellness design. And, you know, I was thinking about when we first started to hear about this, this wellness, you know, because as, as you know, I’ve been designing, wellness spaces and spa spaces for, let’s call it 25 plus years.

01:40:20:10 – 01:40:20:18
Speaker 2
Yeah.

01:40:20:20 – 01:40:47:08
Speaker 1
And so I designed, the spa even before I started my company. And, you know, day spa were such a thing back then. And then they sort of fell away. You know, you would really just see a traditional spa at a, you know, at a destination hotel getaway, you know, that’s when, when somebody would go to a spa, but not necessarily a day spa.

01:40:47:10 – 01:41:12:18
Speaker 1
You know, things got really busy and nobody had time to to spend a day in a spa. And, and then, you know, so the whole day spa component went pretty quiet. You know, other than, you know, at these, these destination hotels and such. But then we started to hear the word wellness again in the, in the spine basement.

01:41:12:20 – 01:41:35:22
Speaker 1
Just, maybe about a year and a half ago, wasn’t it? Just about a year and a half ago when, the, it was all about weight loss. That seemed to be the big, like, talking point, about wellness. And, I, I thought it was interesting because I always thought, like, wellness has been in my world forever, but now all of a sudden, it’s a thing.

01:41:36:00 – 01:42:04:15
Speaker 1
It’s just funny how these trends work. And, but I think it’s an opportune time, to talk about wellness design because it’s a, it’s a it’s a thing. Now people are talking about wellness. It’s a thing. And I think it’s important to go beyond, the traditional spa language of having a space that is all about plants and, light and quality air.

01:42:04:15 – 01:42:38:18
Speaker 1
Again, all good things. But I think it’s important to, to go beyond that. And so we are going to take a journey through the home. We started, with episode one last week where we are talking about the foyer, and now we are moving on to the living room to talk about the living room design and how to create a, dynamic, true, authentic, a wellness space that you live in, right?

01:42:38:18 – 01:42:40:17
Speaker 1
That’s part of your every day.

01:42:40:19 – 01:43:08:16
Speaker 2
Absolutely. The you know, it’s a room that has many names, right? It’s it could be, the living room, the family room, a sitting room back a way back when a parlor, you know, all of these things. But I think that’s just the evolution, you know, that we’ve seen culturally the the significance of this space. It’s there’s always been this type of space in, in a home.

01:43:08:16 – 01:43:35:22
Speaker 2
And so I think, there’s again, drawing in the connection that we have to, you know, wellness and well-being and in our home. And this kind of it’s the hub, so to speak, in many ways, one place that, you know, everyone kind of comes together, you know, or or not, but it it could serve as multiple different functions.

01:43:35:22 – 01:43:37:11
Speaker 2
And we’re going to talk about that, you know.

01:43:37:15 – 01:43:59:06
Speaker 1
Absolutely. You’re right. You know that it’s so many names. But the living room right. That’s the I guess the the core right is is the living room. And because it is it’s where life happens. It’s where life happens. This is, you know, where we entertain. It’s where we spend time with family. It’s where we chill. It’s where we kick back.

01:43:59:06 – 01:44:34:20
Speaker 1
We have a glass of wine. We watch a good movie. And so it’s so critical that this space is designed to. To have that component of feeling, like a place of transformation, a place that enhances the mind, body and soul. Because that is the the true foundation of wellness, a space that, is, is enhanced. And, I’m, I’m super excited to do a dive on this and, and talk about the true meaning of wellness design and why it’s important.

01:44:34:20 – 01:44:43:22
Speaker 1
So there’s the why, right? Right there. Why is design important in this room.

01:44:44:00 – 01:45:22:08
Speaker 2
So I think wellness design for the living room and design in general is so, so important to our well-being because it’s going to touch on all these different things. It’s going to touch on our emotional well-being. The, the connection to how we, you know, how we’re going to feel every day in the space. You know, if you need, you know that me time and you know and you can you have that perfect cozy chair in the corner where you can curl up and grab a book and just sink in and, you know, change.

01:45:22:08 – 01:45:47:02
Speaker 2
You know, how you’re viewing the world in that moment, you know, reset and and restart, you know, carry on with the rest of your day like that. Make such a big impact on just your day to day. Having spaces that allow that modality of, you know, design and functionality and, you know, cohesiveness to your life.

01:45:47:04 – 01:46:00:11
Speaker 1
Exactly. I mean, we may start our day in, in the living room. We may entertain in that living room. We end our day in the living room. And I love my living room. You know, I do have my chair.

01:46:00:13 – 01:46:00:21
Speaker 2
Yeah.

01:46:00:21 – 01:46:29:05
Speaker 1
And it’s it’s a chair by NPI, right? Of course. You know, beautiful ultra leather. And it’s, a chair that it, and meditate in the chair. I kick back and relax in the chair. I read in the chair, you know, I spend time with family and friends in that chair. And I think it’s important to just think about all of the components that go into the living room.

01:46:29:07 – 01:46:42:19
Speaker 1
You know, I, I love a big, oversize, sectional, you know, that when I’m entertaining, I literally I counted it. I, I must have easily just done this on the sofa alone. I think I had 12 people.

01:46:42:21 – 01:46:43:21
Speaker 2
That’s amazing for.

01:46:43:21 – 01:47:10:10
Speaker 1
Christmas, you know, one after the other. I tell people like, wow, that’s a lot of people on a sofa. But, you know, it was fun. We were singing carols and we were, you know, you know, just having a couple of drinks and and laughing and, but but what I loved about it is we were all together and in my chair, I could just see the faces on and family and, it’s such a good feeling.

01:47:10:10 – 01:47:20:07
Speaker 1
And I think that’s important. You know, we talked about the threshold of walking through the foyer and, but the, the living room is, is where life happens.

01:47:20:09 – 01:48:06:12
Speaker 2
It is it’s it’s really so important to have that sort of space where, you know, you really can just redirect and have all these different activities happen, but still feel like at the end of the day, it’s it’s cohesive, it works for everybody in your in your household and your family. And so I think, you know, as we kind of dive a little deeper here and kind of revisit you know, some of our four dimensions, design that we want to adhere to, you know, and we think about the living room, you know, what isn’t, what identity do you do you want to bring to to the living room, you know, how

01:48:06:12 – 01:48:23:11
Speaker 2
do you want it to feel? You know, when you when you come into that space, what’s going to work for you? What’s going to work for your family? You know, and how do you bridge that? That can sometimes be tricky when you’re living in, you know, breathing with multiple people, right? You know.

01:48:23:17 – 01:48:42:08
Speaker 1
Exactly. You know, wouldn’t it be nice if when we’re thinking about the who and the identity, it could be one sided, right? Yeah. You know, very selfish, you know? Okay, so I may go a little selfish. You know, I’m the designer, and I sort of lead, you know, what happens, from a design perspective in my living room.

01:48:42:08 – 01:49:04:18
Speaker 1
But you really do have to think about your, your spouse, your family. And so it becomes a we instead of an I, right? So the identity is a we. And so how do we want to live together, you know, how do we how do we want this space to be. How do we want this space to look?

01:49:04:20 – 01:49:32:23
Speaker 1
I like that I, I really do. But we do have to think about about the we. And so identity is about the family. Identity is about, your life together. Your identity is, is a shared experience. And I think, you know, when you’re thinking about wellness emotionally, spiritually and physically, it’s it’s it’s more than one. Right.

01:49:32:23 – 01:49:57:16
Speaker 1
And so we’re sharing this space that’s and that’s the where to that’s part of the, you know, part of the why. And part of the dimension is the is the relational aspect. That’s part of the diamond. You know, we have the, the who which is a we. And then we have the where which is the, the connection and how those, those all work together, even the behaviors.

01:49:57:16 – 01:50:22:07
Speaker 1
Right. So, you know, I may get up early and and meditate, but if I don’t have privacy, it’s it’s not it doesn’t really work. Right. So you know, there’s there’s a lot of dynamics that happen. And when you’re thinking about true wellness design, that’s where the Y comes into place. That’s where the why happens and and the how.

01:50:22:09 – 01:50:53:15
Speaker 1
Right. So you need to really dig deeper on the on the why why this is important for your family. Who who’s living with you. And if you’re if you’re moving into a new home, what is the why behind are you downsizing? Are you wanting to entertain more? Is your family growing? And then there’s the the how. And then how do we look at that and bring that all together so that the space really is a complete benefit to the to the whole family.

01:50:53:15 – 01:51:18:15
Speaker 1
And it’s participants in the home? I think we can talk about, you know, the, the deeper meaning, you know, you, you know, as a listener, as viewer, you have to look at, you know, the why. But but why is it important? Why is the living room important? You know, and that’s where wellness design is, is key.

01:51:18:16 – 01:51:45:02
Speaker 1
You know, it’s about coming home to wellness. And so if your space is not designed to, to support it to your behaviors and what you’re doing and how you’re entertaining, it’s, it really can affect your morale. It can affect how you feel. It can affect your emotional state. And that’s why, wellness design in the home and especially in the living room is is crucial.

01:51:45:04 – 01:52:08:23
Speaker 1
You know, as you know, I was I, you know, my remodeling project, is sort of a two part. So part one is when I opened up my living room and I opened it up to the dining room and the kitchen, and, this is not uncommon. I love the open plan because I’m so attracted to light. And, you know, I have all of this light filtering.

01:52:08:23 – 01:52:33:03
Speaker 1
I have the, the, bifold open, windows and doors that open up. So the outside is, it’s part of the inside, and I, I work in that space. I work at my dining room table when I work from home, and it’s so important for me to feel connected to that space and and to feel like it really represents who I am as a person.

01:52:33:05 – 01:52:56:19
Speaker 1
And that it is, supporting my lifestyle. Do you think, Valerie, that when you go to visit somebody and you walk into their home and they’re, you know, having a party, what is your feeling about taking, you know, they ask you to take off your shoes. What is your feeling about that?

01:52:56:21 – 01:53:19:12
Speaker 2
Okay. So I will happily oblige. However, I really hate doing that and I can understand from their perspective. But also, you know, I don’t know, I, I personally don’t do it at my house. So it’s annoying to me when I go somewhere else and they make me do it a little bit. I don’t know what about, you know.

01:53:19:12 – 01:53:20:01
Speaker 1
I’ll fight it.

01:53:20:01 – 01:53:21:21
Speaker 2
Yeah, I will fight to fight it. I will.

01:53:21:21 – 01:53:35:20
Speaker 1
Fight it. I am a little bit of a rebel that way. I think there is an episode on sex in the city where Carrie had to take off her shoes. The at a party, and, and and her shoes got stolen.

01:53:35:20 – 01:53:37:02
Speaker 2
Oh, my God, you know.

01:53:37:02 – 01:53:54:08
Speaker 1
So. Okay, that didn’t happen to me, but I was I was invited to are, led to it to, a party, a Christmas party. And, you know, you go out of your way to look pulled together and, you know, and. Yeah, well, it’s your shoes, you know what I mean? And I get it, you know that. I don’t get it.

01:53:54:13 – 01:54:15:18
Speaker 1
Now. I’m gonna say it. I don’t get it. I did not want to take off my shoes. In fact, I sort of gingerly started walking into the home without taking off my shoes, and and I got in trouble, and, I wasn’t happy about it, to be honest. I think that, a home is to be lived in.

01:54:15:19 – 01:54:38:15
Speaker 1
And I think that, you know, there’s ways to maintain and keep your home clean, but also to be prepared that, you know, somebody could accidentally spill a glass of wine. Yeah. You know, so are we not going to have wine or serve wine in the house? You know, it’s like in some ways, I think there’s this balance.

01:54:38:15 – 01:55:06:05
Speaker 1
You know, I feel like and I’ve, I’ve always felt this way about even we talk about the green, green juice, you know, and believe me, I am I eat clean and I’m, I’m, you know, I eat, nutrition dense food and so forth, but I do that about 85% of the time. I feel like, you know, depriving yourself entirely, doesn’t lead to a very happy person.

01:55:06:05 – 01:55:41:00
Speaker 1
So I think there’s a little bit of balance and that I’ve always felt that way. I believe that true wellness is not just about the green drink. And I also believe true wellness is not just about having the perfect home. I think true wellness is living life. Laughing at yourself a little bit and, you know, if that drink gets spilled or, you know, you walk into the house and you pull little, dirt in with you, there’s that’s what the vacuum cleaner is for.

01:55:41:02 – 01:56:04:12
Speaker 2
I love it, you know, I, I agree, I agree. Why why do we have to be so stringent and have rules where you know, life should be, you know, fun and worth living and, like, doing things that make you happy and, you know, down to the you know, shoes that you have on your feet, you know, like, why not?

01:56:04:12 – 01:56:05:06
Speaker 2
You know.

01:56:05:06 – 01:56:29:22
Speaker 1
Here’s the other big one too, is the handbags. So one thing that sort of irks me is when guests come over and, you know, while they have their handbag, that doesn’t ask me. What does irk me a little bit is that they’re all over the place. Like, I feel like I. So what I did is I cleared like a cubby, I like I cleared one of my, my island, cabinets and I and I there’s nothing in there.

01:56:29:22 – 01:56:46:16
Speaker 1
Right. So this is the perfect place to put a handbag. It’s safe. You know where it is, right? I was at a party one time, and somebody picked up my my bag, so. Right. I’m guilty. I’m carrying the bit right. I want to put my handbag somewhere, and I don’t want to have to worry about. So, I don’t want to have to worry about that.

01:56:46:16 – 01:57:03:13
Speaker 1
My handbag is safe. And I also don’t want to entertain in my house. And they have handbags all over the place either. And so I think that’s something to think about is like a handbag. You just clear it out for the party, right? And to have a place where handbags can go.

01:57:03:13 – 01:57:25:02
Speaker 2
Oh, that’s so smart. I love I love that thinking. And you know, that’s a true testament to really creating a space that, you know, hospitality forward, you know, which it’s like, doesn’t it make you feel good to like, welcome someone in your home and make them feel just like you feel when you’re in your home? I love I love doing that.

01:57:25:02 – 01:57:37:07
Speaker 2
And I think that’s that experience for somebody, makes it memorable and ties them to your space and to you and really creates a connection through design.

01:57:37:09 – 01:58:04:10
Speaker 1
I think that that’s something that everyone should think about when they’re thinking about the design of their living room and their own and their entire home, for that matter, is hospital quality. I think everybody needs to take a cue from hospitality because they’re in the business of making people feel at home. Right. And I think, that many of our listeners are very well traveled and they experience some of the best, hotels in the world.

01:58:04:12 – 01:58:30:00
Speaker 1
And I think more and more people are wanting to create that hospitality environment in their home. And I think that’s something that everybody should be thinking about. Is that idea of hospitality in fact, I think that is a true element of a great design, is having that hospitality sort of feeling, especially in the spaces that we design and create.

01:58:30:00 – 01:58:49:04
Speaker 1
You know, we design and create places of beauty and, and wellness and, and so how the guest or the patient feels when they walk into the space is, is absolutely critical. And I think that feeling and idea of hospitality makes a big difference in those spaces as well as the home.

01:58:49:05 – 01:59:11:12
Speaker 2
Yeah, absolutely. So so let’s let’s go down this road here. So what is, one of your favorite hospitality inspired spaces? And what is it about that that you’re, like, just screams hospitality and something that you would want to replicate, like yourself?

01:59:11:14 – 01:59:39:15
Speaker 1
Yeah. My favorite, brand, even if you’d even ask me about hospitality. You said, what’s your favorite brand? I would tell you it’s the Four Seasons. I think the Four Seasons stands for everything that we think about in terms of design, everything is. Well, it’s well tailored and well manicured and well appointed. You feel comfortable? You’re.

01:59:39:17 – 02:00:08:11
Speaker 1
The pillows are just so. The bedding is just right. It’s so warm and welcoming. It’s elevated. It’s, a little bit under stated, but still makes a statement by being understated. And so that is one of my favorite brands. And I, I love what they stand for. And hands down, I think one of the best brands, in the world actually.

02:00:08:13 – 02:00:09:18
Speaker 1
What is your favorite brand?

02:00:09:19 – 02:00:13:10
Speaker 2
I knew you were going to ask me that. And,

02:00:13:12 – 02:00:15:07
Speaker 1
It could be any brand that it doesn’t. Yeah. Yes.

02:00:15:08 – 02:00:30:00
Speaker 2
Yeah, exactly. I am going to plead the fifth year. I don’t know that I have one right today. No, no, I don’t know. Okay. Yeah. But I’ll, I’ll come back to you on that. Maybe future episodes. Okay.

02:00:30:00 – 02:01:03:10
Speaker 1
I think we need once we cover the the journey of through the home, I think we’re going to do an episode just on brand, because this is what we do when we create our wellness and beauty spaces. It’s so brand centric and I think that our listeners, if you don’t own a business and it’s all about the home design, really still needs to be thinking about their own personal brand and brand creation and brand identity and, creating a space revolving around that personal brand.

02:01:03:10 – 02:01:29:07
Speaker 1
I think if, if, if our listeners, we could do like an incredibly deep dive on our personal brands. I think it would, catapult us into all areas of their life. And I think they could even refocus and recenter our their behaviors, their eating, their health, their mind and their soul around this, this idea of, personal brand.

02:01:29:09 – 02:01:56:03
Speaker 2
Yeah. I love that, you know, and I think there’s something about to when we think about wellness for the home and, you know, just our lifestyles in general, you know, it’s something that continues to evolve, you know, throughout our life. So what might work for you one year? You know, it needs to continue to evolve with you as you grow and change.

02:01:56:05 – 02:02:26:19
Speaker 2
So I think to constantly be looking for that and reevaluating that, I think could be really good advice, for, for somebody, you know, if you feel stuck, if you feel like something’s just not feeling right, it feels chaotic and inefficient, you know, finding, finding ways to just take that moment and like you’re saying, reset, refocus, really get an understanding of where your head’s at, what’s working for you and what’s not.

02:02:26:19 – 02:02:30:09
Speaker 2
You know, and and I think the brand is a great place to start. Well.

02:02:30:10 – 02:02:57:13
Speaker 1
And I want and I want to piggyback what you’re saying there because I think that could be part of the issue. I know that, when I was younger, I had a certain style, and boy, that style changed very quickly. And I don’t know, back then if I was really, truly tapped into my true person of who I was, you know, is so often I find that people want what somebody else has.

02:02:57:13 – 02:03:27:12
Speaker 1
They want to when they they come, they are focused on creating an environment that’s just like somebody else’s. And I feel like the more you try to avoid that, instead of looking to another home or somebody else, I think it’s it’s okay to, to to pull inspiration or relate to something. You know, if you see a space and you say, boy, I really relate to that, you know, because I think that’s part of figuring out who your identity is.

02:03:27:12 – 02:03:31:14
Speaker 1
Yeah. But you’re not so tied to that where you lose your own sense of self.

02:03:31:15 – 02:03:31:23
Speaker 2
Yeah.

02:03:32:01 – 02:03:57:20
Speaker 1
And I think that’s one of the most important things, listeners that you could take with you. You be you. I will be me, Valerie. You be you. We all have to be ourselves. And I feel like that’s something that’s missing in society. And I think with social media, we’re all sort of taken by what we’re seeing and maybe what somebody else has or what another space looks like.

02:03:57:22 – 02:04:24:21
Speaker 1
I mean, I’m, I’m just going to go on record and say this, you know, like, we we work with hundreds of clients and it’s shocking how many of our clients, uniquely and individually, come to us and show us inspiration of a space that everybody else has shown us. So we’re seeing the same inspiration regurgitated over and over and over again.

02:04:24:21 – 02:04:31:17
Speaker 1
It’s like, maybe we need to rethink the arches.

02:04:31:17 – 02:04:32:23
Speaker 2
Yeah, yeah, I’m just.

02:04:32:23 – 02:05:04:15
Speaker 1
Saying, maybe we need to rethink the arches. I love the arches, but I think maybe, you know, if you think about what everybody else is doing, maybe it’s time to pivot just a little bit. And I have found that the most successful spaces are the spaces where they stay true to their brand. And they created and morphed a brand that was so unique and different, you know, embedded in the culture, embedded in the demographic.

02:05:04:17 – 02:05:29:06
Speaker 1
And, and those are the most and those are the most exciting spaces, right? Is is that’s so now we have a strong why if we have a strong why and you have a strong brand, you can create a unique and very successful space associated with it. And I think that’s true of the home. So I would say look for inspiration.

02:05:29:06 – 02:05:57:21
Speaker 1
But at the same time, you know, be ready to pivot a little bit, be ready to say I you know, look deep down inside. And I think if, if you do that, that you will find that your taste don’t evolve so much. Right? When you create a space that’s timeless and beautiful and rooted and grounded in your own sense of self, that that space last much longer.

02:05:57:23 – 02:06:24:08
Speaker 2
I couldn’t agree more. I think I’ve noticed that just myself personally, that there’s certain things, in my in my home or even just, you know, just that I’ve noticed about things that I like and that I consistently gravitate towards and, and it makes, it makes me happy. I’m connected to those things. And, and therefore I never get tired of it.

02:06:24:11 – 02:06:35:09
Speaker 2
I could have that same amazing paint color on my wall for literally 20 years. And I have because I love it, I love, I love it. It doesn’t need to change. It’s perfect.

02:06:35:14 – 02:06:53:00
Speaker 1
That’s what I’m talking about. As I’m talking about in you know what though? What we and we’ve talked about this, if you were to look at the design of my home and the design of your home, they’re totally different. But the how is the same?

02:06:53:02 – 02:06:53:18
Speaker 2
Absolutely.

02:06:53:19 – 02:07:09:06
Speaker 1
The how is the same. And so the most successful spaces have an incredible how. And that’s where the artistry and the mastery, the technical mastery, that’s where that all this that’s the secret sauce.

02:07:09:06 – 02:07:09:23
Speaker 2
Yeah.

02:07:10:01 – 02:07:34:13
Speaker 1
The secret sauce is in the how, you know, and that, you know, years and years of experience of honing our skill sets and, and, and behind your design and behind my design and behind all of our customers successful design is sort of our secret sauce, right?

02:07:34:15 – 02:07:35:09
Speaker 2
It is.

02:07:35:09 – 02:07:59:01
Speaker 1
And that’s why yours is totally different. It’s rooted in your identity. Mine’s rooted in my identity. We both have spaces that we love that, will stand the test of time. And we’re happy with our spaces. We’re not thinking, oh, I should have done this, or, you know, coulda should have woulda. I think that is okay. Get me going on this topic too.

02:07:59:01 – 02:08:48:09
Speaker 1
Right? I think it’s very important listeners remember this. Very important too. I think, especially if you don’t have all the money in the world trade, you don’t have all the money in the world that it’s important to live in a space and adapt it to your lifestyle and go through a renovation. Then to, you know, off the cuff and on a fly on a whim, you know, build, you know, a, Ronald McDonald home, you know, that is just like, cookie cutter and looks like all the other homes, you know, because I think that you you don’t have the time and the love and the care to put into morphing that space

02:08:48:09 – 02:09:14:02
Speaker 1
into feeling like it’s it’s truly yours. And so that’s what you did with your space. That’s what I did with my space. And, you know, unless you’ve got all the money in the world to pay for every little detail and think through every little element, that sometimes living in a home and and reinventing it to fit your lifestyle so that the bones are there.

02:09:14:04 – 02:09:16:17
Speaker 1
I think that’s that’s good advice.

02:09:16:18 – 02:09:57:09
Speaker 2
I agree, I think just, you know, in that same vein here, you know, I think you have to live in the space for a while to really see, like, you know, sit in different areas. Just look at the different views, see how the light transfers in the space. Like if you really want to know your space, I feel like you have to go through that, you know, just general life cycle a little bit to really just feel like, okay, this is a good decision and I know it because I’ve set I’ve sat here, I’ve studied this, I know that I love the natural light that’s coming in through this window and the mornings

02:09:57:09 – 02:10:10:17
Speaker 2
and so I want to have my cozy chair there because it’s just going to be, you know, the best for me, you know, and I think you can only find out those insights, you know, through, through life. But.

02:10:10:19 – 02:10:27:09
Speaker 1
You know, even I I’ve got a great story about that. So I had some girlfriends over, you know, maybe about 15 years ago when we had a girls weekend and in the middle of my space before my remodel, I had this bar. It was like, sort of like it came with the home. We bought it. There was a bar.

02:10:27:11 – 02:10:47:13
Speaker 1
And and so at the end of the at the end of the, the, the weekend, you know, all there was four of us and we all had made a decision that there was something we need to do with our lives. So we all had a takeaway. And so we had identified what the takeaway was going to be for each of us.

02:10:47:15 – 02:10:58:11
Speaker 1
And my takeaway and all my girlfriends pointed out, they’re like, your takeaways, what are you going to do with this bar? Like, I don’t know, should we painted tile it? You know, like this bar? Like, you know what?

02:10:58:15 – 02:11:00:14
Speaker 2
What are we of your home? It’s the center.

02:11:00:14 – 02:11:16:23
Speaker 1
Of the home. But I’m going to do it. The bar. And it wasn’t until 3 or 4 years later. So it was supposed to happen that year that didn’t happen. And 3 or 4 years later, all of a sudden I’m sitting there, I looked at, I go, that damn thing is coming down. We’re getting rid of the bar.

02:11:16:23 – 02:11:41:06
Speaker 1
Yeah, like the bar came out. The whole home opened up. All of a sudden I saw this wall that I’m like, that needs to be, a glass moving wall partition that opens up to the patio. And suddenly I had this incredibly, functional and gorgeous and beautiful space that I never could have gotten to that decision without living in this space.

02:11:41:08 – 02:11:51:02
Speaker 1
Even with my girlfriends pushing me. Right. It had to be about living in this space that you finally come to the decision about, you know, what’s going to work best for you.

02:11:51:04 – 02:12:24:05
Speaker 2
Absolutely. As designers, we can only give you so much insight and give you direction. But I think you also have to do the homework to, to come to us. And, you know, it’s really such a collaborative process. You know, I look at all the beauty projects and design customers that we have, and the most successful are ones that allow us they bring their inspiration, their their ideas, but they also allow us to to bring ours and kind of we can meet and lead you.

02:12:24:05 – 02:12:27:19
Speaker 2
And it comes to the best result possible. It really does.

02:12:27:19 – 02:12:28:11
Speaker 1
It’s a team.

02:12:28:15 – 02:12:29:04
Speaker 2
It’s a team.

02:12:29:04 – 02:13:04:23
Speaker 1
It’s a collaboration and it’s a team. And I agree with you. And that’s how, true wellness is born. Yeah. And so I think that’s something that I’m, I’m really excited about, you know, is this whole idea of how, space is born, but true wellness is born through these, modalities, these dimensions, through the resonant framework or the the diamond shape, if we will, of, you know, but but focuses on the, on the why and comes together with the how.

02:13:05:00 – 02:13:22:09
Speaker 1
And that’s where the, the secret sauce is and the, and the, the ideas that bring everything together. You know, as part of my remodel, when I opened up the space and got rid of the bar, it was, you know, I’ve changed my floor in the house twice.

02:13:22:11 – 02:13:23:16
Speaker 2
Really? Twice.

02:13:23:16 – 02:13:47:16
Speaker 1
I don’t think you knew I didn’t. So, when we first, bought the home, there was, I don’t know, a horrible wood floor in there and then carpeting. And this got awful tile in the kitchen. Anyway, so, you know, here I am going through my, my trend kicks. So when we first bought the house, we changed out the floor to Brazilian cherrywood.

02:13:47:18 – 02:13:49:21
Speaker 2
Oh, okay.

02:13:49:23 – 02:14:14:11
Speaker 1
Yeah. Brazilian cherrywood. And so what we, But anyway, when we took down the bar and we remodeled the house, one of my favorite things. This is something that a lot of people don’t think about for the home, but I did a beautiful. And I love this Italian porcelain floor. Not just any floor. It was like a porcelain floor that look like concrete.

02:14:14:13 – 02:14:39:17
Speaker 1
And it was it’s it’s dark. It’s like a charcoal with a beautiful movement to it. And it really is like a green initiative, you know? So it was, sustainable. And it’s such a grounding effect in the, in the living room and the and the best part about it, it is like totally low maintenance. So, it shows next to nothing.

02:14:39:17 – 02:15:07:10
Speaker 1
It cleans so beautifully. I mean, I think when it comes to flooring in a home, I think it’s okay to, you know, just go outside the, the norm, you know, even if, if money is an issue, we use a luxury vinyl tile in our, in our, beauty and wellness projects because of its, acoustical properties, that ease of cleaning.

02:15:07:16 – 02:15:25:03
Speaker 1
It’s, and it’s beautiful. Today’s luxury vinyl tile looks like wood, concrete, stone. In fact, recently, one of our our client projects, they went with the LVP floor in their home in, beautiful herringbone wood. And I say, why not?

02:15:25:03 – 02:15:25:15
Speaker 2
Yeah.

02:15:25:15 – 02:15:27:00
Speaker 1
Why not say why not?

02:15:27:00 – 02:15:54:06
Speaker 2
Right. Yeah. It’s so much lower maintenance than, you know, a lot of the other materials that are available out there. And it’s so much softer underfoot that, you know, if somebody, you know, hits the floor or a plank of plate, you know, dives, dives on the floor, there’s a much better chance that you’re going to still have, a solid, plate or glass when, when you go to pick it up.

02:15:54:06 – 02:15:57:21
Speaker 2
So there’s definitely benefits for sure in that realm.

02:15:57:21 – 02:16:37:03
Speaker 1
Yeah, I think I, I’m not a big I’m not a big wall to wall carpet. I, I don’t mind carpeting in a, in a, in a primary bedroom potentially, you know, where it feels a little bit more like hospitality and it’s quieter there. But I think that I’m the I love the idea of area rugs. So whether you’re doing a wood floor or wood look, floor or porcelain tile, there’s so many options today to, to do, a floor, but I, I’m not a big fan of the wall to wall carpet in the, in a living room.

02:16:37:05 – 02:16:38:19
Speaker 1
So I think yeah, I could.

02:16:38:20 – 02:16:39:22
Speaker 2
I say no, you.

02:16:39:22 – 02:16:44:08
Speaker 1
Say no, I say no. Would you do a TV in the living room?

02:16:44:10 – 02:16:46:09
Speaker 2
Yeah, I totally I.

02:16:46:09 – 02:16:51:07
Speaker 1
Am to me too, I think, I think it needs to be designed into the space like.

02:16:51:13 – 02:16:53:01
Speaker 2
That’s the key.

02:16:53:03 – 02:16:56:19
Speaker 1
When mine’s turned off, you don’t really know a TV’s there are mine too.

02:16:56:22 – 02:16:57:17
Speaker 2
Yeah.

02:16:57:18 – 02:16:59:05
Speaker 1
That’s the designer in us.

02:16:59:05 – 02:17:09:09
Speaker 2
Yeah, exactly. Like I love doing that dark wall behind where you have your TV so that it just. It does the same. Yeah.

02:17:09:11 – 02:17:10:19
Speaker 1
I don’t know. I didn’t know you had the dark.

02:17:10:19 – 02:17:11:19
Speaker 2
Wall, I did.

02:17:11:21 – 02:17:39:21
Speaker 1
I had a dark wall behind my TV and then it’s framed in and I’ve got the bioethanol fuel fireplace next to it, which I love. I know, you know, I feel like not a lot of people think about the bioethanol fuel fireplace, but you get all a beautiful modern, real flame that’s significant. It emits heat, it warms the home, and it’s it’s sustainable.

02:17:39:21 – 02:17:58:22
Speaker 1
And, it’s clean burning. So it’s super easy maintenance. I don’t know why more people don’t don’t do a bioethanol fuel fireplace, but that’s something that I have sort of asymmetrically sitting next to the TV and, yeah, I think TV. Yeah.

02:17:59:04 – 02:18:00:00
Speaker 2
Yeah. Right.

02:18:00:00 – 02:18:00:19
Speaker 1
TV.

02:18:00:21 – 02:18:22:14
Speaker 2
Yeah. The other thing I want to say about, like, the fireplace as it relates to, you know, your living space, I think I think, you know, especially in the Midwest, you know, that is such a I don’t know, I just love, I love a good fireplace right in it. And it’s the more you can have that natural flame.

02:18:22:15 – 02:18:44:01
Speaker 2
You know, I think the better, because again, that’s it brings it bringing it back to wellness here too, that, you know, we as humans are innately drawn to, to fire and that not those natural elements. And that’s such a good way. Like, haven’t you ever just found yourself where you just literally are just staring at the fire?

02:18:44:05 – 02:18:49:11
Speaker 1
Yes, yes. And yeah, even on a warm day. Yeah. That fire. Yeah. I can’t help it. I love the fire.

02:18:49:12 – 02:18:49:21
Speaker 2
Yeah.

02:18:49:23 – 02:18:57:08
Speaker 1
And I think it creates that environment and and yes, we’re drawn. We’re drawn to fire. Just like we’re drawn to light.

02:18:57:08 – 02:18:58:12
Speaker 2
Yeah. Absolutely.

02:18:58:12 – 02:19:04:22
Speaker 1
That natural element. Okay. Can I tell you what I hate. Yes please I hate ceiling fans.

02:19:05:03 – 02:19:07:07
Speaker 2
Oh my gosh. You and me both.

02:19:07:09 – 02:19:07:22
Speaker 1
You hate.

02:19:07:22 – 02:19:10:05
Speaker 2
You. Yes. There are so ugly.

02:19:10:05 – 02:19:12:04
Speaker 1
They’re so ugly. And then I it’s a.

02:19:12:04 – 02:19:17:16
Speaker 2
Woosh woosh cuz we know for that what you.

02:19:17:18 – 02:19:23:03
Speaker 1
Like. It feels so unnatural and I know oh my gosh people like some people.

02:19:23:03 – 02:19:24:15
Speaker 2
Like the ones that.

02:19:24:17 – 02:19:47:16
Speaker 1
Thing. Yeah. With the light on it and everything. It’s like the first thing I did is rip my, they, I had a builder that owned the house before we did. All there were there were fans everywhere. They all came out replaced with beautiful fixtures, light fixtures that are artful and, beautiful and fill in the space.

02:19:47:18 – 02:20:07:08
Speaker 1
Yes, to beautiful light fixtures. No to the van. Sorry. Okay, so we’ve hit the, the fan, the TV. Are you a big fan of the the sectional, or do you like more of a formal, like.

02:20:07:08 – 02:20:32:01
Speaker 2
No, I, I love a sectional, even though, like, I have a pretty cozy, smaller, you know, living room. I feel like it gives just more flexibility to how you use the space. So somebody wants to lay down, you know, you can. There’s room to do that if you want to have, you know, 4 or 5 friends over, there’s room to do that, you know.

02:20:32:01 – 02:20:36:11
Speaker 2
So I like the flexibility, you know, and it feels more like together.

02:20:36:11 – 02:21:05:09
Speaker 1
Me too I agree. I like that too. And I think it’s, you know, all about, curating beautiful pieces that, you know, just, complement each other, but at the same time provides for even unique seating grouping options. And so, you know, having the chair for a little bit of meditation or quiet time or the sexual sofa to cozy up with your loved one, you know, there’s, you know, okay.

02:21:05:09 – 02:21:09:21
Speaker 1
And then there’s the animal. The animal. We’ve got animals.

02:21:09:21 – 02:21:12:18
Speaker 2
Oh, yes. We love the animals in.

02:21:12:22 – 02:21:50:14
Speaker 1
Here’s, tip for everybody. Tip to listeners. I am, you know, because I’ve been in the commercial design industry my whole life, and I am a big proponent of upholstery your furniture and commercial grade upholstery because they hold up to wear and tear, even if you have kids. Right? Animals, kids, you know, the, the the really great tip is to, all of my home upholstery is commercial grade and there’s so many beautiful, soft, tactile, gorgeous finishes for, for that.

02:21:50:14 – 02:21:57:16
Speaker 1
And it’s something that I recommend. And yes, my dog will cuddle up with me on the sofa.

02:21:57:18 – 02:22:31:13
Speaker 2
Yeah, but you would never know, you know, like, again. You’re so. Looks impeccable. Chef chef’s kiss. I mean, yeah, I know guilty. My, you know I have cats. And so, for me finding, materials where they’re not going to snag their little claws on or use it as a scratching post can sometimes be tricky with residential grade fabrics, especially even, like, you know, velvets and things like that.

02:22:31:17 – 02:22:43:19
Speaker 2
So I also agree that, you know, if you look towards the commercial side of things, there’s a whole universe out there of new things that can inspire you.

02:22:43:21 – 02:22:46:08
Speaker 1
I love that all great things to think.

02:22:46:10 – 02:22:48:01
Speaker 2
Yes.

02:22:48:03 – 02:23:03:18
Speaker 1
So we are, going to be moving on to next week to our third episode of Coming Home to Wellness, and we are going to be talking about the kitchen.

02:23:03:20 – 02:23:13:08
Speaker 2
I love that I am a foodie, so the kitchen is definitely one of my favorite places to be, so I can’t wait me to.