As we emerge from four months of isolation of sheltering in place, we are grateful to be alive and well however, our bodies and our homes have trapped fears and energies within them. These hidden anxieties will be amplified subliminally as we merge back into society albeit with protocols in place. The ever-present feeling of being out of control, not safe, will it “get me” will it come again, will my kids be safe? Are silently gnawing at our very soul.
Something we have learned from this experience is we need to have a home-space that nurtures and nourishes, creates feelings peace and tranquility as well as functionality. Open plan has been the order of the day for much of the last decade, but people are now craving privacy (outside of the bathroom)
Creating optimal healing environments to support life, health, healing and well being requires more than décor. More than ever we are looking for how to remove & prevent toxins/germs/viruses & bacteria from attacking our loved ones. In the midst of the pandemic CSP International™ launched a new practice of House & Home Therapy™ a prescription for well being in a crazy world. Staging Safe™ for selling and Harmonic spaces™ for living People are looking now for clearly defined spaces for working at home (two people) kids learning at home, place to workout as well as places for the family to be together and a place outdoors be it a garden or balcony to be in tune with nature. Staying close to nature improves physical conditions like hypertension, cardiac illness, and chronic pain. A connection to the natural environment enhances emotional well-being and alleviates feelings of social isolation.
Research shows being close to nature improves mental, physical and spiritual well-being. It makes us feel alive from the inside; we should not compromise it for recent developments like urbanization, technology, or social media. Being outside in natural light is therapeutic and has immediate positive effects on stress, blood pressure, and immune system. The Biophilia Hypothesis (live of everything that is alive) used by psychoanalyst Eric Fromm, found even looking at pictures of natural settings lowered stress, gave better heartbeat and pulse counts. The research showed that encounters with any aspect of the natural environment – sunset, beach, clouds, or forests grab our positive attention without us paying much effort to it, and the whole process restores the life energy that negative emotions had taken away from us.
Making people feel good inside a house when selling is one of the ingredients to a successful sale. The Certified Staging Professional® program teaches a seven-layer process for designing a great room. Trees and plants are one of the layers. Historically stagers have used high end silk products; the eco conscious trend will necessitate the use of the real thing. Plants and trees significantly reduce toxic chemical levels by absorbing pollutants through photosynthesis and putting oxygen back into the air. Indoor plants create a more relaxed atmosphere, improve mood all the while actually cleaning the air in a house. Philodendrons, spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum), and golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) are attractive and highly effective in removing molecules of formaldehyde. This contaminant is present in many household items, including particleboard, carpet backings, some grocery bags, facial tissues, paper towels, and permanent-press clothing. Flowering plants such as gerbera daisies and chrysanthemums are excellent choices for removing benzene — frequently present in gasoline, inks, oils, paints, plastics, and rubber — from the atmosphere. Other hard – working plants include bamboo palm (Chamaedorea), Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema), English Ivy (Hedera helix), the indoor dracaenas (Dracaena “Janet Craig,” D. marginata, D. massangeana and D. warnekii), and the beautiful peace lily (Spathiphyllum). The recommended amount of plants is one 6-inch of plant per 100 square feet of interior space.
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