New Year's Resolutions for Your Home: Creating Your Happy Space
New Year’s resolutions are a tradition dating back to ancient times. We make a promise to do something (or not to do something), or a few things, to improve our physical, emotional, or spiritual well being. Three weeks in to 2020 many of us are working to keep our commitments to going to the gym, or eating healthier, or drinking less alcohol or reading more books or spending more time with family and friends. But what about your home?
Creating a home office space that enhances your productivity, a kitchen you love to cook in, or a spa-like bathroom where you can relax and rejuvenate is a worthy goal for enhancing your well being too.
Let’s start with your home office. If you are one of the 3.7 million employees (making up 2.8% of the entire U.S. workforce) who work from home at least half the time, think about whether your work is space is giving you what you need. If you spend your work at home time camped out on the coach with your laptop, or sitting at the kitchen table, chances are the answer is no. A dedicated, curated work space—even in a small apartment—will make you feel inspired, energized, and productive.
Our first apartment package client was a newlywed couple with an apartment in the Hamilton Park neighborhood of Jersey City. Because they both work from home sometimes, one of our objectives was to give both husband and wife productive in-home workspaces without having these spaces take over the entire apartment.
We created his and hers work spaces as part of this Jersey City apartment project. His space features a compact desk and easy access to his guitars.
Her space has a window view, table desk, and plants.
The first thing I noticed on my site visit was that his desk was facing the built-in bookcases (this setup was a functional choice to keep the walkway to their bedroom open). Staring at a wall or bookcase isn’t optimum for keeping you motivated and inspired while working at home. To create an open feeling for the space we opted to rotate the desk and position it perpendicular to the bookcase—still keeping the walkways open—but giving him a view to the rest of their home and the windows beyond while working. This change also allows greater access to the bookcase and more of a cozy nook carved out for his guitars and musical equipment to be accessed within a small radius of his chair.
Initially, he was opposed to the entire apartment re-do, but going with the “happy wife, happy life” theory, at his wife’s urging agreed to give it a try. He was so thrilled with the new space He texted his wife to say “I am seriously obsessed sitting here looking at how awesome it is”.
It’s not too late to resolve to have a home office that wows you!
Starting your day—or ending it—with a bathroom with a spa-like feeling can give you a sense of calm and lift your spirits. One of my favorite bathroom renovations was working with a couple who loved to travel. They wanted to create a dreamy spa-like bathroom, the kind they had in hotels, at home so they would look forward to being there and enjoy it as much, if not more than their vacation experiences.
To achieve their desired look, we removed a dated garden tub they hadn't ever used and pulled the windows up a bit, replacing them with windows that started further from the ground for privacy. Then we created a massive shower running the full length of the bathroom (9 feet total length) by 3.5 feet at the widest part with a rain-head right in the middle. In addition to the rain-head, we included a standard full pressure adjustable shower head for daily use and a hand shower near a bench on the opposite side. This shower is large enough to host a party, but serene enough to just let it fill with steam and enjoy the view.
We also recommended frosting the lower two thirds of the windows to keep the space more private without fully eliminating the views or the light coming in. The client opted to texture the outer two windows while keeping the center window clear. Then, in the dead of winter, they came back when they realized with the trees bare they could see clear across the expansive backyard and across the street to the neighbors from the shower. To give them the essential privacy they needed in the winter we added a custom length shower curtain to this window which can remain open anytime except winter.
What do you want from your bathroom? Is it a bigger tub, updated tiles, a vanity with double sinks, or perfect lighting to do make up?
When you look around you home can you imagine changes that would make you happier with any—or every—room? Whether you are working on a list of resolutions or haven’t made any yet, there is no time like the present to resolve to give your space a makeover. When you have a home that truly welcomes you, feels like you, and works for you, you enjoy a better quality of life.
Loving the place you are in enhances your relaxation, makes you feel more comfortable entertaining, and cleaning up becomes easier because your space is tailored to the way you live.