In metaphysical design, the goal is to elevate us by receiving energy and harmony in our environment. One way to do this is to impose a geometric scaffolding in our designs. Upon walking into a room you should let your eyes have a pleasurable dance. A friend and prospective client recently sought my advice about…
School Vandalism – The Bureaucratic Community
I began my teaching career in private schools in wealthy neighborhoods. In 1984, I changed to the public sector, however, and started to teach in the inner city. Both violence and vandalism were prevalent in my first public school. I heard that a co-worker had murdered a cafeteria attendant while she was closing out the…
When We Do Not “See” – An Invisible Line in the Sand
Some of the biggest flaws in decorating are the imperfections in our own visual perception system, particularly when we do not “see.” In the late ‘80s, my husband-to-be bought our NYC apartment. I was often afraid to walk around the neighborhood at night, The mornings after confirmed my fears. On my way to work, I…
The Spirit of a House and the Angle of the Meander
Can one feeI the spirit of a house? Can a house be alive with feelings, empathy and caring? think so. Over 25 years ago we bought a house in the country that seemed to do just that. Our feelings are echoed by Mark Twain”s most beautiful words when he describes his house: “To us, our…
A Smile in Every Room – Decorating for Joy
I try to approach interior decorating with a sense of intellectual rigor. My rules are strict and relentless. In this, my first blog, I intend to discuss where those rules come from, why they are important, and how we can beautify and uplift our own spaces by applying them. But, along with all those lofty…
Dish Lessons – “Using the Good China”
Starting a collection of objects, like dishes, can be considered materialistic but I find there are also spiritual advantages. Collecting can tell us a lot about our psychological and spiritual growth. I call them my dish lessons. Once shopping in a California antique mall, I stumbled upon an Art Deco cream and sugar set….
Small Spaces – Decorating from a Metaphysical Approach
Despite this age old wisdom, small spaces are not only difficult to live in but also to live with. When my future husband bought a NYC apartment in the late ‘80s, he thought he would never marry again. The apartment was small for a man living alone, but little did he know, I’d…
Magazine Clutter…..What Should I Do with all My “Marthas?”
I give lots and lots of advice about decorating, but now need some myself. I simply don’t know what to do with magazine clutter, specifically all my Martha Stewart Living magazines. We have over twenty years worth and they are taking up a lot of space and emitting an explosion of magazine clutter. As a…
Unavoidable Plastic – How to Minimize Its Aesthetic Effects
Unavoidable Plastic I hate that we must live with unavoidable plastic. I hate the look of plastic and hate being near it. Through the metaphysics behind decorating, I concentrate not only on the subtle energy generated through seeing objects. I also look at the relationships with the objects around us. To me, plastic is not…
Clutter Emergency? – How to Cope with the Stress
All of us have dealt with clutter. Sometimes, however, we can find ourselves in a paralyzing situation, I call that a clutter emergency, This blog is a how-to solution. It can happen to anyone, no matter how neat our living quarters. At one time or another, any one of us could be at risk. We…