BLOG — Brandi Wolff

My Home
, My Sanctuary

Making Your Home Your Own
by Brandi Wolff

BLOG #1: Where Do We Begin?

The first time I realized that creating a sanctuary out of my own home was ESSENTIAL for peace of mind occurred in 2006 when I moved to Koreatown in Los Angeles, CA. The exterior of the building was old, painted forest green, and a little downtrodden. It looked like a stunted little 8-plex in a sea of large apartment buildings. But when I stepped inside my soon-to-be FIRST-ever apartment — #5 — I was suddenly transported to a 350-square foot haven. It was truly a respite from the busy streets of LA… a complete renovation with maple hardwood floors, cream-colored walls, and a beautifully tiled taupe bathroom.

This became my inspiration and canvas for creating my own sacred space. I had been going through a very rough time personally and felt SUPER sensitive to energies. Not just the energies coming from people, but things — objects! — as well. Eastern culture holds that everything has an energy, a spirit. This perspective became very real, and still fundamentally true, for me as I combed through boutiques, second-hand stores, and Craigslist to select objects and furnishings to surround me in my new home.

This leads me to the first point I’d like to touch on regarding the messaging of this blog:

YOU CHOOSE — FROM YOUR OWN FREE WILL — EVERYTHING THAT BECOMES A PART OF YOUR SACRED SPACE.

Your surroundings do not just “come together” spontaneously. Objects don’t just fly in and then all of a sudden you’re swamped with clutter. Although it may seem like this happens over time, you are literally hand selecting — and PAYING — for every object that surrounds you.

So, let’s begin here. Let’s realize that we have a choice as to what to bring into our space. Why does it matter though? Research shows that our surroundings affect us on multiple levels, especially subconsciously. Think about it…would you rather sit around in a dilapidated, torn apart home, or a beautiful, clean, fresh, comfy space full of natural light? It’s not rocket science.

Here’s my advice: if you don’t like something, don’t buy it! If you’re iffy about it, don’t carry it inside your home! This comes down to things as neglected in design as a pair of scissors. I know it could sound crazy, but EVERY LITTLE THING you own should make you happy in some way. Why? Because you have a choice. You can choose to bring something into your home that feels crappy to you or you can choose something that puts a twinkle of joy in your eye. Let’s choose the twinkle of joy…

This blog will help to guide + inspire your own journey of making your home your sanctuary.

Here’s a peek at the beginning of my own sacred space in my new condo [my very first home purchase!!]:

Blog #2: Choosing What You Love

Believe it or not, you don’t have to have an entire motif picked out to select gorgeous, coordinating elements for your design. Start with a piece you love — a couch, a bed, a rug. My best recommendation is to trust your own instincts [typically, your FIRST instinct is the ideal one] and put together your interior landscape on a Pinterest Board.

Once you do this, evaluate the “flow” of the design. You’ll get a feel for whether it flows or if it’s disjointed. Each of the items below I selected entirely separately of one another, but I trusted my instincts and it all came together. If you want to know if your design has continuity, feel free to email me your Pinterest Board: brandi@westandmainhomes.com. I’m here and happy to help.