Take time to create space for yourself

If you are like me, you crave a little bit of time alone to relax and rejuvenate. Have you created a special place in your home for this purpose? Some of you may have the luxury of having a designated room to yourself. Perhaps it is a home office where you can close the door and catch up on paperwork. Or perhaps it is a sewing room where you create beautiful quilts. Others of you may have a special spot in the house such as a reading chair in your bedroom. Whatever the space, make it a comfortable, inviting space to be.

One of my clients has a beautiful sunroom off her kitchen. She enjoys the warm sunshine while curling up with a cup of coffee and a good book in the cozy sitting area. Photos of her precious grandkids adorn the end table, and she always has fresh flowers on the coffee table.

Another client has devoted an entire armoire to her scrapbooking hobby. The armoire has a pullout worktable and plenty of storage for all of her things. This beautiful piece of furniture looks terrific in her family room, and at the end of a session she can close the doors and hide any clutter.

For my husband, our newly remodeled garage provides a quite space for him to work on his laptop or to exercise. It may sound funny to enjoy being in a garage, but since we had it sheet-rocked and painted, and new cabinetry installed, our garage is an organized, clean, well-lit place to be. He hung a few favorite photographs and brought in a CD player to personalize the space.

I am enjoying my new home office. I have all of my paperwork, catalogs and files in easy reach, and my new sofa gives me a comfortable spot to watch my favorite HGTV shows. I treated myself to new furniture, rather than rely on a mismatched assortment of hand-me-downs. The windows by my desk let in lots of natural light and give me a view of the backyard.

The master bathroom provides a place for rejuvenation and relaxation for lots of folks. If you are lucky enough to have a spa tub, use it! Light some candles, add some bubbles, and turn on some music. You will emerge refreshed and relaxed.  For those of you embarking on master bath renovations, I would encourage you to splurge a bit to create a special haven just for you. Natural stone, a soft, neutral color scheme and luxurious features such as "his and hers" shower heads all help to create that spa feeling.  To add luxury inexpensively and easily to any bathroom, treat yourself to new fluffy towels, fragrant soaps and lotions. Install a dimmer switch to allow you to soften any harsh lighting.

Regardless of the size of your home or budget, you can create a special spot for yourself. Make it personal with things you love, and you'll have a place to enjoy for years to come.

This article first appeared in Alameda Newspaper Group papers on Sept. 17, 2005.

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All articles copyright 2003-2008 Anna Jacoby.