|
 |
Excerpts from . . .
"Simple Sanctuaries: Special Spots To Make A House Your Home"
Greenwich Time HOME Magazine
April 21, 2002
Your home is where you keep all your stuff, but it should be more than that. It should be your refuge from the world and a place to recharge yourself.
"Our home is where we should be replenished, not drained of energy," says Nike Whittemore of Greenwich, a Feng Shui specialist and owner of Simply Placed Designs in Greenwich. "Home is where we have permission to be who we authentically are."
It's a very personal concept.
"If people are very stressed out, with hectic lives, they want their home to be tranquil," she says. "But some people have really boring jobs, and they want a stimulating sanctuary. It's about balance, what you're not getting in your life on the outside."
Treasured objects are crucial to creating a space for escape.
Whittemore says that when she starts working with clients, one of the first things she does is ask them what their most cherished possessions are. "Often, they're tucked away where they never see them," she says. One woman prized her grandmother's quilts, which were kept in a closet. "We brought them out and displayed them and she didn't have to buy anything new to make this a very personal room," she says.
The concept works in reverse, too.
"If you dislike an object, if you have negative emotional ties to it, let go of it. Give away anything that is an emotional drain," says Whittemore.
This comes as a relief to many clients. "I'm a permission giver." They say, "Finally, someone is telling me to get rid of this."
And that goes not just for objects that annoy you, but anything that assails the senses: a squeaky door, an unpleasant scent, poor lighting.
One principle of Feng Shui involves bringing nature into your home, which could mean plants (silk is ok if it looks real), water fountains, wood, ceramics, sand or rocks. "Nature is restorative and connects us to the big picture," she says. "If you don't have nature, you lose perspective."
You can have the perfect room with the perfect accessories, but one important aspect to creating a sanctuary is placement. "It's important to be surrounded by things you like but if you can't move around them, it's not good," says Whittemore, who incorporates the principles of Feng Shui with traditional design techniques. "You have a precious energy supply and you don't want to expend energy to overcome your environment. So it's important to address not only what, but how."
For example, furniture arrangements must be kept airy and open. You don't want to walk through the front door into the back of a sofa. Clutter must be removed or organized.
Whittemore says it's difficult to reel off a prescribed formula for anyone to create a sanctuary at home, because it's a complex interplay of balance, proportion, traffic flow, color, texture and shape - all based on an individual's preference. But she says it's important for everyone to think about the concept of their home.
"The premise is to create harmony in life by creating harmony at home."
Excerpts from . . .
"Solitary Refinement: Textures, Colors, Accessories Can Transform Rooms Into Sacred Space"
Hartford Courant: Home & Real Estate Cover Story
Feb. 8, 1998
These days, more people need their home to be not just their castle, but their sanctuary. According to Home & Garden magazine, a recent poll of 500 of its readers found that 82 percent said that "a quiet place for meditation or spiritual contemplation" was not a luxury, but a necessity.
Nike Whittemore, a Feng Shui practitioner from Greenwich, suggests bringing elements of nature and the senses into a room set aside as a retreat.
"Sacred space means making your space sacred to you. When you enter it, your feeling changes. Your mind shifts from the outside to the present moment," Whittemore said. She works with interior designers and architects to incorporate Feng Shui principles, which encourage harmony and connection between the mind and the environment. Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of placing objects in the home in ways that create a beneficial flow of chi, or energy.
She suggests subtle tones, subdued patterns and natural elements such as wood and decorating the room with furnishings made of natural fibers like sisal or bamboo, a scented candle or essential oils that are pleasant and uplifting. Natural elements heighten the connection to nature.
Also, Whittemore suggests having healthy plants instead of dried flowers. "Dried flowers carry dead energy," she said. "It's good to have something in the room like a plant that you have to take care of, that invites you in." Whittemore also suggests removing exercise equipment and other items to keep the focus on the mind and spirit.
Excerpts from . . .
"The Finishing Touches: Making Properties Look Good To Buy"
Greenwich Time/Stamford Advocate
Sept. 30, 1999
The worst nightmare of a real estate agent trying to sell a house is to walk in the front door and be overcome by the smell of a stinky dog or last night's fish dinner.
Getting rid of nasty odors is one item on a long list of things real estate agents need to think about when they're getting a house ready to sell, said Nike Whittemore, a Feng Shui and real estate consultant from Greenwich.
Local real estate agents and lawyers took notes during a presentation by Whittemore yesterday on how agents could make adjustments and decorate properties to attract buyers. Whittemore held the meeting at the CostPlus Rents showroom in Stamford.
"My goal is create an environment that feels so good, people walk around the house and want to buy it quickly," Whittemore told members of the Southern Fairfield Women's Council of Realtors.
"One thing that's important is an exceptionally clean bathroom," she said. "That includes fresh flowers and a toilet lid that is always closed."
But telling home sellers that their house and furniture have "too much character" or not enough to make it appealing to potential buyers can be tough.
"I'm concerned about offending sellers," said Nancy Carlin, an agent with William Pitt in Fairfield. "They say, 'This is my life.' "
Instead of saying the room is too cluttered or the furniture is arranged wrong, Whittemore phrases it more delicately. "Homeowners become house blind," she said. "When you're trying to sell a house you want to neutralize it. Make it more like a hotel -- not sterile, but universally attractive."
|
|
|
