BEYOND INTERIOR DESIGN

The average home contains 500 to 1000 chemicals, many of which we are unable to see, smell, or taste. Indoor air is typically two to five times more polluted than outdoor air. Reducing our exposure to indoor and outdoor toxins allows our body’s own detoxification system to function more efficiently. When our bodies are spending less time removing toxins it becomes much easier to fight off viruses, bacteria, and allergens which can cause brain fog, moodiness, and fatigue.

Many of us have done a cleanse or detox in order to eliminate internal toxins from our body. But how many of us do anything about the toxins in our homes? A recent study found that 58% of vinyl flooring tiles in the United States contained carcinogens known as Phthalates. Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to soften and increase the flexibility of plastic and vinyl. Phthalates have been linked to asthma, hyperactivity, neurodevelopmental issues, and male infertility, to name just a few. We can reduce our risk of chronic illness by limiting our exposure to everyday toxins. At Bark and Skins, we encourage the use of environmentally safe products where Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) are reduced or eliminated, and provide alternatives for flooring, insulation and home furnishings.

How we do this

• Give clients alternative options to flooring, insulation, and furnishings that eliminate or minimize exposure to toxins and promote healthy living
• Create proper design flow to enhance ventilation within the home
• Use the best allergen fighting products as well as advice on alternatives to highly toxic cleaners
• Work closely with contractors and subcontractors to insure the use of the safest glues, cleaners, binders, paints etc.

Let us help you Detox Your Life!

When you harmonize your home it flows both visually and energetically. In interior design, this is achieved when all parts of the visual concept relate and complement one another; the entrance to the home will share design and material elements with the bedroom, the kitchen, the office, and the bathrooms. The energetic component is the ahhh feeling you have when you come in the door. This means that chi, the life force or energy flow spoken of in traditional Feng Shui, is moving freely through the space.

Harmony in design requires the marriage of form and function, balancing the styles of those who live in the home with the proper colors, materials, furnishings and accessories. When the proper balance is struck the optimum flow of chi gives you a sense of calm and satisfaction – not just the first time but every time you enter your home.

How is harmony achieved energetically in a home? It is created by incorporating the five principles of Feng Shui, as well as the practice of cleansing your home.

Why cleanse your home energetically? It welcomes positive, high vibration in your space and clears away negative energy. According to Feng Shui, a high vibration helps align our bodies and our home, resulting in better communication, cooking, creativity, meditation and overall family harmony. In Eastern and Native cultures, space clearing is used to remove the energy of previous home occupants, to bless newly built homes, or to expand a particular life area such as health, prosperity, and relationship.

How we do this

• By creating visual harmony
• Incorporating modern Feng Shui principles
• Using ancient practices to remove stagnant energy, including smudging, sound healing and Shamanic techniques
• Leveraging meditative tools to maintain positive energy flow

Most people strive to be organized in all facets of their lives, including their work and living space. But why is an organized environment important for emotional, mental and physical health? To put it simply: physical clutter in your space creates clutter in your mind. According to research, people who declutter their home and workspace report higher levels of concentration, more ability to focus and, as a result, greater levels of success. They also experience deeper levels of calm and peacefulness from within as well as a multitude of health benefits. And, of course, an organized space creates a beautiful, pleasurable, and inviting environment.

How does clutter affect your health?

Human beings are products of their environment. The environment we create reflects and affects our physical, mental, and emotional state. When our home life becomes disordered we become less energetic and efficient. This creates stress in the brain which depletes energy and forms a toxic inhibitor to accomplishing not only daily tasks but lifelong goals – and can also negatively impact our precious health.

Developing an organizational system to keep track of everyday items is just one way decluttering can reduce your everyday stress. Removing clutter from your environment also minimizes your exposure to allergens such as dust and mites, mold, bacteria and dander. Exposure to these common allergens can lead to respiratory ailments, poor sleep patterns – even snoring! And, after extended exposure to allergens in the home, some people report an inability to think clearly, commonly known as brain fog. Allergens affect virtually every aspect of your life including your immune system’s ability to fight off illness. Reducing clutter promotes not only a happy, but a healthy, life.

Minimizing Clutter Increases Productivity.

Clutter is distracting and affects your ability to focus. According to the Journal of Neuroscience, a disordered living or work space overloads the visual cortex of your brain and interferes with the processing of information. Decluttering your space sets you free to be more productive and efficient, leaving you more time to do the things you enjoy – cooking, relaxing, exercising, and spending time with your family and friends.

Are There Financial Benefits to Reducing Clutter?

Absolutely! By keeping your appliances, furnishings and home in good condition, you’ll need repairs or replacement items less often.

True interior design does more than help you create a beautiful space, it incorporates the elements of energy, flow and harmony unique to you. Bark & Skins will help you achieve the optimal use of your space and teach you how to maintain your new reality. We’ll not only help you get there, we’ll help you stay there.