Day Bed Dreaming

Last night I found myself in my reading nook, staring at my latest artwork. 

One of the main things I had day dreamed about for years is a day bed where I can read, nap, listen to music, talk to people on the phone, and just...day dream. I took on of the outdoor chaises to create a couch that is big enough to sleep in. I can actually stretch my legs on it and sink into all those pillows. 

That easy chair is also enormously comfortable and easy to fall asleep in. I look forward to having people over after this pandemic is over. I can pull out the chair and have seating for 2-3 people. For now, I just have my husband and teen son to visit me. 

Another layer I am adding is ferns and house plants to add more splashes of green, which is one of the accent colors I have along with orange. The decor is grey, cream, reddish brown, black, and white with accents of green and orange. That is why the artwork is green and orange. So with the ferns, I have to raise the humidity of the cottage. That is why I have the humidifier going. Having the heat on in the morning means that I have to have it going all day and in the evenings while i am awake. The range so far has been 40-66% humidity. I am hoping to get that up in the 70s for the ferns. I am getting some more ferns and house plants to hang from the ceiling this next week. Ferns and houseplants clean the air and adds a great atmosphere. The humidifier also adds a water feature to the cottage which was missing. I got a digital thermometer and humidity gauge so I can work on getting the cottage right for the plants. I also revived an orchid. If you notice, there is a cream colored bowl where I put rocks in a bowl of water to add more humidity as the water evaporates. This also gives me another water feature. 

I love the BOHO aesthetic but do not believe in going FULL BOHO. I like being bohemian without hitting people over the head with it. That is my philosophy with design don't go too literal or be too much into any one look. I love French country house, but carrying that too far would be too much. I like the shabby chic,  but too much of it would be too much. My style is more in line with a sophisticated, layered New York studio apartment and office/studio with elements of bohemian chic. I love playing Jazz, classical, and shamanic music in the background so I need a space that would feel natural listening to Jazz with a glass a good whiskey as the sun sets over the foothills. 

I mix woods, metals, and textures in this space. Nickle, copper, and gold play well in this space with copper fairy lights, gold accents in book spines and vases, and nickle curtain rods. Greyish woods of the flooring and bookshelves, play well with reddish woods of my desk and hutch (matching easy chair), natural wood of my art storage, and black woods of my worktables. I have a black metal accents of the bookcases that go with the black metal storage rack. My rug runner is dark grey, beige, and cream. I have gauzy grey linen curtains. I also have minerals of crystals and rocks. I have metal statues of Green Tara, White Tara, and Buddha, because this is a sacred space as well. 

I mix textiles as well. I have faux fur, silk, knit, cotton, and velvet pillows and throws in green, cream, white, grey, and orange. I have a leather chair. I am not afraid to layer, people. 

It was on my day bed that I joined into a virtual full moon women's shamanic journey ritual one night while holding my huge rose quartz specimen. It was a deeply satisfying experience where tears were shed and I had this deep meditative experience. 

This cottage is this workspace where I can create art, write, take on projects, relax, read, meditate, and day dream. This wasn't created overnight. It took years for this to come together and lots of planning, dreaming, working, and collecting. 

There is a design movement called maximalism which is a counter to minimalism. In interior design it is layers of materials and elements that fill the room without being cluttered or disorganized. When I look at interiors, while I appreciate the elegance of minimalism, I always lean in on a space that has layers of elements. Many of the elements of this cottage space has items that I have carried with me all my life, books, a chunky, amber candy dish my adopted mom gave me, shells, incense holders, vases, art, etc. When arranged thoughtfully, it becomes a place of wonder and comfort to day dream in.