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Decide what type of retreat space you want and then what you need.
If you want a place for reading, bring in a good reading light and a chair you can curl up in. If you just need to chill, skip the bright light and install a dimmer switch, clear a small space for headphones and turn on your favorite music. “Let the space support your needs,” says Pat Sendejas, an interior designer in Thousand Oaks, California.
Make it yours.
No one sits in that chair but you—this is Mom’s special place. For a touch of privacy (and to reinforce the message), partition it with an attractive, inexpensive screen. You can choose a pretty font on your computer and print a small sign, “Mom’s Corner,” to place nearby. Bring in a small table and a few of your cherished possessions. “Make it a personal shrine for your well-being,” says Leslie Levine, author of Will This Place Ever Feel Like Home? (McGraw-Hill). “Your grandmother’s handbag, a few childhood remembrances—fill it with your textures—objects that hold meaning just for you."
Set the mood.
A cozy chenille throw will warm you on a chilly afternoon. Or enjoy the soothing effect of water with a small table fountain. Candles, too, are known for their calming effect, especially scented candles. In cooler months, try a Glade® Jar Candle in a homey fragrance like Apple Cinnamon. When spring approaches, switch to a light nature scent such as Angel Whispers®.
Be still.
Just relax and sit quietly for a little while. “One peaceful person can have a profound effect on a household,” says Victoria Moran, author of Shelter for the Spirit: Create Your Own Haven in a Hectic World (HarperCollins). Your tranquility, she says, can radiate into the home and “remove tension from the atmosphere the way a good air cleaner deals with tobacco smoke.”
Spiff it up!
Keep your retreat space clean and uncluttered, and you’ll enjoy your time there much more. “Cluttered rooms interfere with our ability to treasure the moment,” Moran says. Make your private place a pile-free zone. The things you use there—books, writing supplies—should have their own pretty basket or ottoman where you tuck them away when you’re finished. Embrace simplicity in your space, she advises. “A simplified home feels friendlier.”
Feel a connection to your space.
Use it in ways you don’t use the rest of the house. Make it your place for journaling or writing personal letters—for sketching, meditating or whatever you do to relax. Reinforce the connection by stocking your sanctuary with a small tin of your favorite hard candy or some other treat that you enjoy only there.
