The Family Groove | ArticleName

SPACE SAVERS
LIFESTYLE EXPERT COLLEEN MULLANEY’S HIGH DESIGN ON A LOW BUDGET

A SPACE OF HER OWN

Wife. Mommy. Honey. Owner. Employee. Cook. Baker.
Driver. Cleaner. Caretaker. All monikers you wear on
a daily basis—so many, in fact, that your own name
often goes unused.

Yes, you are everything to everyone and all over the
place, to boot.

So just how does a Mrs. Mother USA get back to her once and former self? Where can she go?

You need a space of your own, Lady. You need a place to relax, regroup and indulge in your thoughts, talents and dreams. We all must retreat for short moments to take care of ourselves. Such a respite, no matter how brief, leaves you feeling refreshed, in touch and ready to take on whatever labels the world slaps on you.

Here’s your at-home sanctuary how-to:
Pick a space. For some women, it might be a favorite corner of a room, a kitchen nook or a closet converted to hobby central. For others, a small room, patio or sunporch. Whatever it is, no matter how large or small, these spaces will be used to do one thing: nurture the mind, body and spirit.

For many women, their sanctuary is in the tub. My grandmother used to take a bath every afternoon. It’s easy to see why it’s a favorite mode of relaxation—the soothing water covers like a warm blanket, the quiet calms and the stress seems to melt away. Creating a bath sanctuary should include basics like bath oils and salts, scented candles, a neck pillow, favorite music and a big stack of soft towels. To up the serenity factor, paint the room a relaxing shade and hang favorite artwork or pictures that inspire you and bring happy thoughts.

If there is a favorite corner of a room you would like to take over to indulge in your passions or hobbies, start with a comfortable chair to relax in and accent it with a cozy throw and decorative pillow. Place a small table next to the chair to hold a vase of flowers, candle, or mug of tea or coffee. Have lighting for task or reading, and a stylish basket or bin for magazines, books or knitting projects. With this sanctuary set up, you can plug in to a little you time any old time.

If you have a small patio or room to work with, fill it with things that reflect you and your passions or hobbies. Start with the essentials like seating, a floor covering and walls. Area rugs in all shapes and sizes are readily available at home design stores; these are perfect for covering a bare patio floor or layering over worn carpeting. Premade slipcovers are inexpensive and can do wonders for old loveseats and chairs. Throw pillows add great color and a pop of pattern and design. Add a fresh coat of paint to the walls and hang your favorite photos, collection of birdhouses or shell-filled glass urns. Accent with things that inspire you, that remind you of favorite places or times. Finish with scented candles, a bowl of your favorite candy and flowers.

Now all that’s missing from this sanctuary is you—not mom or wife or volunteer or executive or best friend, just you.

Colleen Mullaney has enjoyed a long and dynamic career devoted to style and entertaining.
Whether it be through her many published works or with her friends and family, Colleen has made it her passion to bring style to the world through floral design, home decorating and crafting.
Colleen is a former editor in chief of Family Circle Homecrafts, FTD In Bloom and Jo-Ann magazines. Most recently, she partnered with Chris Madden on the launch of her magazine At Home with Chris Madden.
Her books include Shells, Faux Fabulous Florals (Sixth&Spring) and her popular Punch (in its third printing with Chronicle Books; more than 30,000 copies have been sold in such outlets as Williams-Sonoma and Anthropologie). Colleen will celebrate her take on bridal with One-of-a-Kind Weddings (Creative Publishing) as well as the global entertaining landscape with It’s 5 o’clock Somewhere (Sixth&Spring).
Colleen has created interiors for residential and commercial spaces, and she’s designed cottage gardens and floral arrangements for clients up and down the East Coast.
You can also see her work in full color on HGTV’s Insider’s Garden and soon on the web with a yet-to-be-announced project.
Colleen lives in Westchester, N.Y., with her husband and three children, where she is constantly hosting playdates and dinner parties, toiling in the garden, and working on future projects.

For more from Colleen, go to www.colleenmullaney.com.