The Emotional House: How Redesigning Your Home Can Change Your Life

by Robyn, Kathryn L.

• ISBN13: 9781572244085
• ISBN10: 1572244089
• Edition: Illus.
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-04-15
• Publisher: New Harbinger Pubns Inc

Summary

Two home consultants lead the reader through the program they use with their own clients, designed to help create an emotionally, physically, and psychologically supportive living space through organizing, cleaning, decorating, and living tips.

Author Biography

Kathryn L. Robyn is author of Spiritual Housecleaning, a consultant on healthy home living, master in Reiki healing, and editor for a national healthcare magazine. She has led transformational workshops and facilitated support groups in healing issues for over twenty years, working with organizations such as Child Help USA, the Alcoholism Center for Women, and Alive and Well, Inc., as well as in private practice. Her support groups for artists and adult survivors of child abuse and her popular workshops help individuals transform defeating habits, reframe personal obstacles, and repair trauma and spirit-related injuries. She offers workshops and personal consultations for those wishing to create a more supportive, nurturing, and inspiring home. Dawn Ritchie is a consultant and a television writer and producer with credits on over fifteen network and syndicated dramatic series. Codeveloper of the Emotional House Program, she brings her visionary design, personal style development, and life-skills techniques to the book.

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(4)
The Emotional House Program
What Is an Emotional House?	5	(6)
The Four Cornerstones of the Emotional House Program
PART I YOUR BLUEPRINT
You Are the Architect of Your Emotional House	11	(4)
Hotspot Checklist
Setting Up Your Emotional House Design Binder	15	(2)
Organize First!
Logistics Checklist	17	(12)
Life Logistics
Your Factoids
Your Labels
Your Emotional Roller Coasters
Your Coming Attractions
Residence Logistics
What's Lacking in Your House
Existing Problems
Safety and Security Elements
Space and Power Considerations
Planned Alterations
You Are How You Live	29	(6)
Saying Who You Are Is a Defining Act
You Can Change Your Life by Changing Just One Room
Defining Yourself
Your New Labels
The Obstacles That Stand in Your Way
Goal Boards---The Great Motivators
The Five-Year Plan	35	(7)
Your Five-Year Life Plan
Your Five-Year House Plan
Possessing Personal Style	42	(17)
Discovering Your Personal Style
The Four Senses
The Fundamentals of Style
Feathering Your Nest
The Color Wheel
Bringing It All Together
PART II YOUR FOUNDATION
House Rules: The List	59	(2)
House Rule #1: Live in Your Whole House	61	(7)
Each Room Serves a Practical and an Emotional Function
Soul Needs and Survival Needs
Your Home Is the Starting Point for Getting Your Needs Met
Practical and Emotional Functions Table
House Rule #2: Keep It Clean	68	(8)
The D.U.S.T. Principle
What You Allow Becomes Standard
Getting Kids to Help
The Chore Chart
House Rule #3: Comfort: First and Foremost	76	(7)
Physical Comfort
Measuring Yourself for the Perfect Chair
Aging Adults and Comfort
Emotional Comfort
The Positives of Negative Space
Comfort Crutches
House Rule #4: Lifestyle Dictates Design Style	83	(7)
Four Steps to Addressing Lifestyle Conflicts
Step One---Correct Room Function
Step Two---Add Storage
Step Three---Change or Add Furnishings
Step Four---Partition for Additional Functions
Lifestyle Reality Check
House Rule #5: A Show House Is No House	90	(3)
A Show House vs. An Emotional House
``Get up so I can make the bed.''
House Rule #6: A Place for Everything and Everything in Its Place	93	(8)
Tips and Strategies for Organizing
Creating a Workflow System
House Rule #7: Art Is Smart	101	(6)
A Smile on Your Wall
Anchoring a Room with Art
Art as a Healing Experience
House Rule #8: Set Boundaries for Room Use	107	(10)
Setting Boundaries
Enforcing Boundaries
Divide and Conquer---Making Rooms Multifunctional
Safety and Security---The Ultimate Boundary
House Rule #9: If It's Broke, Fix It	117	(5)
Your Repair Kits
Three Things Everyone Needs to Know---Renters & Home Owners Alike
Hiring a Contractor
The Emotional Stress of Major Repairs
House Rule #10: The Divine Is in the Details	122	(8)
The Divine Naturals: Fire, Water, Light
The Lighting Plan
Architectural Details
House Rule #11: All White Is Not Right	130	(10)
Color as a Personal Limiter
Your Personal Color Palette
Color Therapy
How to Create a Color Scheme
The Emotional Characteristics of Color
Paint Touch-Ups
House Rule #12: A Room of One's Own for Everyone---Including Pets	140	(7)
Who's Responsible or ``Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do...''
Creating Your Unique ``Room of Your Own''
PART III YOUR HOUSE
A Journey Through Your Home	147	(17)
The Building Blocks of Your Emotional House: Recap
The Walk Through---Your House Checklist
Picking a Room to Start With
Making Your Plan---An Overview
Your Goal, Budget, Time Limit, Schedule, Shopping and to do Lists Going Through the Fire
Measure for Measure---Preparing for Change
Making Your Floor Plan Mock-Ups
Coordinating Your Look and Design
Foyer (Your Gate)	164	(3)
Rules of the Room
Coming In Out of the Rain
A New Tradition---Creating a Touchstone
Living Room (Your Tribal Council)	167	(5)
Rules of the Room
Talking Heads---The Conversation Pit
The Elephant in the Room
A New Tradition---Couch Council
Kitchen (Your Hearth)	172	(7)
Rules of the Room
The Flavor of Love
A Functioning Kitchen Is All About Good Workflow
A New Tradition---Comfort Food Feast
Bathroom (Your Temple Bath)	179	(5)
Rules of the Room
Clean and Serene
A New Tradition---The Inner Beauty Treatment
Bedroom (Your Sanctuary)	184	(6)
Rules of the Room
Pajama Games
A New Tradition---Relationship Repair Dates
Home Office (Your Central Records)	190	(6)
Rules of the Room
Setting Up Your House Accounts
Destination Success!---Tackling and Completing Your Projects
A New Tradition---Repairing Your Relationship to Work and Money
Additional Rooms	196	(8)
Dining Room (Your Round Table)
Rules of the Room
A New Tradition---Everyone Counts
Kids' Room (The Fort)
Rules of the Room
A New Tradition---Story Time Every Night . . . Guaranteed
Studio/Workshop (Your Labor & Delivery Room)
Rules of the Room
A New Tradition---Celebrate Your Creations
Laundry Room (Your River)
Rules of the Room
A New Tradition---A Song Runs Through It
Basement, Garage, Attic and Storage (Your Keep)
Rules of the Room
The Garden (Your Eden)	204	(7)
Rules of the Garden
Your Outdoor Room
A New Tradition---The Magic Hour
Resources	211	(2)
Great Websites
References	213