Case Study — The Feeling

The gem of the space is this midcentury modern dining table for my client’s “The Feeling” supper club

Creating a Grounding Sanctuary

My brilliant nomad client was looking to create a place that truly felt like home.  She splits her time between Berlin, NYC, the Middle East, and wherever she is exploring next(right now Iceland). After being a bit nomadic and not having a place she enjoyed coming back to, she came to work with me. One of the biggest themes was: How to reclaim pieces from a previous chapter of life or ones that were gifted? How to create a cohesive space to regain a sense of self?

She had possessions being shipped from New York City to the Middle East, some of which were from previous relationships and others from her family. Once all of her objects were in one place, we started to evaluate what was worth keeping. Her biggest dream for the space was to restart her supper club which she calls “The Feeling”. We uncovered that she feels the most alive when she is hosting, and that was a key piece she was missing while being nomadic for so long. She wanted to create a grounding, inspiring and welcoming place that was hers —a place to define this new era of self.

“I want to create a place that reminds me I can create home anywhere, as long as it enables me to be the person I want to be.”

The couch in the center blocked the flow of the space

Current Space

Her current setup did not have good flow. The office desk was in her bedroom—the layout of the living and dining space wasn’t working(she didn't like using either space but didn’t know why), she inherited a couch that was uncomfortable, and her space lacked cozy places to read, write, and watch things. 

The yellow line above shows the energy of the apartment which was obstructed by furniture. We wanted the good energy to flow from the windows to the doors. The current location of the couch was not ideal. However—it made sense for my client, as she wanted to journal from her couch while enjoying the view. The intentions were beautiful, so we simply needed, to create a harmonious layout balancing function and flow.

Defining living and dining areas and anchoring each zone with art and mirrors.

New Energy

The first adjustment we made was to moving her desk into the main space—because the bedroom should be reserved for resting, where possible. This move immediately elevated her focus, flow, and overall mood while working from home. We named this space the “studio” because the changes allowed her to work from her desk, couch, or patio. She could enjoy the entirety of her space while working, rather than feel trapped in her bedroom. The bedroom then became solely a place for rest. The bed is now centered on the wall, and we created a small space in the bedroom for yoga.

"Your sacred space is where you can find yourself over and over again" — Joseph Campbell

Her main dream was to restart the supper club series, where she could feel in flow and regain a sense of self. In the main space, we centered her show-piece dining table alongside the kitchen window. When she is prepping for her supper club, she has a direct connection to her guests. A round mirror anchors her dining table, defining the space. And mirrors behind the dining table double the vibrant energy of the dinner party. She has this incredible neon light, “The Feeling”. We framed it on canvas to create an art piece for the entrance.

The Feeling Supper Club has commenced! Her new space came to life with the inaugural supper.

The Process

The entire process was generative and collaborative. While I advised on different layouts and best Feng Shui practices, I encouraged my client to play and try out those layouts to see what felt best. Once the most intuitive layout was selected, we incorporated and reclaimed pieces from previous chapters of her life. She tied them together with new pieces like these beautiful rugs from Istanbul. Play and color became the foundation of her space, with the dining zone taking center stage as she prepared to to host her first supper club in her reimagined space.

It can be incredibly powerful to create the life you want to live through your space. By identifying what is missing, we can support the things that bring you the most joy and allow your true self to flourish. For my client, this process helped reground herself in her new space and remind herself she can be the person she wants to be anywhere!