High Vibe Home: Holistic Design for Beautiful Spaces with Healing, Balanced Energy

By Kirsten Yadouga and Tara Donne

From an interior designer and modern feng shui expert, High Vibe Home is a luxe handbook for creating restorative spaces that feel as good as they look.

Create a home that feels as good as it looks. From an interior designer and energy practitioner, High Vibe Home teaches readers how to design harmonious spaces that invite free-flowing, positive energy into their homes and lives. By decluttering and cleaning, arranging furniture, decorating with crystals or houseplants, incorporating new colors, textures, and more, anyone, on any budget, can design a home with high vibes. The book outlines key design principles and energy rules that contribute to a nourishing home, and then, room-by-room, offers achievable ways to put those practices into place. In a luxe package, this handbook is woven through with atmospheric photography, evocative shots of styled decor elements, and helpful diagrams. High Vibe Home is a must-have for design aficionados, wellness enthusiasts, and anyone interested in crystals, feng shui, or energy work. Alongside smudge sticks or a cozy throw, it's a thoughtful gift for a girlfriend's birthday or a housewarming party.

ACCESSIBLE PRACTICES: High Vibe Home offers achievable, affordable practices to make spaces feel more Zen. Anyone, on any budget, can make these small adjustments to improve their home and in turn, channel that newfound positive energy into other areas of their life.

MORE THAN JUST HOME DECOR: This book is not simply a collection of design tips; it also teaches how to foster specific types of energy in your space—calming, invigorating, healing, etc. These choices can have an outsize impact on not just your mood but also your relationships, career, and health.

ON TREND: The wellness trend is still going strong, and holistic interior design is an extension of that. There are sections throughout the book on crystals, chakras, feng shui, and other types of energy work, which will appeal to those interested in these on-trend wellness topics.

Perfect for:

• Anyone looking for ways to make their home lovelier or more Zen
• People interested in energy work, crystals, or feng shui
• Shoppers looking for a Mother's Day, hostess, or housewarming gift

• Language: English
• Publisher: Chronicle Books Digital
• Release date: Aug 24, 2021
• ISBN: 9781797207391

Kirsten Yadouga

Kirsten Yadouga is an interior designer and a Reiki, feng shui, and meditation expert. She began her career in fashion, where she worked with clients such as Coach and Madewell, before opening her holistic design business, The Interior Intuitive. Kirsten takes a very intuitive approach to design: By considering the energy of a space and assessing the internal and environmental needs of her clients, she is able to design beautiful, restorative spaces where her clients thrive. She lives in New York with her two daughters.

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

What Is a High Vibe Home? (And Why Do I Need One?)

Tell me if you’ve ever had this experience: You walk into someone’s home, and even though it’s well designed and has a clear aesthetic, something still feels . . . awkward. Perhaps you start to examine every part of the room—there must be something that’s throwing everything off, right? Right?? Well, yes, although it’s likely not as simple as an unfortunate sofa choice.

There’s a secret ingredient to every well-designed environment. We can all sense it, whether we realize it or not, and while it might be second nature to professional designers, we are all able to tap into it. It’s energy. When the energy is right, you’ll want to get comfortable and stay for hours. But when it’s not? Not only will the space feel off, but it can have consequences in other parts of your life, negatively affecting your work, relationships, health, and happiness.

If you’ve never taken a yoga class and you’re just not into crystals, don’t worry . . .

Working with energy, or vibrations, isn’t something that’s reserved for the most spiritual among us, and it’s deeper than just a passing trend—in the same way that subway tile, leopard print, and plaid are occasionally trendy but never really go away because they’re time-tested and classic. Energy work is as old as humanity itself; it’s not the new kid on the block.

Energy is everywhere; it’s a part of everything and every creature on the planet. If you’re here, you’re already working with energy, even if you’re not aware of it yet. Creating a high vibe home is about becoming aware of the energy that already exists in your space, as well as your own personal energy, and aligning the two. Ultimately, a high vibe home is one that makes you feel your best; it’s a home in which smart design choices foster positive energy—energy that can be channeled into other aspects of your life. This will mean different things in different spaces. There is no one-size-fits-all formula, but the good news is that you can achieve high vibes with absolutely every aesthetic.

What Does Your Design Style Say about Your Energy?

By the end of this book, you’ll no doubt be a pro at consulting your energetic knowledge bank when creating your environment—but chances are, you’re already using your intuition in your design process without even realizing it. Getting in touch with your energetic style, and understanding how it intersects with your aesthetic style, can open the door to creating a high vibe space that you and your family, roommates, or partner will truly love to live in. I love a good quiz for learning fun facts, and who couldn’t use some more self-awareness? The following questions will help you identify your personal aesthetic so that you can channel it into a totally aligned, energetically supportive design plan.

Which sounds like your ideal room?

A. Layers of white, with trim and accents in black; clean shapes; modern lighting; and oversize windows

B. Eclectic pieces that feel well loved and discovered; vintage finds collected over time; mixed wood finishes; and tons of texture

C. A space full of treasures collected from travels all over the world, a story attached to every piece; gorgeously multicolored Moroccan rugs; cozy, easy furnishings; and patinaed metal finishes

D. A coastal palette of calming blues and neutrals; familiar, traditional shapes; and a mix of natural materials

Your bathroom is:

A. Spare, organized, and spotless; brightly lit, with nothing displayed on the countertop

B. Cluttered with hairstyling and skin-care products on every surface, toothbrushes on the counter, and visible laundry—on top of gorgeous tile and finishes throughout the space

C. Bright and happy, with lots of candles, scents, and bath salts displayed in beautiful containers

D. A clean, spa-like retreat, stocked with extra towels and toiletries, ready for guests at a moment’s notice

When it’s time to decide on a new paint color for the living room, you:

A. Sample multiple colors from four totally different neutral color families, carefully considering the pros and cons of each

B. Experiment freely! Maybe it’s time for the Pantone Color of the Year?

C. Trust your intuition; you’ll know it when you see it

D. Go with the most versatile, sensible palette

Which destination would you visit first?

A. Berlin

B. Machu Picchu

C. Bali

D. Kyoto

Your favorite type of house is:

A. A stunning vintage townhouse

B. A woodsy mountain retreat

C. A tropical bungalow

D. A homey craftsman in a quiet neighborhood

Your favorite season is:

A. Winter

B. Spring

C. Summer

D. Fall

A

If your answers were mostly As, it’s likely you are the Mindful Minimalist. You love clean lines and a clean palette. Blacks, grays, and neutrals have a calming effect on you, and clutter is not welcome in your space. Stainless finishes are your preference in the kitchen, and cleverly designed storage that disappears is your favorite design feature.

B

If you mostly answered B, it’s safe to say you are the Fearless Bohemian. You love a more-is-more approach to design, and you welcome a mix of colors, styles, and textures. Every item in your home tells a story, and a walk through each room can feel like a treasure hunt. You’re most comfortable when surrounded by eye candy, and love is the tie that brings it all together.

C

If C was your go-to answer, you are the Color Alchemist. Your home is a study of artfully combined colors. You know what you like when you see it, and you have a natural ability to combine colors, shapes, and materials for a space that looks considered and intentionally collected. You’re into brights but appreciate a moment of visual calm to separate your color stories. Overly tonal and calm spaces have the opposite of their intended effect on you: They make you feel understimulated, bored, and restless. Yours is a home where color is impactful without being overwhelming.

D

If your answers were usually Ds, you are the Master of Calm. Like the Minimalist, you appreciate a limited color palette, but you lean toward warmer shades that remind you of nature. The feeling of quiet and Zen is easy to recognize on entering your space, and your energy field, as well as your home’s exterior, is likely as clean and simple as the interior. You sometimes find yourself drawn to a coastal design style, with natural materials and traditional shapes playing a starring role in your design plan.

When You Know, You Know

Imagine that you’re arriving home after a day at work. What’s the first feeling you get when you walk in the door? Are you relieved to be in your favorite environment? Or are you overwhelmed by the to-do list of papers and half-finished projects waiting for you inside?

These reactions shouldn’t be brushed off; they are clues. Our bodies are constantly receiving and responding to the energy around us. Call it gut instinct, intuition, or a feeling. When we’re distracted or just going about our days on auto-pilot, it’s really easy to misinterpret these clues and write them off as stress. When we pause long enough to check in with ourselves and really consider how we feel in a space, we can start to have a dialogue with our environments.

I spent more than 20 years in the fashion industry before turning to interior design and energy work. Throughout my career, I’ve found that my most successful projects in both industries were always those where I had the freedom to combine elements that shouldn’t work together. Masculine and feminine. Light and dark. Modern and vintage. Streamlined and maximalist. Bringing together unlikely combinations in a way that works is a special kind of alchemy, and it’s been successful for me because I follow what feels right. I love to experiment, break the rules, and try things that, on paper, just aren’t supposed to work—provided that my inner voice is saying, Yes! Do this! Indeed, I can say that my most monumental mistakes (not that I really believe in mistakes) have been those where I ignored my instinct and listened to external influences that went against that inner voice.

I’ve been what some would call highly intuitive for as long as I can remember. Even as a kid, I was very in tune with both my surroundings and my inner voice, and I was able to sense the feelings of those around me. But I buried my intuitive inclinations for years out of fear, only to have them reappear in times of serious need.

Though I didn’t realize it then, 2013 was one of those times. The years after my oldest daughter was born brought with them some intense, life-shifting challenges. I was forced to move to a new town, far from friends, family, and the career that I’d known and loved for so long. Faced with the task of complete life reinvention, I noticed those old intuitive tendencies starting to make some noise, and this time, I paid attention. Over the following few years, I learned to rely on my gut instinct in a way that I never had before, because I truly had to—it was all that I had left. I followed my ideas and hunches as if they were breadcrumbs, left by the Universe, that would eventually place me exactly where I was meant to be. These breadcrumbs led me to study not only interiors but also energy and its effect on our surroundings. I renovated my home; took classes in interior design; studied feng shui; became certified as a meditation instructor and a crystal and Reiki practitioner; and began to view design through not just an aesthetic lens but an energetic one as well. I started to apply my knowledge of the energetic effects of color, material, shape, and placement to my design projects and my own home—again, in an intuitive way, rather than a regimented one, with unbelievable results.

Without even realizing it, I’d relied on my tried-and-true, alchemical process for my biggest design project to date: my own personal relaunch.

I know on a deep level the power and influence that our physical spaces have on our everyday lives. You might say that while I’ve spent years studying energetic design in theory, I’ve spent a lifetime studying it in practice. My intention is that by sharing this with you, I will not only help you create a stunning and aligned space to live in, but also encourage you to break some rules and follow your inner voice.

I hope that this book serves as one of your breadcrumbs and that you find inspiration in these pages to craft your own intuitive design practice with confidence. Whether you’re here for the design principles, the symbolism of colors, the art of feng shui, the energetic practices, or something else, just remember that when you mindfully and intentionally combine the steps that resonate with you, there are no wrong answers.

How to Use This Book

Whatever it is that brought you to this book, you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be. Trust that you’re exploring this topic for a reason, and whether you’re experienced with energy work or this is your first encounter, know that a stunningly styled and energetically supportive environment is within reach.

In your home, high vibes will manifest as clear countertops, organized closets, cozy corners, and welcoming spaces you want to spend time in. That is where this book comes into play. We’ll start by learning some of the rules of design and energy work. And then, room by room, I’ll show you how to