Ai's clients share their experiences.
Ms. C (Manhattan, NY)
〜Want to rearrange home but how?!〜
I think I heard a voice from somewhere.."This is the last chance for you!"
I was supposed to have sofa reupholstered 3 years ago. But things did not go smoothly until I found Ai.
I always wanted to make my husband's study room into my own creation room; remove old computer, move 5 tall sturdy book shelves somewhere. And also I wanted to change my son's room where his sister left so many things of hers (she lives in a different state for work), but he did not want change because he's used to it. My daughter did not want her things to be removed from his room.
I want to change things! But I can't. Should we move to somewhere new?!
No...I prefer living in this place, appreciate this place...then leave things to the universe after that.
This time, I really thought I have to seriously start working on home. I needed a professional who can help me with this big project. That's how I met Ai.
Owenr/Therapist at Bodhi Healing Studio
〜Project begins!〜
Ai understood how important it was for me to rearrange my home and that it could change my life. She gave me so many breaking through ideas that I could not even thought of...she is truly professional.
First, we worked on the study room, which I want to make my own creation room where I can focus on making my dreams come true.
"Let's move all five book shelves to the entrance hall!"
What?! Move these heavy shelves with tongs of books to the entrance hall?!
There were really so many books in the shelves.
But actually, when I moved in to this condo, I wanted to have book shelves in this entrance hall way and I tried once, but gave up because I thought they were too big shelves for the entrance area.
But after she showed me many sample images where book shelves are nicely placed in the entrance hallway as if they are beautiful libraries.
She also gave me some ideas of entrance decors that give nice look to the area.
I finally because determined. I've go to do it.
I spent 2 - 3 days to remove all the books from 5 shelves, I moved 3 shelves to the entrance hallway and 2 to my son's bedroom, and put all the books back to the shelves. I also let so many unnecessary books go. Finally I did it.
I felt so accomplished. Suddenly energy at home changed.
My daughter, who was not willing to remove her stuff at first, ended up to let 5 boxes of her stuff in the end. Even though we sometime had disagreement during the process, my daughter was cooperative since I think she felt I was very serious about this project. It was unbelievable I got this much things done by myself.
〜Decorate home with my favorite things〜
I felt my home switched to Ai's "let's decorate your home with your favorite things in your own way!" mode.
Once we got on the flow, things started changing...so did family and situation.
The Baker's sofa got reupholstered with light green fabric. This renewed sofa became more casual and comfy, which makes my hart so warm.
After sofa reupholstered, Ai's next suggestion made me so surprised...! Put my favorite abstract painting, which was never displayed in a living room since my husband used to dislike it, on the wall behind the sofa! This was a really bold idea to me, but once I displayed it by following Ai's direction, I really liked it! This became my favorite spot now. All Ai cared was how happy I would feel when I sat on the sofa. She did not care about sofa not being located along the wall in the center of the room like the way how we locate usually, but she cared if I was happy seeing my favorite views from the windows when I sat on the sofa. Actually, right..I never sat on the sofa before because I could not see my favorite views if I sat on it.
The bottom line is "I make myself happy".
Why I never thought about it?
I covered a black TV and a piano with nice white clothes because I did not enjoy looking at the color. I will add a new rug and a lamp, and display photos that my daughter shot on the empty wall in the living room.
One more thing that I am happy about my new living room....
I had been slightly bothered bya family Buddhist altar and a household Shinto altar being placed in the same spot at the same height, which was not supposed to be proper in Japan.
Ai introduced me to a wall shelf solution for Shinto altar, and I installed it...it looks very good!
My favorite spot used to be a dinning room because that was the only place I could enjoy the views, but now I love relaxing on the sofa because I can enjoy the view from here too.
And my standard shifted to "make myself happy and comfortable".
Since then I love my home better than before because a whole house right now feels more comfortable. Once I learned how to decorate my home with my favorite things, I began more creative and started decorating my favorite things which used to be hidden.
〜Rearranging home, rearranging myself〜
I thought I could not do anything with the entrance area at first. But we placed three book shelves to make a hallway library, and in front of them we put my daughter's white framed mirror which had been unused in a closet, and displayed saoriori weaving art that I created. We put flowers and plants. Looks nice. I love it!
When I come home opening the entrance door, it welcomes me so warmly and makes me feel so comfortable. I love reading books and libraries, so making a hallway library is a great idea.
With Ai's feng shui coordinating, there is no unused area that I do not like any more.
It feels like my own positive energy filled the entire house.
I feel more connected with this house more closely.
Now my home being filled with positive energy, I would like to enjoy creating my happy life with my family.
I can not appreciate Ai enough, who came to my house several times to give us a lot of creative ideas and suggestions that I would never been able to think of by myself.
Ai gave me unbelievable ideas that seemed to be impossible for me to do at first, but always encouraged me saying "I know you can do it~", and when I actually did it she always praised me for the result. I made this home!
Rearranging home is rearranging myself; faced myself, listened to myself, reviewed my own life. My home reflected many physiological silent voices that were unheard for long.
It was a very deep process. Thank you Ai for guiding me for this self reflecting journey.
Arrangement sample for Ms.C
1. Entrance
Previous entrance area was simply decorated with two framed arts on the wall and a chair.
The abstract painting on the wall has very nice color, but it's too big to be seen in its best way because there is not enough distance.This painting is good be seen from the distance, so we moved it to the living room.
We displayed Ms. C's favorite things that she used to hesitate to do so because of caring other family member's preferences; White framed mirror that her daughter used to use, a painting art that Ms. C created. We also displayed flower and plant on the table and stool that were in the dinning room. Make the most use of what you have...that is Ai's style feng shui interior coordinating.
Hallway from the entrance to the living room.
It is very spacious. The empty white wall on the right gives us a very sad impression.
2. Living room
The Baker's sofa upholstered with her favorite color-light green fabric.We moved the sofa by 80 inches from the original location so that she can enjoy beautiful views.And we displayed her favorite abstract painting on the wall behind the sofa.
The painting looks more alive in this area than in the entrance area.
Ms. C said she can enjoy twice now....if sitting sofa, enjoy the views and if sitting at the dining table,
enjoy the abstract art and the views.
Relocating the sofa left some empty space on the wall. So we made it a gallery space for
displaying framed photos that Ms. C's daughter took.