I moved into my Cape Town apartment during a period when I needed somewhere to exhale. I did not have a large budget. I did not have the energy for a renovation. I had the space and the desire for it to feel like mine.
What I created over about eight months of slow, intentional changes is now the most calming room I have ever been in. Including hotel rooms that cost significantly more than my monthly rent.
The principle I started with
Every object in the space either serves a function I actually use or makes me feel something good when I look at it. That is it. That is the whole philosophy.
This sounds simple and it is simple. But applying it meant removing a lot of things that were there because they came with the apartment, or because I had owned them for a long time, or because I thought I was supposed to have them. None of those are good enough reasons.
The things that changed the space most
Lighting. The overhead light went off permanently. I use lamps now. Warm bulbs, low height, multiple sources. The quality of light in a room determines the quality of the feeling of a room more than almost anything else and almost nobody talks about this.
Texture. Throws on the couch, a rug that is actually soft, linen cushions. When your hands and feet are touching things that feel good, your nervous system registers that. The body relaxes.
Plants. Not many. I do not have a gift for keeping plants alive and I have made peace with that. Three plants that I can actually keep alive. They bring something into the air and into the atmosphere that is genuinely irreplaceable.
Scent. A candle with a fragrance I specifically chose for this space. When I light it, something in me shifts. The association is now deep enough that the smell alone signals safety and rest.
What I did not spend money on
New furniture. Art on the walls is mostly things I printed and framed myself. The plants came from a market for very little. The lamps were second-hand.
The investment was attention and intention. Those cost nothing and they change everything.
