The Language Of Flowers

I love plants and flowers, and love decorating both my outdoor and indoor spaces with them. Recently, I came across the Farmer’s Almanac online about the meaning of flowers. Since I like meanings of things I thought I’d write a post about it. Many flowers and other plants traditionally symbolize our feelings moods and ideas.

The symbolic language of flowers has been recognized for centuries in many countries throughout Europe and Asia. Nearly every sentiment imaginable can be expressed with flowers. Learning the symbolic meaning behind flowers became a popular pastime during the 1800s. Nearly all Victorian homes and guidebooks for deciphering the ‘language’ of flowers.

Curious about what the language of flowers is? I was too and below are several flowers and their meaning.

The orange blossom means chastity, purity and loveliness.

Red chrysanthemum means “I love you.”

Bluebells means kindness.

Peonies means bashfulness.

Rosemary means remembrance.

Tulips mean passion.

Sometimes just the colors mean things with roses, carnations, lilies and poppies.

Pink means “I’ll never forget you”.

Red is “My heart aches for you”.

Purples conveys capriciousness.

White is for the “sweet and lovely”.

Yellow expresses romantic rejection.

White violet means innocence.

Purple violet means thoughts were occupied with love.

Calla lily was means “magnificent beauty”.

A clover says “think of me”.

Pomegranate means conceit.

Aloe means bitterness.

A rose is declaring devotion.

Apple blossom shows preference.

Giving a yellow carnation to a suitor is to express disdain.

A few more rose meanings:

White rose – purity, innocence, new beginnings

Deep, dark crimson – mourning

Pink – grace and happiness

Yellow – joy and friendship

Orange – desire and enthusiasm

Lavender – love at first sight

Coral – friendship, modesty, sympathy

If you want to learn more about the meanings of flowers, please checkout Flower Meanings; The Language of Flowers in the old farmer’s almanac at https://www.almanac.com/content/flower-meanings-language-flowers.

Have a beautiful day!

Why Eco-Design?

In today’s world there is a greater focus on health, happiness and the future of our planet. Eco-friendly, green and sustainable are all words that can describe an item or a way of living that contributes to our air quality, energy conservation and decreased waste and consumption.

Many people focus on brand new and unfortunately, I’ve seen a lot of great items go to waste whether it be perfectly good cabinets, a sofa, tile or lumber. You name it and I’ve seen it in a landfill. Eco-Design is a way that recycles those perfectly good items in a design – maybe they get repurposed, reupholstered, repainted or even donated so that someone else can put them to good use. But that’s not all.

Eco-Design also focuses on indoor air quality. In my opinion, everyone should spend as much time outdoors as possible. Breathing in the fresh air, the vitamin D from the sun and being in nature boosts our endorphins and give us a better outlook on life. The reality, according to the EPA, is that we spend 90% of our time indoors. That means we are spending 90% of our time breathing in high-VOCs that are used in paints, carpets, fabrics and furniture. In Eco-Design we use zero- to low-VOC paints, floorings and furnishings.

Local manufacturers, artists and fabricators are also widely used in Eco-Design.  The further products have to travel, the more fossil fuel consumptions and emissions occur which means it’s worse for our environment. Who wants to breathe in all those chemicals? So not only does shopping local continue to keep your own communities thriving, it’s better for the environment.

Renewable resources are widely used in Eco-Design as well because they are renewable. Renewable resources may be reclaimed wood, fast growing species of wood, recycled materials or natural stone.

When you are shopping for items for your home look for stamps of approval from third-party agencies such as:

*Energy Star
*EPEAT
*Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC)
*Global Organic Textile Standar
*Good Housekeeping GREEN
*GreenGuard Environmental Institute
*Green Seal Certified
*Rainforest Alliance Certified
*WaterSense

If you’d love to have a more eco-friendly design but aren’t sure where to start you can always work with an interior designer or design consultant to come up with a plan. There are tons of amazing products out there that will help you breathe a little easier, literally!

If you are looking for an interior design consultant that can help, I help DIY clients choose what’s right for them. I can either offer e-interior design where I can show you photos of what your space could look like, I can offer mood boards and shopping lists, or I can just visit with you over the phone and offer sound interior design advice. If you are interested in learning more about my services, please feel free to contact me at bvstaging@gmail.com or 515.309.2838.

The Best Indoor Plants

Plants make people feel happy. It’s a scientific fact. I LOVE plants and put real ones and artificial ones all over my home. I’m particularly obsessed with succulents right now and have found some amazing artificial ones at local boutiques in my town.

I do love my Jade plant – it’s real and it’s spectacular. This plant requires little water and can survive in most indoor conditions. I do have it in a south facing window, so it gets some sunlight and it is thriving. This plant is also known as the friendship plant or money plant. You can easily take one of the leaves of the Jade plant, put it in dirt and grow another plant. My plant started as a leaf off my mother’s Jade plant. I’m currently growing a few more in a separate pot for my kids to put in their bedrooms and I also gave some to my best friend. They are the easiest to grow and split.

Other wonderful indoor plants that are hard to kill would be the African Violet. It thrives best in moist soil with good drainage, so plant it in a pot containing the moisture holding soil. This plant loves indirect light, so it doesn’t need to be sitting in a window, just near one.

Peperomia is a waxy plant that does best in humid environments and thrives under florescent lights. It makes a great office plant.

This Air Plant grows without dirt all together! Just soak it in water for 2-3 hours every 10 days (you may need to put this in your calendar).

Peace Lilies are a plant that I managed to keep alive for years. The leaves wilt to tell you when they need watering. According to NASA, these plants are great at filtering toxins out of the air.

This is a gorgeous plant and I’ve decided I need one. Bromeliad produces side shoots that will replace the original plant. This plant loves 70-degree temperatures which make it the perfect indoor plant.

These gorgeous orchids do just fine with a watering once a week or every week and a half. They are a forgiving plant that loves low light.

Philodendrons love to be on the dry side … score! Don’t water them more than once per week and they prefer low light.

Pothos can survive low light and irregular watering. This leafy vine can grow a 10-foot trail indoors.

The king of indestructible plants is the ZZ plant. This guy can tolerate drought, low light and low humidity.

Mother-in-law’s Tongue can go an entire month without water. I need one of these! It’s also nicknamed a snake plant.

There you have it! 11 indoor plants that are hard to kill. I tried to avoid listing any plants that were toxic to children or pets but before purchasing any indoor plant it is always best to double check! These gorgeous plants will bring you joy for years to come.

Danae Branson is the Founder of Danae Branson Design - an e-interior design company that provides e-design services to client looking for eco-friendly, happy and healthy design. She is also the owner of Branson Virtual Staging providing virtual staging services to realtors, builders and home sellers at www.bransonvirtualstaging.com.

Effects of Interior Design on Mental Health

I love interior design and I also love to be happy. I wish everyone could be happy but unfortunately that is not reality. I can't force people to adjust their attitudes or feel differently about certain things but maybe, just maybe through interior design I can help them get some good feels. We spend 90% of our time indoors, even though science says we need to spend more time outdoors we are creatures of shelter, I guess.

Since we do spend so much time inside what can we do to help our mental health and wellness? A lot actually. I've got several insights below on how to create the best possible environment to promote creativity, peace and happiness. You can start leading a happier life today just by following some of the simple ideas below.

Color - Color can generate or enhance certain emotions so deeply that we use those colors in our vocabulary. Have you ever heard anyone say they are feeling blue or that they are green with envy? I will have a future post dedicated solely to color but here are a few things you can consider now.

Vibrant shades like yellow, orange and green encourage socialization and communication. Darker shades like deep purples, blues, greens and reds reflect a gloomy feel, however, when applied in an appropriate place can evoke a sense of comfort. Warmer shades of yellow and orange inspire relaxation and boost creativity. Red, when used sparingly, can raise energy levels but when used as the primary shade for a space can appear as hostile and increase anxiety.

Anti-anxiety Tips: Don't use red as the main color when decorating a space! Use a calming color like green, icy blue, warm shades of orange, yellow or neutral colors like white, gray when used appropriately can evoke a sense of calm.

Light - Lighting can do a lot to boost or dampen a mood. Sunlight is the best source of light so depending on the number and size of windows in a space can either increase happiness or increase sadness and anxiety.

Natural light has been proven to improve human performance so let the light in!

Anti-anxiety Tips: Make sure all rooms are well-lit with plenty of natural sunlight streaming in.

Ceiling height - The height of ceilings has proven to be a factor in our outlook. Lower ceilings give most people a sense of being trapped, a claustrophobic sense, where as higher ceilings give us a sense of freedom. We feel as though there is space to roam, to stretch and relax. We can breath and move freely.

Anti-anxiety Tips: To make lower ceilings feel higher paint them white, remove thick crown molding and go without or use a thinner style, paint the walls a lighter color and either hang drapes from floor to ceiling or go without drapes. You can always use mirrors, recessed lighting and vertical wall displays to add visual height to a space as well.

Plants - Just the site of natural elements reduces stress. If you think about it, many of us love to relax outside, sit on the beach, sit in the sun, walk through a park or admire beautiful gardens, forests, etc. Plants are shown to boost memory, increase calmness and make people feel better. Why do you think people typically send plants and flowers to others. Everyone loves getting plants and flowers so use them in your interior design. I will have a future post just on plants so even those of us that are black thumbs can keep some plants alive in the house!

Anti-Anxiety Tips: Use plants and flowers - even if they are realistic looking artificial ones in your decor.

Shapes & Textures - Natural elements create a sense of comfort and happiness. Think earth, water, wood, metal and fire. Metal elements are linked to a sense of strength and independence and wooden elements promote health and personal growth. I love rustic, natural decor - when you bring nature inside its almost as great as being outside.

Wow, I love this subject but I should wrap this up.  I will be posting several follow-up posts focusing more in-depth on several of these elements of interior design that promote wellness. Please let me know if there is anything specific you want me to write about, too. A few more tips below.

Furniture should be arranged in a way that does not create dead space. You want the room to flow well so that energy can flow freely through it. You also want to focus on balance more than symmetry in a room. A lot of people love matching end tables, table lamps and side chairs because it promotes balance.

Entry ways should be open and inviting, master bedrooms should be romantic and closets should be organized. An organized, clutter-free home is a must to foster good mental health. Our brains have too much to process and we don't like to live in clutter.

Now that you know a lot of what can reduce anxiety in your home, walk around your house. Which rooms make you feel calm and relaxed? Which rooms make you feel anxious, stressed and sad? You now have some of the ideas you need to improve your interior spaces to promote creativity, peace and happiness. If you need help feel free to contact me. I work with clients helping them create spaces that improve mental health and happiness.

Danae Branson is the owner of Danae Branson Design and can be reached for more information at bvstaging@gmail.com or 515.309.2838.

5 Of The Top Eco-Friendly Brands That Are Saving The World

I know a lot of us try really hard to be kind to our planet. We would love for our future generations to enjoy this Earth as much as we do. I am often intrigued by the companies out there that are trying hard to save our world and the funny thing is even though I’ve heard of many of them below, I had no idea all of them were so eco-friendly.

We live in a materialistic world and so the least we can do is try to buy eco-friendly! The operative word is try. I try very hard to be eco-friendly, energy efficient, recycle, conserve, reuse, etc. At the end of the day if there are a lot of us doing a little, we’ll make far more traction than only a few of us doing a lot. Below are some of the top eco-friendly brands that are saving the world!

*TOMS – most of us know and love the fun shoes! Well Toms not only has donated over 60 million pairs of shoes to children around the world they provide clean drinking water, eye services and safe birth kits to communities all across the world.  PLUS, in an effort to help our planet all of their shoes and shoe boxes are made with sustainable, recyclable and vegan materials.

*Patagonia – My teens would consider Patagonia the new Northface. It’s a great outdoors, active wear brand and what I didn’t realize was how big their corporate stance was on being eco-friendly. They are trying very hard to go green and have been very honest and upfront about how their company is succeeding and failing in their efforts! I admire them for trying – see there is that word try again. We can’t do it all – but we can help a lot! Patagonia has built repair centers all over the world to increase the longevity of their products and to reduce their carbon footprint.

*Beyond the Meat – I love a burger just like the next person but Beyond the Meat is creating delicious plant-based ‘meat’ products that are better for the environment, our health, animals and the climate. The company was founded in 2009 and became so popular by 2013 that they were being sold in Whole Foods. This company focuses on how their products are saving the planet as well as their consumers’ bodies.

*Lush Cosmetics – I’ve seen this company name pop up all over the place. They are an all-natural bath and body brand that for a while was especially known for their bath bombs. They offer free products to customers that bring in empty packaging to encourage recycling and they offer solid shampoo bars to limit packaging.

*Seventh Generation – This company has revolutionized the cleaning industry by creating eco-friendly household cleaning supplies that are free of harmful toxins and chemicals. Their goal is to create a brighter future for the whole planet.

I know we could all try a little bit harder to lessen our carbon footprint. Like I said, little things all add up. So even if you just recycle, turn the lights off when you aren’t in a room and purchase products from companies like the ones above … you are doing your part. Remember, be kind to our earth, be kind to others and be kind to yourself!

Improve Your Mental Health With A Home Office That Inspires

I’ve been working from home for twelve years and have realized over the years that a home office should be a space that inspires and motivates. You should be excited to work in your home office and believe it or not the interior design of the space you choose has a lot to do with your attitude towards that work.

My entire team and our clients work from home offices. I am super passionate about the happiness and mental health of others and since we spend 90% of our time indoors I feel that happiness starts where we spend the majority of our time whether that’s at home or in an office or both.

Ideally your home office will be a separate room with a window, but I know that is not always feasible. Depending on the number of bedrooms in your home and the number of children you have you may not have a spare room or an area with a window. In this case find a quiet corner or nook, that you can place a desk or office armoire. Armoires work great because they are a beautiful piece of furniture that you can close up at the end of the day.

I strongly feel that you should not put your home office in your bedroom or main living area. You want your home office to be a great space but you don’t want it to be something you have to look at all the time or something you go to sleep to and wake up to. Even though you work from home you still need a separation between work and play.

Once you find your space – spare room or quiet nook – here are some great ways to create an office that inspires.

*Position your desk or armoire near a window. Natural light has great physical and mental health benefits. Plus having a view of the outdoors may inspire you to be more productive – if it’s what you consider a great view.

*Be sure to have great lighting. This is a must especially if you don’t have a window. You need sufficient light to do your work. Poor lightening can dampen a mood and decrease productivity.

*Invest in a good chair, stability ball or standing desk. You want to be comfortable at your desk and promote good posture and good health. I can attest that apparently it’s not good on a body to sit with your feet up in your chair with you. Three chiropractic appointments later I’ve learned my lesson.

*Develop an organized system. Use pen holders, paper trays, shelves, a file cabinet and whatever you need to stay organized. There are so many creative ways to stay organized even in small spaces. A messy desk can cause a person to get overwhelmed and stressed. I try to organize my desk at the end of each day so each morning I can start work with an organized space.

*Add your personal touch. If your office is in a spare room paint it and decorate it to reflect your dreams, your vision and your goals. Make the office a place you love to be. Consider decorating your space to offset your business. For instance if you have a crazy, busy, overwhelming business consider creating a space with neutral and soothing colors. If your job is creative in nature or something you consider a bit monotonous consider creating a more vibrant space. I love home design and enjoy helping others design their home office spaces.

*Surround yourself with positivity. Some people love to have an office full of quotes, dream boards and pictures of their family. Others love to have books, paintings and unique treasures. Whatever you like that makes you happy and inspires you – put it in your office.

*Add some greenery. Plants make people happy and help clean the air. If you are like me and tend to forget to water your plants try a hardy plant like aloe, spider plant and dragon tree. I’ve also learned that succulents need light and water – who knew. I’ve found some amazing artificial succulents that look so real people always touch them and ask if they are real. They make me just as happy as the real thing.

Take a look at your current home office. Does it inspire you? Is it a space that you enjoy spending time in? If not, just by following a few of the ideas above you can very quickly create a space that will inspire and motivate. You never know, once you’re done your home office may just end up being your most favorite space in your home.

Interesting in having me redesign your office? I do e-design and would love to work with you! Please contact me at 515.308.2838 or bvstaging@gmail.com for more information.

Improve Your Mental Health with a Home Office That Inspires

I’ve been working from home for twelve years and have realized over the years that a home office should be a space that inspires and motivates. You should be excited to work in your home office and believe it or not the interior design of the space you choose has a lot to do with your attitude towards that work.

My entire team and our clients work from home offices. I am super passionate about the happiness and mental health of others and since we spend 90% of our time indoors I feel that happiness starts where we spend the majority of our time whether that’s at home or in an office or both.

Ideally your home office will be a separate room with a window, but I know that is not always feasible. Depending on the number of bedrooms in your home and the number of children you have you may not have a spare room or an area with a window. In this case find a quiet corner or nook, that you can place a desk or office armoire. Armoires work great because they are a beautiful piece of furniture that you can close up at the end of the day.

I strongly feel that you should not put your home office in your bedroom or main living area. You want your home office to be a great space but you don’t want it to be something you have to look at all the time or something you go to sleep to and wake up to. Even though you work from home you still need a separation between work and play.

Once you find your space – spare room or quiet nook – here are some great ways to create an office that inspires.

*Position your desk or armoire near a window. Natural light has great physical and mental health benefits. Plus having a view of the outdoors may inspire you to be more productive – if it’s what you consider a great view.

*Be sure to have great lighting. This is a must especially if you don’t have a window. You need sufficient light to do your work. Poor lightening can dampen a mood and decrease productivity.

*Invest in a good chair, stability ball or standing desk. You want to be comfortable at your desk and promote good posture and good health. I can attest that apparently it’s not good on a body to sit with your feet up in your chair with you. Three chiropractic appointments later I’ve learned my lesson.

*Develop an organized system. Use pen holders, paper trays, shelves, a file cabinet and whatever you need to stay organized. There are so many creative ways to stay organized even in small spaces. A messy desk can cause a person to get overwhelmed and stressed. I try to organize my desk at the end of each day so each morning I can start work with an organized space.

*Add your personal touch. If your office is in a spare room paint it and decorate it to reflect your dreams, your vision and your goals. Make the office a place you love to be. Consider decorating your space to offset your business. For instance if you have a crazy, busy, overwhelming business consider creating a space with neutral and soothing colors. If your job is creative in nature or something you consider a bit monotonous consider creating a more vibrant space. I love home design and enjoy helping others design their home office spaces.

*Surround yourself with positivity. Some people love to have an office full of quotes, dream boards and pictures of their family. Others love to have books, paintings and unique treasures. Whatever you like that makes you happy and inspires you – put it in your office.

*Add some greenery. Plants make people happy and help clean the air. If you are like me and tend to forget to water your plants try a hardy plant like aloe, spider plant and dragon tree. I’ve also learned that succulents need light and water – who knew. I’ve found some amazing artificial succulents that look so real people always touch them and ask if they are real. They make me just as happy as the real thing.

Take a look at your current home office. Does it inspire you? Is it a space that you enjoy spending time in? If not, just by following a few of the ideas above you can very quickly create a space that will inspire and motivate. You never know, once you’re done your home office may just end up being your most favorite space in your home.

Interesting in having me redesign your office? I do e-design and would love to work with you! Please contact me at 515.308.2838 or bvstaging@gmail.com for more information.