Designing with Beauty and Grace

Focal Point

Set a focal point in the room: A beautiful poster, or sleigh bed with white, luxurious, and elegant bedding. Maybe it’s a beautiful fireplace with a classic limestone mantel, accented with an elegant chair to read and relax in, and enjoy your favorite cup of herbal tea with that special tea set.

Color

Soft blues, warm grays, and taupe are soothing and elegant. Keeping the colors soft creates a restful atmosphere. Sage green is botanical, restful, and calming.

Lighting

Consider style, scale, and function for your lighting. Recess lighting is great for overall light. For softer lighting, chandeliers add design and give a romantic feel. Accent lighting draws attention to art or particular details. Place table or floor lamps on the nightstands to create added lighting for reading.

Music

Music is an excellent form of therapy. It can shift your brain from stress mode to relaxation and peace of mind. It is a great way to calm your mind, spirit, and body. Early in the morning, listen for the Lord to give you a song to carry you through the day.

Candles

Candles are serene, relaxing, and romantic. Add beautiful scents such as peony, rose, and frankincense, which is known for its healing property.

Art

A beautiful picture of your favorite art can take you away and stir your creativity and imagination. It’s a great way to set the tone for a room, bring inspiration, and can also be used as a focal point. Display a picture of a ballerina dancing, a beautiful white horse running through the water, or a serene field of flowers in Tuscany.

Women often get bogged down with the demands of our daily routines and life’s circumstances. It is crucial to have a haven of rest to go to and be still before the Lord. Seldom do we take time to sit before the Lord and listen to what He is speaking to us.

One of the things that I feel that God has been speaking to me personally is to draw near to Him and ask Him to give me a clean heart, and to remove the clutter, bitterness, unforgiveness, unrest, and anxious thoughts—entering the holy presence of Jesus and laying every burden at His feet. First Peter 5:7 says, “Casting all of our cares on Him for He cares for you” (NKJV). And Matthew 11:28 also encourages us, “Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest” (NASB).

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel exhausted with life and need to be refreshed!

There is life in His Word. I love the scripture, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”
(2 Cor. 12:9 NIV).

Psalm 51 says, “Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence. Do not take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of your salvation” (vv.10-12a NASB). God wants us to be free of all the heaviness, and He wants us to be whole.

This grace, His unmerited favor and unconditional love, is a precious gift from the Lord. He is standing with open arms and offering this free gift to each of His children. “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise” (Ps. 100:4 NASB), and “Sing to the Lord a new song” (Ps. 96:1 NASB). Entering into His presence and worshiping Him will lift the weight off your shoulders and restore your joy. Make this a part of your daily routine. The Lord wants to rain down His favor and grace on you today. He makes everything beautiful in its time (Eccl. 3:11).