The French Riviera has long been a wellness destination, so it seems like fate that, as a wellness interior designer, I’ve put down roots on the Côte d'Azur. It’s no wonder that for centuries this area has attracted people, like you and me, from all over the world, who want to create a better life. We are drawn to the bright blue sea, sunny sky, fresh air and relaxed lifestyle. There are a ton of inspiring restaurants, spas and outdoor activities, mountains only an hour away, and the most exclusive beaches on our doorstep.
Moving to the Côte d'Azur gives you an opportunity to recreate your life and your home - a beautiful home with sustainably sourced, cruelty-free and where possible, toxic-free interiors that rejuvenates you and brings tranquility. It's a new start after all, isn’t it?
So stay with me as I reveal the secrets to creating a wellness home from scratch.
Health and happiness through interior design
I’m Jurgita Vainutyte, founder of SEIJAKU, the wellness interior design studio that puts your values at the heart of the interior design process. Through my blogs, I will explain what it takes to create a healthy home, live a more sustainable life, explore a plant-based lifestyle along the way and do every daily ritual with a bit more zen and compassion.
My philosophy? You are extraordinary, let’s create a space just for you and your family, that enhances your physical and emotional wellbeing. A space that feels like home where you can cultivate your extraordinary life. This first blog post is dedicated to explaining my vision of what a wellness home means to me and how I am here to help.
Bringing my skills from London to the Côte d'Azur
Back in London, I worked on residential interiors for over a decade. I designed the smallest of details for my clients, like super-organised pantries, kitchen drawers for the most unique accessories and personalised wardrobes, sourcing kitchenware from scratch. I helped clients select personalised bedding from scratch and specified lighting.
Designing a home is a very personal journey so getting to know a family is the single most important element in the design process. It is easy to create a picture-perfect home in 3D, but designing a personal home that has a vision and a story that truly makes sense for you, takes time and patience.
I care about how you feel at home
The first thing you need to know about me is that I deeply believe true wellness starts indoors. Often the ‘invisible’ things we don’t pay attention to, are the most important. It's almost subconscious. You know that feeling that something just doesn’t feel right? That’s what I am talking about! It could be your interior layout, wall colour or simply the kitchen storage that keeps driving you mad.
A wellness home, for me, is a space where you feel at ease without it being obvious why. I love adding biophilic elements into my designs by bringing nature inside to satisfy our human need to be close to the natural world. Nature grounds and heals us. Plants cleanse air and help us relax. Bringing you closer to nature could be as simple as using design techniques to enhance the view through your window or using natural, tactile materials, colours or patterns that resemble nature.
I consider the importance you put on air and water quality, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind. We explore how to design for your senses. The effect of what you see, smell, touch, hear and taste.
Of course, we are all different. For some people, how their environment makes them feel is not important at all, and that’s fair enough. But if, like me, you want your home to enhance how you live your best life then listen up because this is exactly what I do. I live and breathe it.
Interior design affects your happiness
We all long for a home where we feel at ease, where space ‘flows’, where the flick of a light switch creates an ambience that moves you from ‘work mode’ to ‘evening mode’. A well-designed home has all those little, life-enhancing details thought through. Like the way you move in your space, the way you cook, what you eat, how you relax, your bedtime ritual, how you entertain, the lifestyle changes you want to introduce.
You can take a mini-break in your own home if we incorporate a spa shower or beautiful meditation space. All these things add up and equal a happy home. A happy you.
Poor quality ‘indoor life’ was highlighted during Covid
I suppose ‘thanks’ to recent Covid restrictions, many of us saw the health of our homes in a different light. Did you catch yourself truly irritated by some part of your home, or perhaps simply not having your own corner to retreat to? I certainly did!
This time has challenged my standard of home design and took my commitment to wellness through design to a deeper level. I’ve always taken a personal approach to my projects but I now know this wasn't enough. Understanding how each of us lives takes extra care. Listening and getting to know a person takes time and energy to visualise their dream life. Experimenting with solutions and stepping into someone’s shoes is a process that puts my client's human daily experience and wellness first.
Many of you might never have thought of the importance of interior design that way but, deep inside, somehow all this is resonating with you. Trust that feeling!
Why I called my design studio SEIJAKU
The name SEIJAKU is one of the Japanese aesthetics that invites us to emote a feeling of tranquility. Imagine walking into your home and a feeling of inner peace washes over you, cleansing away the stress of the day. That is what wellness design can do.
I started SEIJAKU using my design experience, in response to the pandemic, a wish to slow down and live a better life with my family in the South of France. There is no preset style for SEIJAKU. There is, however, your carefully curated personal design story, that we work on together, with a pinch of peace and human experience at its heart. We all have a different reason for wanting to go on the design journey, to find SEIJAKU at home, and I am here to facilitate it. I help you create your own SEIJAKU style.
Often a creative design journey, like life, quietly shifts and morphs as we explore the design possibilities for your vision of a wellness home, lifestyle and work. The design journey, with me, is more of a creative collaboration than an architect-client relationship. We both explore, learn and grow as a result of it.
With that intent, let me walk you through what a wellness home means to me.
Walk through a wellness home
Imagine you’ve had a busy day out in the world. You’re nearly home. You open the front door and you are drawn into your calm hallway, the entrance to your sanctuary. Your eyes alight on artwork and mementoes that flood your brain with happy holiday memories. You smile.
What next? Maybe a few quiet moments in a space carved out for mediation and yoga? Now, onto the open kitchen for a cup of soothing tea made with the clearest water. Ah... the kitchen. A place where delicious, healing food is prepared and friends and family gather to talk and laugh.
Later you know the living room will cocoon you in its calming colour palette, luxurious cushions and mood lighting. And then, the bathroom. Your own private aromatherapy spa. Finally, the bedroom that seems to guide you through the final rituals of the day to ensure the finest quality sleep.
Imagine your own wellness home.
If you share my vision for happy health homes…
I hope you’re inspired to learn more about the wellness interiors movement
I am very excited to start this journey with you, with this first blog post, here in this beautiful part of the world. I want to create a community of like minded families who are keen to venture on a creative journey and improve their wellbeing through their home. In the meantime,
I will keep you inspired here with beautiful decor, products, anything plant-based, sustainability oriented local restaurants and shops on the French Riviera.
Remember, if you share my vision for happy, healthy homes or feel your home could work better for your physical or emotional health, simply get in touch.
I’m here.