Yes, You Can Use Rugs (Even With Allergies!)

Our goal at Holistic Spaces is to help you create a nurturing home where you feel safe, nourished and uplifted. This can include anything from the way you choose to design your space to the type of artwork you hang to the materials of your furniture, bedding, rugs, etc. This last aspect of creating an ideal home can be incredibly important if allergies are a concern for you. Fortunately, you don't have to forego beautiful rugs to avoid the sniffles!

If carpeting is a problem for you because of allergies (or even if you live in New York City, where carpeting is rare), rest easy in the knowledge that washable rugs and hardwood floors are actually much better, health-wise! It's easy to understand with hardwood floors; they're easier to clean and contain no fibers to trap icky dust mites and the like. Hardwood is notoriously not so great on cold feet, though, so don't kiss rugs goodbye! If you choose washable rugs and pay close attention to the material, it is absolutely possible for gorgeous rugs and allergies to co-exist.

Swing Low (Pile)

First things first, opt for low-pile rugs. While lush, thick carpeting is comforting during the cold winter, it offers many more places for mites and allergens to hide out, which is no good for those of us who are sensitive. In choosing shorter threads and less plush materials, we can add rugs to our space and still breathe easy.

Go Natural

In the same vein, check out natural material options, for a variety of reasons. Many natural materials, like jute, contain organic substances like tannin that repel some of the gross creatures that make us sneeze and tear up. In addition, there are a variety of companies who produce jute and other organic rugs that contribute directly to Fair Trade practices and serve to help others in developing countries and save on your pharmacy bill. 

Keep It Clean!

Finally, no matter what type of rug you choose, make sure to clean it regularly! This should go without saying, since part of having a holistic space is having a clean space, but especially in the case of allergens, it's important not to skip the rugs. Vacuum rugs regularly with a HEPA filter to ensure you're picking up everything you can, and be sure to take them out for a good shake from time to time! 

If you've read any of our rug posts and wished you could add rugs to your holistic space, this is the way to go! By taking care to pay attention to materials and styles and keeping your space clean, we're confident you can bring rugs into your space without buying an extra box of tissues. If you decide to go for it, let us know! 

by Anjie Cho

This $429,000 Upper West Side One-Bedroom Could Use a Gut Reno, and Here's How to Do It (With Cost Taken Into Account!)

featured this week on Brick Underground by Leah Hochbaum Rosner

The best thing about this $429,000 top-floor one-bedroom at 140 West 71st Street in Lincoln Square is that it’s south-facing, “so it’s going to get a lot of light,” says architect Anjie Cho. Also, she notes that the prewar building, the Danielle, allows owners to sublet their units without any residency requirements—a rarity for a co-op.

That said, the apartment definitely has a few issues, most notably “the weird wavy column on the wall in the living room,” says Cho, mentioning that she supposes it might be some sort of drain. “It could be hard to work with.”

Here’s what she’d do to deal with that peculiar pole, as well as the rest of this outdated Upper West Side residence that she calls “a major major fixer-upper.” Her recommendations:

The living room (pictured above)

The first thing Cho would do is make sure the electrical system is up-to-date. If it isn't, an overhaul is in order since “it could be quite old,” given that the building dates back to the 1920s. And if you are required to get it up to code, you’ll need a permit, which, she says, "could be costly.” But it’ll be worth the expense, removing the danger of the system shorting out when you want to plug in your hair dryer, for example, or worse. Safety is, after all, paramount.

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Bedroom Makeover: 9 Feng Shui Tips for Better Sleep

featured this month on Daily Burn by Tiffany Ayuda

We all know about the many factors that come into play when it comes to sleep: gut health, nightly shutdown routine and exercise. But your sleep environment also says a lot about the quality of zzz’s you get at night. Ill-fitting pillows, clutter and distracting electronics can be major sleep thieves.

If designed right, though, your bedroom has limitless potential. Between those four walls, you can have a sanctuary, a REM fortress, a dream world… This space can also symbolize your relationship with yourself, your partner and the most important things in your life. And feng shui — the ancient Chinese practice of balancing energies in any given space by placing your furniture and belongings a certain way — might help.

Anjie Cho, feng shui expert, interior designer and creator of Holistic Spaces, says, “Your bedroom represents you. Other than maybe your office, you spend a majority of your time in your bedroom, especially if you get six to eight hours of sleep at night.” And that’s when the so-called magic happens: “Because you’re unconscious and in a passive state while you sleep, you’re open to absorbing energy around you more easily,” Cho says.

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