Creating Spaces for Reflection

There's a particular quality to the last week of December that invites pause. As the year winds down and the holiday season settles around us, our homes become more than just spaces we inhabit—they transform into sanctuaries where we process the year that's passed and find the stillness we've been craving to prepare for the year ahead.

This is the season for winding down and creating pockets of calm amid the festive chaos, and your home should reflect this transition by offering you places to simply be away from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

The Art of the Cozy Corner

Now is the time to claim a corner for yourself. Perhaps it's that chair by the window you've been meaning to style, or the reading nook that's become a catch-all for mail and shopping bags. Clear it out and make it yours again.

Layer in the types of textures that signal rest: a chunky knit throw, velvet cushions, a sheepskin draped over the arm of your favorite chair. Add a small side table for your evening tea and a lamp with warm-toned light, and suddenly you have a space that asks nothing of you except to settle in.

Candlelight as Ritual

There's something about lighting a candle that marks a moment as intentional. As December unfolds, consider creating small vignettes throughout your home where candlelight can do its quiet work. Group pillar candles of varying heights on a wooden tray at the center of your dining room table, or surround votives with pine cones and winter greenery on the console in the living room.

The flicker of flame slows time and makes ordinary evenings feel sacred. This is the kind of design choice that tends to your spirit as much as your space.

The Bedroom as Retreat

If there's one room that deserves extra attention this month, it's your bedroom. This is where you'll retreat when the holiday gatherings wind down and where you'll steal extra minutes under the covers on dark mornings when kids are on winter break.

Switch to flannel or linen sheets in deeper, restful tones like green or ivory, add an extra blanket at the foot of the bed, and, if you have the space, place a small bench or ottoman there, too. The bedroom should ask nothing of you right now except to rest well.

Clearing for Clarity

There's a reason so many of us feel the urge to tidy and organize at year's end. Creating physical space often creates mental space, but this isn't about a massive overhaul. Take this time to make small changes that let your home (and you) breathe.

Clear your kitchen counters of everything except what you truly use daily. The books on your nightstand you know you won't read can find a new home in a Little Free Library. Put away the summer sandals still sitting by the door, and make room for the boots, gloves and hats that will take us through spring. These small acts of letting go prepare you for whatever comes next. They're acts of respect for your space and yourself.

Permission to Pause

The most important design choice you can make this December isn't about furniture placement or color schemes. It's the choice to design pauses into your days, and your home should support this.

Gezellig—that Dutch concept I’ve named this space after—isn't something you arrange or purchase. It's something you cultivate through intentional choices that honor comfort, connection, and the art of simply being. This December, let your home hold you and your guests. Let it remind you that rest isn't something you need to earn or even justify. Let it whisper that you've done enough, that you are enough, and that this year has been full in ways both challenging and beautiful.