Zen on a String

Changing the look of your home to a “Zen” style need not be expensive; despite its recent association with austere luxury. Zen encourages functionality rather than decor. Characterized by clean lines and graceful spaces, this style is more instinctive than intellectual yet still requires some imagination.

Actually a religion: Zen is Japanese for the Mahayana school of Buddhism that began in India and then spread throughout Asia. One of its ethics is being useful, or being of service; with that in mind, you can makeover your home without burning a hole in your pocket.

First, focus on a particular room. Sort out the things that are important to you from those that are not. Further sort the unimportant items and give them away to be recycled and/or re-used, then throw away all other items.

Take the living room, for example: stacks of magazines on the coffee table can be boxed and either be moved to the garage for further sorting or taken directly to a recycling center.

Draping a solid-colored quilt over your sofa can instantly change the atmosphere of your living room and revive a worn piece of furniture. Or try replacing those numerous knick-knacks with a single centerpiece, such as a glass vase. By adding a single flower to the vase you can enhance that side table.

Even the den can be Zen. Keep loose toys in solid-colored boxes and stack them on one side of the room. Stack large books high enough that they can serve as an end table – just place a smooth sheet of glass on top to protect them. Take the batik tablecloth off of your wood table and use orange oil to restore the wood and make it shine.

Keep decorative motifs at a bare minimum. Chintz and other repetitive patterns don’t evoke Zen, and will divert your attention away from what you really want to achieve. Masses of color generally work better than smaller patches of color grouped together.

Try it yourself. With a little imagination you can change give your home a more sleek and elegant appearance. Just minimize the clutter, and dispose of those unimportant items as that is the essence of Zen.