A big thank you to Renovation Find for the feature!
https://blog.renovationfind.com/best-interior-designers-edmonton/
Teacher Wellness Centre
Life as we know it is busy, and as individuals we are always seemingly consumed by the hectic-ness of the world around us. Through the upcoming concepts of “wellness rooms” we are able to rehabilitate ourselves back to a state of calmness, and rejuvenate our energy. Incorporating a wellness room is a proactive way to encourage a positive and proactive working mindset, and work-ethic.
So what exactly is a Wellness Centre?
A wellness centre, in a broad sense, is an area catered to services for one's mind and body. With the increasing awareness and cognizance of mental health, wellness centres are developing in all types of businesses, offering a private space designed for rest and recuperation from the hectic buzz of regular business.
Aspects of this Wellness Centre
Mental Health
This area offers a quiet place for teachers, a time to relax and rejuvenate. This atmosphere was created to relieve stress with a calming rock water fountain and incorporates the freshness of nature with moss panels, greenery and gorgeous art.
“This room is the reset I need during my day. I cannot express how a simple 30 minutes in the wellness room changes my mood and my ability to recharge to continue on throughout my day. ”
2. Physical Health
Included in this wellness centre is a stationary bike, weights, a yoga ball and a yoga mat. There are many immediate benefits to a brisk exercise session, such as reduced feelings of anxiety for adults, and often calmness and clarity of the mind (CDC, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, 2021).
“I use this room almost every lunch hour. It is great for the busy days when I know I will not have time for the gym after school. Every school should have one of these rooms!”
3. Private Conversations
This wellness centre can act as a secondary room for private conversations. With comfortable seating arrangement with two oversized chairs, this can be a great place for relaxing individually or holding a private conversation. As creatures of nature, we require human interaction and a quick conversation can ease our mind and refocus our attention.
4. Change of Atmosphere
Sometimes all we need is a “quick break” or a “change of scenery” to get back into our groove. Included in this wellness centre is a small work area with a computer, stationary supplies, quotes of gratitude, books on wellness as well as a coffee, tea and water station. This room provides a break from distractions while still encouraging productive work, and can be the perfect area where a clear mind can create a lightbulb idea.
“It is so wonderful to have a peaceful place in our school to recharge. Each time I visit I feel rejuvenated and more relaxed.”
Importance
Wellness rooms are especially important for teachers, whose single energy is often required to be spread amongst a whole class of active minds. A teacher's instruction can be directly linked to their attitude, mindset and behaviour, similar to the vast majority of society. However with teachers, the effects of burnout affect their instruction, lesson plans and thus can negatively impact the students' learning and achievement (Klusmann et al., 2016).
“It has been a dream of mine for years to have a space for our staff to support their mental health through the use of physical activity, tranquility and a quiet space. I am so grateful to Blank Spaces for supporting this venture and helping us to create the most perfect space for our school staff and seeing this project come to fruition. We were also able to collaborate with other local vendors to support small businesses within our community. Our vision has finally come to life and we are so grateful for this beautiful space.”
Tying back into the community
Supporting one another is a huge aspect of society as a whole. To incorporate the underlying aspects of support, growth, and community values, we thought it important to give back to the community. In this wellness centre, there will be monthly draws to support local businesses. To encourage and promote wellness outside of the work space as well, we introduced the gratitude jar, for teachers using the room to write a note of gratitude. After each month a note will be pulled and the individual who submitted the note will win a prize donated from a local business. To encourage community health benefits, and to support local businesses, we have teamed up with multiple businesses who will be offering products and services at a discounted price. These businesses include, Flaman Fitness, Ever Moss, and DeKaur by Nav. For the first month, Oxygen Yoga will be donating a prize. Cycles like this encourage both the use of the room, personal reflection and gratitude, as well as community support and overall community health and benefits.
Design and project creation
A huge thank you to Jonathan from Missing Pieces Studio, for the amazing photography and videography - thank you donating your services and for taking time out of your career as a teacher to help with this project.
Whether you're looking to create a wellness centre, or just a space for relaxation and rejuvenation you can contact Aman at Blank Spaces.
Written by Jasmine Venkatraman
Source References:
https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htm
Twin Brooks Re-Model
How it all began…
When I first saw this home on the market, it was the area that spoke to me more than the house itself. Although the layout of the house was gorgeous, I couldn't see past the colours and finishings. So my husband - being the man he is- asked, “then what would you do to make it better?” I’m sure there were many times throughout the following year that he regretted asking me that question.
BEFORE
Home is where a lot of our life is lived, so I knew that there would be a lot of decisions that needed to be made that would greatly affect our everyday lives. We have 2 children: a very active young boy that wants to play every single sport on earth and our strong minded 12-year-old daughter (going on 18), who is my worst and best critic all rolled into one.
We literally took this entire home and molded it to each of us as individuals and as a family.
AFTER
The paint, rounded pillars, bulk heads, knock-down ceiling and dated bar were some of the few things we tackled first.
BASEMENT BAR BEFORE
BASEMENT BAR AFTER
Then onto the kitchen, family room and my personal favourite area of design: the lighting
KITCHEN BEFORE
KITCHEN AFTER
FAMILY ROOM BEFORE
FAMILY ROOM AFTER
Once the ball started rolling, there was no stopping. We tore down walls, added closets and re-did the bathrooms. A space for everyone: a bunk bed for my son and all of the future sleepovers he will want to have and for my 12 going on 18 daughter…. PINK was NOT an option, so black, white and a pop of red will do (for now).
Near the end of this project, we had a few last spaces we wanted to create. We thought these would give us the opportunity to relax if needed or reenergize when we felt like this was a never ending battle
BEFORE
AFTER
LOFT BEFORE
LOFT AFTER
Needless to say, this project had the MOST difficult clients, but the end result was so worth it. The choices and decisions we made helped us make this house our beautiful home.
““A home is a place to share, create and nourish the best in each of us as individuals and as a family. Design is one of the finest things to accomplish this””
Sherwood Park Re-Model
A New Fresh Look for Heather
Heather was one of my very first clients, she wanted to freshen up her space and create a home that not only embodied her sense of style but also met her current needs, and add value for the future. We worked closely together to ensure that her vision was turned into reality, and she was left with a space she loved coming home to.
Her main focus was her kitchen, the worn out floors, old appliances, and dated cabinetry made the space feel dark and drab. She was ready to fully transform her kitchen space.
BEFORE
So we decided to take this outdated kitchen and give it a crisp refresh by opening up the space with bright white cabinets and stainless steel appliances. The clean grey walls and modern tiles, gave this kitchen everything it needed.
AFTER
We then moved on to the sitting area. Heather loved how her original sofa was made and couldn’t find anything new quite like it.
BEFORE
So we reupholstered her original couch and added some great new accent pieces to give her a space she would love as much as her kitchen.
AFTER
The end result was a huge success and a great way to start this journey of interior design!
““Aman worked with me on the reno in my kitchen. I am so grateful for her expertise. We quickly shared my vision and she was brilliant at keeping me on track. She always listened to my ideas and her input was invaluable.
I’m very happy with the end result. “”
A Place to call HOME in Windermere One
Our journey of design… through the eyes of my amazing clients
Windermere One was one of the newest areas in South Edmonton and my client’s had decided to build their forever home in this beautiful end of town. We met at the very beginning stages of their new build and worked closely with Sunny Valley Homes to have their dreams turn into reality. I am so lucky to work with clients that are just like family, and that are able to take the time and explain our design journey in the following testimonial.
A special thank you to Preet Dhaliwal for taking time to share these following words:
Home building, space planning, and interior design are foreign concepts for our family. When designing our new home, we knew we would benefit from the guidance of an interior design professional. We reached out to Aman at Blank Spaces and were pleasantly surprised at every step of the way; she was patient with our naivete and questioning and showed a genuine passion and expertise in her work.
Aman has panache and originality. Our journey began with refining a floor plan and ended with creating a balanced and harmonious interior living space. Aman had a knack for determining layouts that suited the function of each space in our home while taking into account the differing perspectives and opinions of our family members.
She was able to incorporate individual family members design preferences without compromising the overall vision of the rooms. Her technical and practical skills were evident in her work and her communication with our family. Aman provided tremendous insight and advice on selecting the appropriate lighting for our home.
She utilized her knowledge of how light impacts colors, textures, and fabrics and incorporated both natural and artificial lighting seamlessly throughout our home.
As a result, the living room is one of our favorite spots that is a perfect place for get togethers. Aman also demonstrated an understanding of how colors/tone affect mood and how they can accentuate a space. With her expertise, she worked with us to breathe life into our four walls.
She guided the daunting tasks of design and décor and left us with more than we could have ever imagined.
Whether you are a novice to interior design, or simply looking for some input to making your living space both beautiful and functional, we recommend Aman without reservation. She is a gentle personality that works with you without any undue pressure, however, she works efficiently, effectively and firmly with contractors ensuring that no corners are being cut.
— Testimonial given by P. Dhaliwal —