Want a NOOK? Explore Now
Expertly designed and decorated homes don’t necessarily feel like havens to their dwellers or reflect, inspire, and celebrate what is essential about their inhabitants. Lauded designer and architectural conservator Xorin Balbes created the eight-stage SoulSpace transformation process to help his clients do just that. Through the stages — assess, release, cleanse, dream, discover, create, elevate, and celebrate — readers explore not only the design of their living spaces but also their own interiors, the ways they think, feel, and sense. Through client stories, exercises, Q-and-As, and bountiful photos and illustrations, Balbes guides readers to decode clues to what they wish for, deny, and need to move forward. Empowered with this self-knowledge, spaces are de-cluttered, refreshed, and enhanced. Suitable for any budget and for one wall or one room, apartments or mansions, Balbes’ wonderfully unique technique nurtures and transforms both souls and their spaces.
GertrudefromMN
Posted January 30, 2012
I highly recommend this book for anyone who is thinking about transforming their life and their home's interior. Soul Space is an enjoyable read for designers of all types. As someone who inherited most of her furniture and accent pieces, I’ve never had the opportunity to start from scratch, until recently. What started out as a temporary situation in a far-off city became more long term. Initially friends gave me a mattress, some lamps, a chest of drawers and I found a working television. In 2012, I vowed to decorate the place my way. Only thing was, I didn’t know exactly how that would look.
Enter Xorin Balbes. Eleven pages later I felt prepared to go shopping. Where once I feared to err, now I aim to commit. Armed with knowledge and new insight, I entered Pier One and left with a table, two chairs, a desk, an entertainment unit and a wall mirror. Not only that, but my adventure didn’t feel complete until I conquered The Container Store as well.
Transform Your lnterior
All of us get stuck from time to time. We rationalize that change is good. The process of changing, however, can be daunting. Interior changes can be wrought by external ones. And, that’s what this book is all about. Changes made in the home are not just about décor and accessories.
Full of questions – Xorin asks the reader all kinds throughout the eight stages detailed in the text. First, Assess. Then, Release and Cleanse. Dream, Discover and Create. Elevate and Celebrate!!!!
What I really liked:
the natural cleaner recipes Xorin shared. For example, soap for the dishwasher: 1 part Borax, the other washing soda.
And, creating a dream board as an aid to discover your soul’s expression.
The book was not just fun. Soul Space opened a whole new way of looking at my world and the lessons shared will stick with me for a while. Thanks, Xorin, for a whole new way of seeing.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 20, 2012
Love this book! It has a lot of great ideas!
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 28, 2013
No text was provided for this review.
Overview
Expertly designed and decorated homes don’t necessarily feel like havens to their dwellers or reflect, inspire, and celebrate what is essential about their inhabitants. Lauded designer and architectural conservator Xorin Balbes created the eight-stage SoulSpace transformation process to help his clients do just that. Through the stages — assess, release, cleanse, dream, discover, create, elevate, and celebrate — readers explore not only the design of their living spaces but also their own interiors, the ways they...