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People of Belarte - Ashley La Barrie
We sat down with Ashley La Barrie and talked to her about interior design and what wellness design means to her.
Introduce yourself
My name is Ashley La Barrie, I live in Los Angeles and I’m an entrepreneur, apparel designer and interior designer.
What’s the best thing with wallpaper according to you?
I think the best thing about wallpaper is how easily it can transform and streamline a space into a clear design direction. I think from an energetic standpoint, I feel like it takes people's emotions to a different place when they walk into a room.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I get a lot of inspiration from my environment, I live in Los Angeles so I’m just constantly surrounded by so much culture and color and beautiful things to see. I just love the energy that this city venerates on a daily basis. I like to explore a lot with texture and form and I keep an emphasis on using toxin free materials and chemicals free materials which is what I have been calling wellness design. That correlates a lot into my design process. I love to research japanese concepts for living like wabisabi and conso and I notice I get the most inspiration when I’m truly present, not thinking about the future or the past but just opening myself up to what is actually happening in that moment. I think life gets really rich, colorful and inspiring when you're living from that point of view and I notice my best work happens when I am in that state of mind.
What are your best tips to create a personal interior?
I think the best way to make your interior personal to you is to create a space in your home that is your personal sanctuary. Fill it with things with meaning and memory. I truly believe that great interiors don’t have to be expensive, it's not about the cost or having an excess amount of items, it's about the feeling. Buying less but buying better. I choose to buy well and wisely and curate a space that allows for moments of calm that you need to bring you back to center in our hectic world.
What mural did you choose and how come you went for that design?
I chose the Shibori Clay wallpaper from belarteSTUDIO for this room because i have a lot of japanese design influence in this home and the pattern I feel is very emblematic of the beauty of imperfection and I just want simple joy and relaxation to be the centerpiece of the guest experience here. The organic lines and the soft colors of this wallpaper allows for my guests to feel calm and serenity during their stay.
Here are 4 Steps to Bring Healing Elements into Your Home from Ashley La Barrie
- Visual connection with nature: Healthy plants and flowers indoors.
- Airflow variability: Having windows open for a breeze to touch your skin.
- Diffused light: Indoor lighting that mimicks the time of day regulates our circadian rhythm of wake and sleep cycles. Bringing the lights down on dimmers in the evening tells the nervous system it’s time for calm.
- Non-visual connection with nature: Water, bird or nature sounds. Placing a bird feeder outside to attract birds in the mornings or a simple fountain. If you live in a city, Alexa or YouTube can do this. (Ever notice when you go to a spa, get a facial or acupuncture these sounds are playing in the background? It brings the psyche to a centered, soothing place of being). If nature sounds aren’t your thing, try “Alexa, play classical focus”.
