Army wife Rakhi Mahajan’s life has charted an interesting course. Travelling with her husband across India, she taught in various schools for several years. Then in 2008, she turned her gaze toward visual merchandising, which grew into a passion for interior design and spa management.
After a stint as conceptualiser for Lladro and Rosenthal, Rakhi was instrumental in running Harnn Spa’s operations. After studying product development, formulations and aromatherapy from Panpuri Thailand and Asia Spa Academy in Singapore, her focus turned to Ishana Nature Spa at Terminal 3 of Delhi’s IGI Airport.
Since 2010, Rakhi has been involved with the design, interiors and nurturing of the products and services provided across all Ishana Spas and stores. Here is her advice for creating spa-like harmony in your home:
“Your home is your personal retreat. It is a sanctuary where you can drop all your appearances and be yourself. It is your cocoon of comfort which bears your unmistakable stamp. It is the symbol of your pride, joy and anchors your sense of belonging. How is it then that you can convert your abode into a healing sanctuary? Simple. Channelise the positivity into your surroundings and your life.
• Bring in the light. To begin with, open up those windows and bring down the heavy, dreary drapes. Let the light and air in with light, breezy curtains. De-clutter and let the corners breathe. This will instantaneously create a feeling of space and lightness, making you feel brighter, happier and more creative.
• Use colour therapy. Paint your home in colours that soothe and welcome you the minute you walk in. Coordinate the furnishings and upholstery in pleasing shades that complement the overall theme. Add an accent shade to bring in an interesting element to your home.
• Dress your walls with art that you like. Get a canvas and paint it yourself, have a friend make one for you or pick it up from a store! Keeping art that you can relate to creates an ambience that is an extension of your personality and brightens up the space instantly. Art has the capacity to heal and nurture the senses.
• Add a water element to your home. Water calms, soothes and invites positivity. Place an urli with water near the home entrance. Flower petals floating on the water not only look fetching, they uplift the surroundings with their aesthetic appeal.
• Introduce fragrances and aromas. Do you know which fragrance cheers you, mellows you down, makes you relax and unwind? Try different essential oils and harness their therapeutic qualities to your benefit. You can then choose from incense sticks, amphoras and diffusers to build an atmosphere that energizes and heals. Aroma is therapy, indeed.
• Invoke the musical muse. Bring out your collection of soothing, uplifting music that helps you meditate and focus inwards. Music heals and brings about wellness. It channelises energies and helps you relax and unwind therapeutically. A home without music is a home without a soul.
• Add home accents. Place accent pieces and sculptures in stone, metal etc at strategic places. Buddha busts, Ganesha and Tara sculptures in stone and semi-precious stones add to the décor of living spaces. Based upon your belief, you can add sculptures and symbols that bring in auspiciousness to your home. Prayer wheels, singing bowls, tingsha bells—just pick one and begin your journey toward bliss; soon, you will have a healing sanctuary of your own!
The healing environment of a spa owes much to a combination of these simple elements—earth, water, sunlight, music and art. With the addition of these to your living space, you can create an environment that begins to heal and rejuvenate you from the moment you take off your shoes and enter your blissful home.