TIP 86
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH BEAUTY AND LUXURY
Beauty is an ecstasy; it is as simple as hunger. There is really nothing to be said about it. It is like the perfume of a rose: you can smell it and that is all.
The most mundane activities become luxuries if you do one or two small things to transform them into special occasions. A bowl of cereal served in a beautiful bowl with a handful of fresh raspberries sprinkled on top becomes a special treat. An ordinary cup of coffee becomes a rich treat with a spoonful of real cream. How much time does it take to light a candle at your dinner table? Two seconds lends instant ambience. Drink your water out of a lovely wineglass. A bathtub of water becomes a spa retreat with a few handfuls of Epsom salts, lavender-scented bath oil, and a scrubby brush. Light a candle, turn on music, and relax. Splurge and get yourself one set of plush and elegant bath towels or start with the hand towels. Instead of 20 cheap pens that jam your desk drawer, buy one exquisite pen that you love to write with.
What is luxurious to you? An ergonomic chair and keyboard for your office? Maybe it’s a goose-down feather bed to pounce into at night. Or, if not the whole bed, spring for goose-down pillows. Use cloth instead of paper napkins at every meal. If you usually dine alone or with one other person, instead of buying the usual eight place settings, buy just two place settings and pick the most exquisite china. If you have extra company, use pretty paper plates and napkins, and you won’t have to wash all those dishes afterward. A single fresh flower in a vase by your bed is beautiful. Take those flimsy wire hangers back to the dry cleaner for recycling and use real cedar hangers for all your clothes. You will not only discourage moths, but uniform hangers will also prevent your clothes from getting jammed together and wrinkled. Make sure your doorbell, phone, and alarm clock all have a pleasant-sounding ring or chime. These subtle things will make a tremendous difference in your quality of life.
Being unavailable is a luxury, so don’t hesitate to use your voice mail or turn off the phone when you are meditating, relaxing, or winding down for bed. Schedule your next business appointment for a late afternoon tea at a lovely hotel. Men, try using a silver-tip badger shaving brush for your morning shave. Invest in a real piece of artwork that you absolutely love for your home or office—a sculpture or an original painting. Stack beautiful books of art or inspiring photographs on your coffee table and leaf through them on occasion. Make sure everyday items like teapots and frying pans are not only functional, but also beautiful to look at. Use a high-quality knife in the kitchen for slicing vegetables. Drink your morning tea or coffee from a lovely cup or special mug. Grow fresh herbs on a windowsill or in a planter and incorporate them into your meals. Rub fresh rosemary over a chicken and bake it, and you will have a simple and delicious meal. Add fresh basil leaves to your salad. Chop fresh parsley and chives for your scrambled eggs or omelets. Start surrounding yourself with luxury, and you will begin to attract even more luxury.
One way to add instant luxury to even the dullest office is to bring in some fresh flowers. If you flip through any decorating magazine, you will notice that practically every single room in the photographs has a lovely bouquet of fresh flowers in a beautiful vase or a bowl of fresh fruit. Take the flowers or fruit away, and, no matter how lovely the architecture or the furniture arrangement, it looks less appealing. The quickest and least expensive way to add elegance to any room is to buy some fresh flowers and put them in a beautiful vase. Men, this goes for you too.
Treat yourself to this little luxury. You will be amazed at how special and attractive you will feel. Even carrying the flowers down the street will make you feel special. If you think they are too expensive, buy some potted flowers and transfer them from the ugly plastic container into a ceramic or clay flowerpot. They will last a little longer than cut flowers. However, just about anyone can afford daisies or carnations. The greenest option is to plant and grow your own bouquets in your garden or on a windowsill. Dahlias and cosmos are perfect as the more you cut, the more flowers grow back.
An award-winning florist offers the following advice to increase the life of your cut flowers:
• Cut all flower stems on the diagonal before you put them into water. If you cut them straight across the flower can’t get as much water up the stem, and it is water that keeps them fresh.
• Put a little flower food in the water to extend their life.
• Make sure you cut off all the greens and leaves that would be immersed in the water, as they will rot in the water, creating bacteria.
• Change the water every two days.
• If the head of a rose hangs limp, recut the base of the stem on the diagonal and place the entire rose in a sink of hot water for a few minutes to perk the rose up again.
Flowers nourish our sense of beauty and spirit. After living in New York City for eight years, I found myself buying floral pillows, sheets, prints, and paintings. I collected a mishmash of floral designs in the apartment before realizing that I was craving greenery and plants because I wasn’t getting enough of them in the concrete jungle. We need to be surrounded by plant life to be our best. What are some ways you can surround yourself with beauty and luxury today?