Years ago, I had the good fortune to design for Clodagh in her New York studio in Soho. Originally, I was drawn to the design Guru because of her holistic approach to design and to the spirituality she seemed to impart on each project. During my tenure with Clodagh, I designed the West Side yoga studio for YogaWorks, a nationwide yoga studio born from the boom in yoga practice during the early 2000s. This project ignited a passion in me to continue within this vein of design: Yoga, Spa and Wellness. I found a direct link between the spiritual mind body connection and the physical mind body connection. I continue to strive to create environments that enhance the experience of being.

Since I have begun my own interior design practice, Envi Design, I have designed a private bath house and spa in Whitefish, worked with Sage Spa Living and Your Yoga, both in Bozeman respectively. When long-time friend (and former client) Margaret Burns Vap, founder of Big Sky Yoga Retreats, asked me if I would consider creating a yoga studio in her home, I beamed at the opportunity. We developed idea after idea and decided to document the transformation of her basement home studio. As a follow up to this transformation, I offered to teach a seminar for her newest Winter Wonderland yoga retreat in January: How to “zen” your home. I will give tips on how to bring the yoga experience to your own home.

And so commences the step by step process of Yoga Studio creation. The challenge?

How to transform this less than inspired room (above) into a bliss den for the Cowgirl Yoga guru of Big Sky Yoga Retreats.

I’d say we have our work cut out for us. Stay tuned as we bring you the latest in our design work. First, we will explore the human senses, sight, sound, and smell and how they relate physical experience. i.e. to tear out the carpet? or not to tear out the carpet.