Interview with Author Jennifer Adams

She’s inspired healthier sleep and happier awakenings with her signature Home line of high-quality sheet sets, mattresses, and other resort-worthy products. Now award-winning designer Jennifer Adams shares how even small design tweaks in any room can help us create a wellness-boosting living space in her inviting new book, Love Coming Home: Transform Your Environment. Transform Your Life.

“Small changes shift the way we feel in our home. And if we feel better in our home, I think our entire lives improve,” Adams says. “No matter where you are—even a room you are renting, or shared space—when you shift the environment in your home, it helps boost your level of happiness. And really being intentional with a healthy home environment is key.”

This is achievable even on a small budget, she adds. “Oftentimes we think if we can’t afford to change the visual, we can’t do anything about our environment, that we’re just stuck with the way it is. But there are so many other elements, like your sense of smell, your sense of touch, your sense of hearing, your intuition—even your food environment with your sense of taste—that play a role in how your home functions. And when you pay attention to all of the elements in your body as they relate to your home, you just don’t have the same agitation level that you might have. And your home becomes a sanctuary and a place where you truly can relax, decompress, celebrate—have every kind of emotion—and feel more supported.”

Why is a mindful eating space vital—and how can we start to create one?

The food we take into our bodies affects us. That’s a scientific, medical fact. When we don’t have a designated place to sit and eat mindfully—and we’re standing over the sink or we’re sitting on the sofa with a plate, shoveling food into our mouth—we’re not really being intentional about the food we’re putting into our body. We’re just trying to shove it down and get food into our system. If the only place you have to eat is your sofa or your bed, you can get a stand-up tray or a small end table that doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. It’s a place to put your plate down, and it allows you to balance your utensils and take a pause between bites.

Which, of course, allows you to taste your food and feel full without overeating.

Exactly. And if you have a home that has a dining room or a dinette table or a designated table, pay attention to the colors and sounds that are in that room. (Certain colors) and the loud sounds that let you into that room will help you eat fast. Look at the restaurants that are trying to get you in and out, and the environment’s loud and the colors are bright and vibrant. Versus if you’re in a spa where they’re hardly giving you any food, the music is so soft, and the color tones are very pale and muted, and it causes you to slow down and be intentional with the foods you bring to your body. Also, your ability to control your lighting—by putting a dimmer on your light switch, for example—and having different light sources to illuminate your space helps you create different moods for your eating environment.

How can we keep holiday munchies at a healthy distance in the kitchen?

The way we display our food is very important. I have some cheat foods in my home, but I make them special. I don’t have them just sitting on my counter or on my first shelf when I open up where I store my food. I have them in a separate container so that I have to physically open the container versus just reaching my hand into a bag. So I’m mindful in giving myself permission to eat this snack with intention, versus having it readily available so it’s the first thing I grab when I get home.