Emily Katz
Owner of Modern Macrame Interior Designer, Golden Rule Design
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Instagram: @emily_katz + @modernmacrame
Q: What does living a beautiful life mean to you?
A: Taking the time to be present. Slowing down and appreciating all that is around me. I make it a practice to not save special things. The green tea I brought back from Japan is all gone now, but I thoroughly enjoyed drinking it out of a special mug every day. Travel is so important to living a beautiful life. Exploring new cultures, tasting new flavors.
Q: How do you create a sacred space at home and work? What inspires you?
A: I like to turn on music when I get to work and add essential oils to the diffuser. Scents bring me into center. I love cedar and rose. I burn a lot of sage; it really helps to clear funky energy.
Q: What is essential to creating a personal sanctuary?
A: Anything that makes you happy. I have crystals and candles in our bedroom, as well as rainbow prisms. Surrounding yourself with happy playful art is a great way to
feel uplifted. Everyone’s idea of sanctuary is different, so play with what feels good. Light and plants and good smells are most important to me.
Q: How do you stay centered in the middle of chaos?
A: I have been practicing qigong at home some mornings, and it has reconnected me with my breath. I feel like I can move through anything as long as I remember to breathe. I also grew up with healing gemstones as my main medicine as a child, and so I go to gems to find connection and clarity.
Q: What is essential to nurturing your creativity or what drives your creativity?
A: Getting out into nature. Taking a walk in the woods or even just placing my bare feet on the ground makes me feel so much more deeply connected to myself. I also really like to get bored. I know it sounds funny, but I feel like there is a place, just beyond the precipice of boredom, where the most interesting art comes from. I try to access that place when I can.
Q: Tips for designing a nurturing home/space?
A: I love plants and comfortable textures. My home and studio are filled with rugs and cozy seating areas. I suggest bringing things into your home that make your heart sing. I also love being surrounded by handmade objects made by people I love or gathered from my many travels. Each object has a story. If the story doesn’t make me happy, it's time for that thing to have a new home.
Emily Katz is a creative consultant, interior designer, macramé teacher, artist, and Instagram phenomenon. You can find her happiest collaborating on photo shoots in the desert, rearranging furniture in homes around the world, feasting under the stars, discovering hot springs, and singing songs with friends.