The surroundings in which we live or work influences the perception we have of our life and our relationship with others. It can increase or decrease our potential well being, inner harmony and vitality – so says Kara Molinari.

Meet Kara, a wellbeing designer, who proposes an innovative approach to interior design and decor.

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Pursuing her passions

After studying journalism and history of art, Kara started her professional life as a journalist before leaving on a whim to Australia to work at the French Consulate where she was responsible for communications. Within a year, she returned to France and continued her career in a similar field at an agency, then with Yves Saint-Laurent. But she didn’t see herself at all as an office worker all of her life!

I didn’t want a job with ridiculous hours, and little time actually spent working efficiently, I felt like a prisoner…

Kara Molinari quit it all and left to travel around the world for a year, before returning to pursue her childhood passions of decoration and design. In 2006 she set up her own interior design business. “We shouldn’t always be content with staying in our natural environment, but instead leave our comfort zone once in a while. When I start to blend into my surroundings, I know it’s time to get out and do something else”.

No show homes for Kara Molinari

The agency offers its clients services that include renovating their apartment or reflecting on what is already there, as well as helping to buy or rent an interior that suits them. Kara says her trademark is her personal touch.

“It’s important to develop an interior which differs from what the client’s personality visibly reflects. Don’t reinforce someone’s ego, but attract them towards their essence and help them to be reborn”.

She doesn’t want a show home, with art books in the lounge room that have never been opened, or meaningless photographs. Instead, she suggests always having a happy couple photo in the home or even positive phrases that inspire you painted on the walls.

“I am a big believer in sorting. A cluttered interior can make the mind restless; we have to de-clutter in order to feel better. Each object has an echo, the more objects there are, the more our thoughts are sparked and prevent us from taking a step back and recharging. We must be able to regenerate in an inspiring place so we can be ourselves more”.

An interior that is positive, inspiring and comforting

Kara Molinari is quick to question the layout of furniture, the power of colours, the position of objects (notably mirrors), and spaces that don’t give off positive vibes.

She is undergoing training in NLP then in the Chinese philosophical system of harmonizing known as Feng Shui. But as the latter has its limits, she develops and draws on Feng Shui consultant Yung, as well as numerology and Ayurveda, the worlds oldest holistic healing system. Today she offers a holistic design, (from the Greek ‘holos’ meaning ‘all’) which takes account off all factors and existing problems in their entirety. She aims to create an interior that, above all, must be positive, comforting and inspiring!

Making a place for women in their homes

Kara explains that woman must still take on so many things these days and that they will better achieve them with an interior that helps them and is their ally. She adds that women don’t think of themselves enough, and more often than not they don’t have their own dedicated space. The designer likes working for women and suggests to them, in a subtle way, that they should have a dedicated space in the home just for them, a way of saying “yes, this is my home too”.

Very often, this breathes a new lease of life into the family and sometimes even relationships between husbands and children improve subsequently after a new interior in the home…

The holistic vision of well-being is one that Kara has built according to her training and research. She mixes up psychology, personal development, spirituality, Feng Shui, Ayurveda and neuroscience in order to have a better understanding and to better guide her clients, going far beyond just decoration.

“Women inspire and move me. They often feel stuck in a situation without knowing how to move onto the next stage. This is where I intervene in order to prepare the ground for understanding and welcoming in the new changes to their lives”.

Twice a year, Kara Molinari leads a group in India to complete Ayurvedic treatment and to well and truly revitalize. “I serve the feminine aspect in women’s homes, and in those of men who want to discover their feminine sides, because I believe that these are the feminine values that will save humanity”.

Do you believe that interior design effects your well-being? Do you have dedicated space in your home for yourself? Tell us what interior design means to you in the comments.

Inspiring women: collaborative partnership with MidetPlus.fr

[This article was originally written in French by Author: Marie-Hélène Cossé]

Here at MyFrenchLife™ we have pleasure in announcing our partnership with French site MidetPlus.fr to produce this new series: ‘Inspiring women’. This article first appeared on MidetPlus.fr and we have translated it into English for your added pleasure.

Mid&Plus takes a decidedly positive view of women in the world and produces wonderful portraits of inspiring women.

This collaboration enables you to read this series of inspiring life stories in English here on MyFrenchLife™ – MaVieFrançaise® magazine and also to visit midetplus.fr for further inspiration. We hope that you enjoy it.

Meet these inspiring women. Spirit. Strength. Stories

Marie-Hélène Cossé – founder of MidetPlus
Claire Basler – artist
Zahia Ziouani – conductor
Alix Baboin-Jaubert – pilgrim
Tina Kieffer – journalist
Hannelore Cayre – lawyer, writer & film-maker