The demands of today sometimes make it hard for people to find places where they feel safe, and that is why some are making quiet spaces or introvert rooms where they can escape in their homes.
“Going into social media, the office — even the grocery store — is stressful. A safe space is not only where you find the most comfort, but also find yourself,” says DuVäl Reynolds, principal of Fairfax-based interior architecture and design firm, DuVäl Designs.
In 2022, Reynolds was a style spotter for the North Carolina-based High Point Market, a creative incubator and pop-up that recognizes design professionals who demonstrate diversity in their showrooms. There, he was given the opportunity to design part of the interior of an 11,000- squarefoot show house. The ensuite he designed became an introvert’s room, a moody, luxurious space engineered to create a cozy, safe atmosphere and serve as a respite from the daily grind.
“I wanted to make this space feel inspiring, to go above and beyond,” he says. “I wanted to make it Instagrammable — but also create a room that felt like myself, where I could escape and release all the pressures of the world.”
In the space, Reynolds incorporated influences as varied as the future and Christmas, to femininity and darkness, to come up with a cohesive space that was thought-provoking yet homey.
“We used our color palette in a sophisticated way to bring in my sense of the Christmas spirit, which feels like home to me,” Reynolds says. “The sofa is actually a deep cabernet color, and then I have a mossy green on the chairs, so green and red are still in the room without it feeling comical or theatrical. I was playing on what I loved and reinterpreting it through color for the space.”
For introverts or others who are considering creating spaces to escape, Reynolds suggests incorporating what makes your mind wander.
“The goal is to be alone, to be removed from the pressures of society and from the expectations on you — just being able to exist in a space where your mind can roam. This space is for being free to be creative and letting your ideas travel.”
That idea was the inspiration behind the brass telescope he brought into his space. “It’s a play on looking ahead, looking into the future, and being in that space of fantasies,” he says.
The inspiration for an introvert’s room should come from things that bring comfort.
“You have to include things you love and things that make you feel comforted, whether that’s a weighted blanket, or a particular texture, like velvet or suede. Bring in books or memorabilia that give you a sense of nostalgia and bring you a sense of comfort,” Reynolds says.
In terms of functionality, there’s a fine line between creating a very gussied up spare bedroom, and a true introvert’s quarters: “Don’t just have a room full of nonsense. I made sure there were multifunctional spaces to read, to lay down, to sit, and to write. Think through the space actually working for you, instead of just throwing a bunch of things in a room just because they’re cute.”
Any most of all, the space needs to suit the person.
“This is a place where creativity dwells, where productivity can thrive,” says Reynolds. “Where you can work on yourself in a place of coziness and comfort.”
Feature image by Rustic White Interiors
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