The 3 Non-Negotiables of Holistic Interior Design

Sophisticated custom vanity in the master bathroom retreat of Westlake Village, CA, featuring a sleek marble countertop adorned with elegant decor by Et Sal Interiors.

If you’re exploring holistic interior design, especially here in Los Angeles, chances are you’re looking for more than just pretty spaces. You want a home that supports your mental clarity, daily routines, and deeper connection to nature. That’s what holistic design is really about—it considers how your space feels, not just how it looks.

Here are three things I always tell clients they cannot skip when creating a truly holistic home:

1. Functional Flow That Matches Real Life

Start with how you live, not what’s trending. Do you host often? Work from home? Need quiet spaces to decompress? A holistic space works with you—not against you. In one Brentwood home, a simple change like relocating the laundry to a less central area reduced daily chaos and improved the home’s overall flow. Good design supports how you move through your day, and nothing feels grounded when your layout is off.

2. Natural, Non-Toxic Materials Matter

The surfaces you touch, the air you breathe—it all matters. Natural finishes like limewash, solid wood, organic linens, and clay paint aren’t just beautiful—they’re also healthier. In a Malibu project, switching to natural clay walls and wool rugs reduced indoor allergens and made the home noticeably more calming. Holistic interiors prioritize indoor air quality, sensory experience, and sustainability.

3. Your Story Belongs in the Room

Holistic design isn’t cookie-cutter. It's layered with personal meaning. Instead of filling shelves with generic décor, choose objects that mean something: a piece from your travels, a framed letter from a loved one, your child’s artwork. In one Calabasas living room, we centered the design around a family heirloom piano—it grounded the space emotionally and set the tone for everything else.

In a city like L.A., where fast-paced lifestyles and sensory overload are the norm, your home should feel like an exhale. Holistic interior design creates that feeling—not through trends, but through intentional personal stories it tells, beauty becomes inevitable.