Wellness | The Trends Currently Shaping London
At House of Grey we fully believe in the power of looking after our physical and mental well-being and the positive effect it can have on every aspect of our lives. We consciously make sure to always respect our work / life balance, we invest time in creating mental space in our busy lives and we look to collaborate with brands who share our ethos and mindset. At the core of our work we develop liveable spaces which intentionally seek to calm one’s senses.
Thinking about how much we turn to the industry for inspiration, both professionally and personally, we wanted to look at some businesses who are innovating what wellness truly means.
When people think of well-being they often think of yoga, but ChromaYoga is different. ChromaYoga approaches the ancient practice by not only looking to soothe the body but also focussing heavily on the mind - using light and colour therapy to add to each yogi’s individual experience. One of the main ideas is to balance the negative effects of our daily over-exposure to blue light via computers and phone screens, by saturating their classes in positive, energy giving light. Plus, by adding in specially composed soundscapes and bespoke scents they create a multi-sensory experience. The brand have cleverly acknowledged the fact that people need more of this in their daily life, hence why they have created their Corporate Wellness Programmes.
The power of meditation is undeniable, Mindfulness as a term is part of our modern day vocabulary and taking a few minutes a day to pause, breathe and consider is widely recognised as being equally as positive for our mental well-being as exercise and sleep. Re: Mind Studio offers drop-in meditation classes to help people ‘find their calm’. Offering 8 different styles of meditation, bespoke for each individual’s needs, the studio offers sessions to heal, charge and refocus one’s aims. To help people enter into their calm space, the studio has been designed using neutral tones and natural materials such as wood for the structure, and a living wall to promote air quality within the space. The studio uses natural fibres for textiles (blankets, cushions etc) which have skin contact, creating a nourishing and replenishing experience.
Image by @seeavton
Calm is also at the centre of The Calmery, a central London based healing studio seeking to stop people’s whirring minds and to help them find their inner body peace too. Using Reiki methods to create their energy healing treatments, the studio hopes to change people’s perceptions of Reiki being ‘weird’ or ‘unusual’ and show them the powerful change that can come with Reiki.
Photography by Jake Curtis
Skin guru Vaishaly Patel also incorporates aspects of Reiki into her work, believing in creating a holistic experience for both skin and mind with her facials. Vaishaly believes that it is one’s state of mind which contributes to ageing and clients are encouraged to completely switch off their minds to help with the relaxing process. The combination of reiki massage is why Vaishaly has a cult celebrity following.
We also wanted to give a special mention to Bulk Market. We believe that wellness isn’t just about how we treat our own body and minds, it’s also about looking after our surroundings - offering future generations a healthy place to live. Located in east London this revolutionary supermarket was created with the ambition of eliminating plastic and unnecessary packaging from weekly shops and excitingly they are soon to be launching a range of DIY beauty products.