This month we at Re-Nest are focusing on the Slow Home. The Slow Home isn't concerned with trendy accessories or high style; it's not defined by its style, size, age, type, or cost. Rather, the Slow Home is designed to efficiently and thoughtfully support your life. As Alberta architect John Brown said, "It doesn't have to be fancy. It doesn't have to be expensive. It just has to be easy to live in." And the great thing about that is that everyone can work towards having a slower home, whether you're a renter in a tiny studio apartment or the owner of a historic 4-bedroom home. We'll be exploring Slow Home principles throughout the month of August, but to start, we give you a Slow Home Manifesto, along with a few of our best posts on how you can start implementing those principles into your home.

Like the Slow Food movement, which exists in opposition to "fast food" in its celebration of local food traditions and culture, the Slow Home is one that takes a calm, carefully considered, and intuitive approach to home design and living. As we've mentioned before, we're inspired by Slow Home Studio's 12-Step Slow Home Philosophy, which ties in very closely to our ideas about heirloom design, mindful living, and slow purchasing. Apartment Therapy's 8-Step Home Cure is also closely tied into the idea that your home should be a well-organized, beautiful place that suits your lifestyle and budget. Therefore, with all those thoughts in mind:

A Slow Home Is...

1. A thoughtfully-designed place that feels good to be in and makes life easier.

2. Sized appropriately for its residents.

3. Reduces unnecessary or wasteful energy or water usage.

4. Reduces greenhouse gas and unhealthy household chemical emissions.

5. Benefits the planet without sacrificing quality of life.

6. Supports life in a community.

7. Has a strong connection to the outdoors.

8. Makes every effort to support daylighting and natural heating and cooling methods.

9. Establishes a functional entry space, or landing strip.

10. Focuses on efficient furniture layout that is multi-functional and breathable.

11. Emphasizes sufficient, well-organized storage in all rooms.

12. Accessorized personally, thoughtfully, and with an eye towards healthy, lasting design.

(Image: Adrienne Breaux | Apartment Therapy)

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