Create Your Sacred Space
"Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful,
or believe to be beautiful."
-William Morris
As summer gives way to the golden light of September, our attention returns to home. More than a change in weather, this shift is an invitation to reimagine our spaces and the energy within them. At Bella Cucina, we believe an artful home is not just filled with beautiful things; it’s a space that can be curated with soul, intention, and presence.
This month, we explore the idea of home as a sacred sanctuary. A place where you retreat to, a refuge of calm, surrounded by beauty and artful objects that remind you of the life you love. From artisan-made ceramic place settings to patina-aged Farmhouse wood tables, the textures and materials we live with shape our daily experience. This month's Objects of Affection are chosen not only for their beauty and artful aesthetic, but for how they make us feel: grounded, inspired, and at ease in our everyday environment.
“One of the basic human requirements is the need to dwell, and one of the central human acts is the act of inhabiting, of connecting ourselves, however temporarily, with a place on the planet which belongs to us and to which we belong."
- Charles Moore, School of Architecture, UCLA
If you’re looking to bring more beauty into your space, consider starting with the table. Our collection of tabletop essentials are designed to elevate the everyday ritual of gathering around the table. For thoughtful ways to create your own seasonal table, we love Athena Calderone’s guide to artful tabletop design.
But beauty doesn’t stop at the table. Art, in all its forms, can infuse your home with texture, tone and stories. Explore our collection of art by Alisa Barry, textiles and one of a kind antiques, each piece inviting you to create your space as a holy haven of beauty.
"First we eat, then we do everything else."
- M.F.K Fisher.
The home may be your sanctuary, but it is the sustenance of food, the warmth of company, and the nourishing daily rituals that truly bring it to life.
This month, we invite you to reconnect with the art of simple, soulful cooking. Try one of our favorite seasonal recipes, Golden Milk Latte Chicken with Chickpeas, a comforting dish layered with warming spices, tender chickpeas, and golden broth. It’s a perfect expression of what it means to nourish and be nourished.
And while you cook, let the mood be set with this month's playlist, Nourish & Nurture. Let it be your companion in the kitchen, the background music to your evening wind-down, or a quiet presence while journaling by candlelight, day or night. Music, like food, fills a room with feeling and invites us to slow down, or get down, whatever it is that you need to feel both still and yet vibrantly alive.
From a lovingly prepared meal to the sound of a favorite song, these rituals restore us. They remind us that beauty lives in the details, and that nourishment is both physical and soulful.
Building on our earlier reflections of the sacred sanctuary, this month we’ve gathered a new collection of Objects of Affection, inspired by the beauty of creating sacred spaces at home and designed to deepen the connection between your surroundings and your sense of well-being. Each one supports an artful, seasonal way of living inspired by beauty, intention, and thoughtful detail.
Let your home evolve with the season. Place olive branches in vintage vessels. Stack books on a coffee table or chair not only as a still life display, but for endless inspiration. Light a candle, not for scent alone, but for the mood it sets. Whether it’s a vintage bowl or a handmade clay pot, every detail is an opportunity to reflect how you want to live.
This is the heart of Bella Cucina: more than just artful food, we are a place of inspiration, a celebration of craft, of creativity, and of overall, artful living.
If you missed last month’s journal, Artist in Residence Life explored the power of living creatively through the lens of art and daily ritual. It’s a beautiful companion to this month’s theme of the Artful Home. Together, they celebrate the beauty of both expression and environment.
Let this season be a gentle reminder: how we live matters. How we care for ourselves, and each other, matters. Let your home be both your anchor and your altar.
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