Whether or not you believe in the healing power of crystals, the impressive stones and gems add a luxurious look to home décor. Interior designer Kelee Katillac (that’s her work, above) uses the rocks with abundance in her designs and understands their therapeutic effect as well. “Outside of simply being beautiful,” Katillac says, “they’re powerful to use in our homes to restore us.”
Katillac describes each type of crystal as emitting its own vibration.
“Amethyst has a healing power. It’s a spa day in a stone,” she says with a laugh. “Aquamarine is excellent for staying positive and not getting ‘stuck.’” Katillac uses the metaphor of rose-colored glasses to describe rose quartz. “It’s all about love and embracing yourself and others,” she says. “Citrine is great at absorbing negative energy. It has a light, happy feeling. It’s the Holly Golightly of the gemstone world.” Katillac describes agate as “a very powerful balancing stone. It promotes strength and calm acceptance.”
Besides displaying the crystals as she often does, gathered in a cloche or an apothecary jar, they’re frequently used in home furnishings. Katillac especially likes the use of crystals in light fixtures. “Rock crystal has been used for centuries in chandeliers,” she notes. “If you take a light source and apply it to the crystal it amplifies its healing properties.”
Crystals can enhance the beauty and energy of any room. “A space can make us better and that’s certainly what we want our homes to do,” Katillac says. “And crystals and gemstones can help us accomplish that.”
Good Vibes
Whether you’re a true believer or just love the look, using crystals in your home can add texture and color and a special energy to a room. “It’s all very personal,” Katillac says. “What you believe about a crystal is probably what you’re going to receive back from it.” Here are a few ways to incorporate crystals and stones into your own home.
Pull out. Crystal goes contemporary. Hefty crystal pulls accent the drawer fronts on a John-Richard four-drawer gray-oak veneered chest mounted on a brushed stainless-steel base. Each drawer is finished in antique beluga with a warm wash and framed in pewter silver. $5,889, available to order from Seville Home (Leawood).
Light up. The delightful play of quartz crystal gemstones mixed with clear and colored drops rocks this Schonbek Renaissance chandelier. According to Katillac, “Taking a light source and applying it to crystals will amplify the stone’s energy.” The 17th-century inspired framework is available in six finishes. From $4,405, available to order from Wilson Lighting (Overland Park).
Put a ring on it. Delight your dinner guests with festive Julian Mejia napkin rings decked out with sliced agate. They’ll add an elegant accent (and just a touch of opulence) to your dinner table. The agate slabs float on gold-tone rings. Due to the use of natural stone, each ring is unique. $50 each, available to order from Terrasi Living and Scandia Home (The Country Club Plaza).