Art by Design: Shelagh Conway-Stay Grounded

Triple Heart Design approaches the renovation process through the lens of Mother Nature.

By Hannah Nuñez. Photos courtesy of Triple Heart Design.

Founded in 2016 by Shelagh Conway, Triple Heart Design showcases the marriage between spirituality and architecture. For Conway, interior design is a powerful tool in creating a “healthy home” that both looks and feels good. This spiritual approach allows for a deeper connection between clients and their homes, creating a more grounded community. Conway incorporates her beliefs into her work by prioritizing the importance of connecting with nature and with one another. 

“Triple Heart Design was born and bred out of my spirituality,” says Conway. “Not only am I connecting with the energy of the home but the people occupying it as well. It’s so much more than a paint color or floor choice; it’s a deeply personal experience.”

Conway’s passion is biophilic design, a style of interior design that centers our body’s innate connection to nature. Through the incorporation of natural light, stone, wood and other earthly materials, Triple Heart Design reconnectsclients with the peace that accompanies nature. “[Biophilia] is harmony with our environment and the ability to bring the outdoors in, to find that energetic balance that Mother Earth provides us,” says Conway. “All of that helps with our circadian rhythm, our mood, our psyche and connection to each other.” While Conway’s renovations tend to lean toward a sleek, organic style, she believes that all types of interior design have roots grounded in nature. “While my style represents the gentler side of nature, there is such beauty in a thunderstorm or restless sea. Those darker elements can often be found in more intense styles like brutalism.  

“I came into this industry with a solid understanding of how I wanted to present myself and connect with my clients,” she continues. “Recently many consumers have lost faith in the industry due to bad experiences, and that’s why since the beginning, my priority has always been to be a very transparent, high-integrity individual within this space.”  

In order to ensure the deepest connection with clients, Conway’s design process focuses on both education and communication. By encouraging expansive conversation, the final product is more of a collaboration than a sole creation. “Most of the time clients are drawn to a feeling and don’t necessarily know how to vocalize that vision, so it’s my job to identify those elements and incorporate them into a space.” Varying from introspective conversations with the head of a household to deciphering Pinterest boards with children, Conway prioritizes pinpointing a client’s needs and advocating for them. “There are so many energetic exchanges that go into creating a home with a client. It’s really, really powerful,” she says. “By creating a space they can fully relax in, we’re helping people relieve stress.”

A large part of Conway’s approach is creating a space that can easily adapt and grow alongside its residents. As nature is forever experiencing cycles of change, so are households and family units, making adaptation essential. Conway adheres to this aspect of humanity by analyzing all the ways a house is being occupied. “I have an 80-20 rule with all my projects,” says Conway. “Eighty percent of the time, a home is being used by the family unit to relax and go about their day to day. The remaining 20% is when doors are opened up to entertain and invite others to share the space.” This mindset supports Conway’s belief that a home is a sacred place where families are allowed to unwind while also encouraging meaningful connection.

Triple Heart Design stands out from the crowd with its unique spiritual approach to home renovation. By connecting with the energy of clients and their space, Conway is going past furnishing houses and instead creating homes.

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