Your home is your sanctuary; it’s the place where you can relax, let your hair down, and just get away from it all. After a tiring and stressful day outside, it’s the best feeling in the world to get back to our personal retreats, unwind and recharge our batteries.
And it’s your home environment that plays a huge role in creating a positive ambience—it elevates your mood, boosts happiness, and improves your mental wellness. Redo your décor, and you can usher in the good vibes! Here are some ways to tweak your décor to ramp up the happiness quotient in your home.
Let the Sunlight In!
Sunlight is the best mood enhancer there is, and it’s the easiest way to elevate your mood! If you’re feeling dark and depressed, go for a little walk in the sunshine and watch your spirits lift. When designing your home interior, try to find ways to enhance the natural light in every room. Use mirrors judiciously in rooms that have small windows, so that the little light that does come in is bounced around as much as possible.
Rooms that face the east or west should be designed with large windows, so that they capture the morning or evening rays of the sun. Do not use heavy curtains that block out the light. Wherever possible, use only light sheer curtains that allow the sunlight in, even while they keep out prying eyes.
Blend the Indoors with the Outdoors
Getting in touch with nature is a lovely way to relax and refresh yourself. Fill your home with indoor plants; not only do they clear the air of toxins, but they are also known to regulate temperatures and humidity in the surroundings. Besides which, plants look lovely and make you feel happier! It is scientifically proven that surrounding yourself with plants triggers a chemical response in the brain that releases serotonin, also known as the ‘happy hormone’—enhancing your mood in a totally natural way.
Get in Touch with Your Inner Self
Meditation and self-reflection ground you, giving you a sense of inner calm and balance that are great for your emotional well-being and even your physical health. Create a space where you can sit down and let go of your thoughts. Build yourself your own personal sanctuary where you can totally reconnect with your inner being—make it as minimalistic and clutter-free as possible, and put down a yoga mat. Loosen up those knots of tension with some pranayama, relaxing stretches, and by just being still and doing nothing at all.
Use Calming Colours
Colour psychology is both an art and a science, and by choosing the right colours you can energize your spaces, create welcoming living rooms, cheerful kitchens, and peaceful bedrooms. Wall paints play a big role in the look and feel of your room.
Warm shades like red, yellow, and orange are optimistic and empowering, but too much of warmth can also make you irritable and restless. Greens, blues, and violet can make you feel calm and at peace with the world. These shades also help you to focus and feel inspired to do your best work. Shades of white are serene and tranquil, and make your home appear bright and light.
Do remember, however, that colours are very personal, and each person responds to the same shade in a different way. Colours that are well balanced and in harmony with your spaces will leave you feeling content and grounded.
Choose Artwork that Inspires
The art pieces you incorporate in your home speak to your personality and your taste. Seascapes can evoke the calm of a clear, sparkling ocean, or the turbulence of a stormy sea. Nature-inspired art refreshes your connect with the outdoors, while abstract paintings have the power to elicit different raw emotions.
By choosing art that is vibrant and bright, you can uplift the atmosphere in your home. Always go with your gut feel and do not listen to others when choosing art. It is said that a painting speaks to you, and only you can be the best judge of what’s right for your space and what isn’t!
Declutter and Spring Clean
Decluttering your home can help to reduce stress and anxiety. When your home feels light and spacious, your mind will, too! Decluttering allows mindfulness and creates focus, putting you in control of your life once again. Get rid of things that no longer work, and give away anything that you no longer need but could come in useful to someone else. Never buy or store things in excess.
Minimal lifestyles lead to healthy habits and boost both your physical and your mental well-being. Keeping your home free of clutter, as well as sparkling clean and dust-free will have a positive impact on your life. A sense of openness and spaciousness is key to elevated moods and happy spaces.
Go Organic
Make a conscious decision to choose only sustainable materials in your home. By staying away from toxic chemicals and over-processed artificial fibres, you can live a more healthy and sustainable life. Even without your knowledge, there could be chemicals in your wall paint that leach toxins into the indoor air, or synthetic fibres in the upholstery that could be harming your skin. Use only plant-based materials that are harvested in a sustainable way, and are processed and manufactured without the use of harmful chemicals.
Interior design is not only about creating a beautiful home; it’s about making it a happy and healthy place too! While we have given you some ideas to get started, there really are no rules, and you should always go with what makes you feel good.
If you’d rather leave the choices to an expert, do call a HomeLane designer today. We’ve got years of experience in creating happy homes, and we’d love to help you with yours!
