It is no secret that our material surroundings influence our mood, the phrase ‘tidy space, tidy mind’ is a perfect example of how we can feel fulfilled and more relaxed when our homes are in order. There is research to suggest that the effect interiors have on our wellbeing runs deeper than just satisfaction of a tidy room.
We have learned there are more ways than one Interior design and how our homes look and feel, benefit our overall mental wellness. Homeware is one of the biggest industries when it comes to retail, we spend so much time fine tuning our homes to make them a comfortable and desirable place to live. The average UK household spends around £2,600 a year on homeware goods with the goal being to improve on all things from look and functionality, to the feeling you get when you walk through the door. It is interesting to see that investing in your home interiors, has a positive effect on your happiness too.
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“With most of our lives spent indoors, the space we occupy has a major role in our psychological behaviour. Environmental psychology or Space psychology is, in fact, the interaction between people and the spaces they inhabit. Lighting, colors, configuration, scale, proportions, acoustics, and materials address the senses of the individual and generate a spectrum of feelings and practices.”
-Christelle Harrouk (arch daily).
There are many reasons interiors can impact wellness and mental health, Interior design is made up of elements that are decided on every time we shop for homeware. Everybody has their own ideals of how they want their home to look, whether it be a favourite colour palette, interior design trend or an idea of space and how to optimise it. These considerations play a big part in how we feel. The majority of the urban population spend most of their time indoors, working and coming home to eat and unwind. This was increased when covid-19 hit, and the world became limited to spending time out of the home. With this, it is important to value the space we live in, understanding that our interior design choices can really improve our quality of life. Here is a breakdown of how interiors can benefit our wellbeing.
Space, balance, and consistency
One of the most influential aspects of interior design on the mind is having the right placement of furniture and other homeware pieces. When there is no balance to a room it can be jarring and off putting. Creating space, balance and consistency can be achieved in a home of any size, it just means putting thought into the placement of furniture and décor so that the space you have is used well and flows from room to room. You’ve most likely heard of the Chinese term Feng Shui, which is a way of arranging objects in the home to let energy flow seamlessly. To achieve this approach, keep clutter to a minimum, using furniture pieces that offer good storage solutions; make sure entry ways are clear, arranging objects in the home that allow more space when entering a room and use mirrors wisely, reflections increase energy flow when reflecting a more desirable part of the room, so make sure not to place Infront of messier areas like bin storage or unfinished décor.
Letting the light in
Natural sun light is a mood lifter, it can reduce anxiety and boost happiness leading to a more joyous home space. It can also improve focus when working. You want to find ways to make as much use of natural light as possible, to do so think about where you spend most of your time at home, if it is working away at your desk, try placing your workspace near or under the window, or if lounging on your sofa is what you do best, place in an area where the sunlight hits most during the day. Golden hour is a beautiful experience when relaxing at home, to enhance the light at this time of day, place objects like plants and faux flowers in the direct flow of the sunlight entering the home to get those pretty reflections.
Colour Choice
Colour can have a dramatic effect on mood and emotions. It is one of the key components of interior design that has the most impact on our wellness. Choosing a colour scheme for your home is an important decision, opting for lightness throughout has more benefits than using darker tones, while darker colours can be based on trends or trying to achieve a more sophisticated look, they generally have a negative impact on feelings of peace and relaxation. This doesn’t mean that dark colour in the home shouldn’t be implemented, instead of excessive darker colours like navy blue, black and dark greens being the primary palette on walls and large furniture pieces, try using these colours in a way that complement a lighter interior foundation like adding dark accessories to a primarily light/white room. Dark colours make great accent pieces without overwhelming an area.
Bringing the outdoors in
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We have recently released a collection of Olivia’s pieces inspired by Biophilic design. A focused Interior design style that is all about blending aspects of the outdoors with your interior space. This means bringing in plants and flowers as a source of decoration, using natural materials like wood and stone and creating a natural overall look. Studies from (Texas A&M) have conducted that having plants in the home can reduce stress levels, improve memory retention, and help with concentration. Biophilic pieces are easy to bring into most interior looks, most often paired with a rustic or Scandinavian style.
If you are feeling gloomy when spending time at home, it is worth paying attention to how you could switch up your interiors to improve parts of your wellbeing. Small changes can be made to help you feel more relaxed and happier in your interior setting.
