Think about how each morning starts for you. When you open your eyes for the first time, do you find joy as you look around the room? The tone of your day is set upon waking, so your mood isn’t going to benefit if every 24 hours begins in a space you don’t love. What does the end of your day look like? If the design of your home doesn’t encourage you to kick your feet up after a long day, then it is doing you a disservice.
Whether you’re aware of it or not, your home is affecting your mental health. Utilizing interior decorating techniques will help you create a fulfilling space so you can live your best “home sweet home” life.
Colour
The way colour affects our psychology has been studied for decades. Some science even suggests that intense shades of yellow can lead babies to cry more. Who knew colour was so powerful! (we did)
Colour is the captain of interior decorating, as it determines the purpose of a room. Check out our blog Colour 101 for tips on choosing a colour scheme that suits your desired mood and room usage.
Wallcoverings
Wallcoverings are a great way to add depth and visual interest to a space. Putting a funky design in your guest bathroom or accenting a wall in your office with a trendy pattern can elevate a smaller space. Busy patterns can be overwhelming on a larger scale, so bigger rooms can benefit from subtler designs or soft textured coverings.
Flooring
Need to cozy up your living room? Add a plush area rug to make your toesies smile (remember that the area needs to be large enough so that at least the front feet of all furnishings in the space can sit on it. 8’x10’ is usually the smallest you can go in any living room). Tired of scrubbing your entryway all the time and it never looking clean? Opt for an easier-to-clean ceramic tile with very narrow grout lines or carrying your luxury vinyl plank (LVP) through the entry for a cohesive look. Carpet is a sure-fire way to add comfortable texture and can be quite hypoallergenic contrary to popular belief! Just… keep it out of the bathroom… please… I beg of you.
Furniture & Lighting
Get an ergonomic task chair for your home office and you will feel your productivity increase. Upgrade that bed you’ve been sleeping in since college and you’ll wake up more rested. When you’re comfortable, you are able to relax. When you relax, health benefits follow.
Lighting also has a massive impact on well-being. Adding a dimmer to common areas creates a gentle way to transition spaces from day to night, and swapping out harsh overheads for task lighting in focused areas can help combat eye strain.
Window Coverings
Sunlight plays a big role in regulating our circadian rhythm, which is responsible for many bodily functions, including our sleep cycle. For this reason, it is important that your home has access to natural light. Window coverings help to maximize light and regulate temperature, all while providing the element of privacy, which can make you feel more at ease in your routine.
Art & Decor
Art and decor allow your home to communicate who you are, so it is important to display things that make you feel joy and sentiment. If there are pieces in your home that you don’t actually like, try saying goodbye to them. Being intentional about organizing your art and decor will avoid things feeling cluttered.
*If you are located in Calgary Alberta, check out our Consignment page to see if consigning your decor is an option for you, and you can make some money as you clear your space for joy! I’d call that double the joy, wouldn’t you?
Plants
Plants are one of the easiest ways to energize a home by improving air quality and increasing oxygen levels. You can breathe new life into your space while you’re literally breathing better. Science! And don’t sweat it if you don’t have a green thumb. Plants like zz, snake, and spiders actually thrive from neglect. Forget about these little green friends all you want, they’ll thank you for it. And if you REALLY can’t keep anything alive, faux greenery can still give you the same joy-boosting benefits, just not the cleaner air.
Everything begins and ends at home. Let’s use interior decorating to make home your favourite place to be. So, go pick up a plant and paint a wall, your journey to a more joyful home starts right… now!