5 Steps to Design a Beautiful and Happy Home

5 Steps to Design a Beautiful and Happy Home

A home should be much more than just a place to live. It’s your sanctuary and your nest. Your haven to retreat to after a hard day’s work and spend private time with your nearest and dearest.

Interior designers know how important it is to live in an environment where you feel relaxed and happy and utilize all the tricks of the trade to create the right atmosphere.

But what if you prefer going the DIY route? The good news is that there’s plenty you can do yourself to create a happy mood in your home, and it doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are 5 clever ideas to get you there.

1. Choose Happy Colors


Source: Pfeiffer Design

Research has shown that we have different physical and emotional reactions depending on the color we see. Science tells us that it’s all down to which chemicals the brain releases.

Certain high-energy shades, used deliberately and in moderation, are often used to lift the mood. For best effect, use stronger shades as accent colors against a pared-back background.

Orange, for instance, is a warm and joyful color that invokes positive emotions, particularly in a social context – an excellent shade for living and dining rooms.

Yellow is an optimistic and cheerful color that facilitates creative thinking and mental clarity.

The color green promotes balance and harmony and strengthens your connection with nature.

Blue is a calming color that works especially well in bedrooms. In combination with warmer, more relational colors, it can boost reception areas and inject a sense of adventure. Check out the great example above from Pfeiffer Design.

2. Add a Touch of Nature


Source: Freshome

Mother Nature is a powerful influence on us all. Surround yourself with lush planting and natural greenery in the home for a stress-busting and mood-boosting effect. From fresh flowers to potted house plants, herbs on the kitchen window sill or ferns in the bathroom, it’s an easy way to bring some of the outside, in.

Even the odd piece of artwork depicting natural motifs, or a stunning feature wall can do the trick!

You can also include other natural materials and textures in your room scheme to reinforce the theme.

How about using natural stone or hardwood flooring, or rugs made from cork, sisal or seagrass? Rustic coffee tables, wicker furniture, handcrafted textiles and accessories, crystals and seashells. There’s plenty of inspiration to personalize your home for that natural touch.

Finally, if you have a garden, make sure you can appreciate it from inside the house too. Large, unobscured windows will afford the best view, while bifold concertina patio door, or a conservatory, can be the perfect transition between outside and in.

3. Let There Be Light!


Source: NY Times

Be honest. Do you feel happier on sunny days or rainy days? Light plays a hugely important part in how we feel, so it makes sense to maximize its positive impact on our home.

Start with assessing each room’s orientation and the amount of daylight coming in. Can you declutter window sills and trade heavy curtains for sheer voiles or blinds, or go without a window dressing to let more light in? Is it possible to fit a bigger window or an additional one, or maybe even a skylight?

Once you’ve done what you can with the available sunlight, consider supplementing the existing level of illumination with artificial lighting. Don’t be caught out rabbit-in-headlight style by the sheer wealth of beautiful lamps and light fittings available. Approach this element of your interior design with a firm plan.

As every interior designer will confirm, a layered lighting scheme is best. Find solutions for ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent or feature lighting to achieve a comfortable level of brightness for the various tasks that are carried out in the room.

4. Keep it Tidy and Organized

Source: Decoist

‘Cleanliness is next to happiness’ is arguably a better and more inclusive version of the well-known original saying.

The point, though, remains the same: There is scientific evidence to confirm that a clean and tidy home with a place for everything and everything in its place makes you feel calm, contented and in control of your life. A messy home, on the other hand, has connotations of chaos and misery.

Decluttering your home can be a salutary and liberating exercise and one that you’re strongly advised to carry out at least once a year. Do it room by room and item by item, using the 6-month-rule (Have you used it in the last 6 months? Will you use it in the next 6 months?) to help you decide what to keep and what to get rid of.

To help you stay organized, get into the habit of putting things away after use. Concealed storage options are key here, whether it’s in the kitchen, bathroom or living room.

5. Give Your Home the Aroma of Happiness

Source: Livspace

Of all our five senses, smell is probably most closely connected to memory, able to recall events that happened long ago. Powerful emotions can be evoked through the medium of scent. The perfume industry is fully aware of this connection and uses it to market products to convey a wide range of feelings that include power and desire, energy and relaxation.

Why not use this knowledge to create happy emotions in our home?

Think of aromas that have positive associations for you and take your cue from literally anywhere – maybe a favorite holiday, childhood experiences, happy places, and people. Then look for ways to layer the fragrance(s) around your home.

From fresh, natural scents to plug-in air fresheners, reed diffusers, room sprays, scented candles or incense sticks, there are many ways to let your nose decide what smells right in your home.

The post 5 Steps to Design a Beautiful and Happy Home appeared first on FinerMinds.

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