“There’s no place like home,” Dorothy Gale proclaimed. And we all cried a little because of how poignant such a simple message can be. Home is where we find all our loved ones, our things, and some of our best memories. So, why not create the perfect setting to enjoy our favorite things with these design tips for a happier home.
Organize
A little clutter makes a place feel homey, but too much clutter can heighten anxiety and leave us feeling ill at ease. So, before you start looking at color palates and accessories, start by taking the time to purge old things and find a new home for the things that remain. A well-organized space will leave you feeling more relaxed and will be easier to clean, which is something we can all smile about.
Let Nature in
Traversing the great outdoors calms the mind and increases our joy, so why not bring some of the outdoors inside? The easiest way to do this is with plants. Adding a few potted plants, an indoor herb garden, or even a vase of flowers offers a plethora of benefits, including:
- Elevated mood
- Increased focus
- Decreased anxiety
- Improved air quality
- Shorter recovery time from illnesses
But plants aren’t the only element of the outdoors you can bring inside. Sunshine helps boost your brain’s production of serotonin and improves your sleep cycle. Fortunately, it’s easy to find ways to increase the natural sunlight in your room, such as installing light-colored window treatments or wall mirrors.
Play With Color
Color is known to impact our emotions. That’s why we tend to draw happy faces in yellow and sad faces in grey or blue. But be cautious about filling your house with as many yellows and reds as possible. Warm colors are also known to be high energy, and they can feel overwhelming in your space at times.
A good option is to balance warm colors with cool colors that have warm undertones. If you look at some of this year’s interior paint trends, you’ll notice a lot of people opting for this sort of color scheme with nature-inspired colors and warmer neutrals.
Display Affirmations
A pillow embroidered with the words “Live, Laugh, Love” has become a cliché in the decorating world. But there are still plenty of reasons to display positive affirmations, even if you’re trying to avoid clichés.
Having visual reminders of what is true when negative thoughts come to bother you can help you fight against them. This can take the form of paintings of your personal mantra, a bulletin board above your desk filled with positive quotes, or even a photo of people who have encouraged you.
It isn’t an object that brings us happiness—it’s the meaning we ascribe to an object. So, think of finding little ways to make a home happier as an exercise in taking your inner joy and displaying it for every visitor to see.