When it comes to interior design, the purpose is to create beautiful spaces that reflect the dwellers’ personality and stylistic preferences, while also catering to their specific needs and desires, and there are plenty of design trends and concepts that can help one achieve these goals. But more than anything, people crave calm and comfort at home; they want to leave all their worries behind the moment they walk through the door and immerse themselves in a world of peace and tranquillity.
During the pandemic and the following years, we have grown more aware of the profound impact that interiors have on our health and wellbeing and this realisation has prompted many homeowners to upgrade their living spaces and turn them into personal sanctuaries. The rise of the Japandi style, which perfectly blends the Scandinavian and Japanese minimalist design philosophies, stands as proof of people’s growing desire for homes that provide a sense of relaxation and harmony.
However, you don’t need to subscribe to a certain trend or style to make your home look and feel like a peaceful oasis. There are plenty of things you can do to create a zen space that keeps you safe from the world outside and supports your well-being, so here’s what you should focus on.
Go for relaxing colour schemes
Since colours play a key role in interior design and can greatly impact the mood and atmosphere of a room, it’s important to choose the right hues if you want to create a space that is conducive to relaxation. For this, you’ll need to understand how colour psychology works.
Neutral tones like white, grey and beige are the simplest and safest choice as they have a soothing and cooling quality to them. However, there are other shades that can create a similar effect. Blues and greens are both restful and calming colours inspired by the great outdoors. Yellow is also a good option as it evokes warmth and joy, as is pink. The key is to stick to soft and gentle tones that are neither too bright nor too dull and ensure a chromatic balance.
Declutter
This is more of a lifestyle tip than a design hack, but keeping your rooms clean and tidy is going to make a huge difference to the ambience and overall look of your home. Physical clutter creates mental clutter, so it’s next to impossible to relax in a place that is filled with random items piled on top of each other. By contrast, a house where simplicity reigns supreme and everything is in the right place is going to feel airy, inviting and comforting.
This means you need to do an inventory of all your objects, be it furnishings, accessories or decorations, and then get rid of the items that make you feel uncomfortable or cause you inconvenience and keep the ones that you find useful, soothing and relaxing. And if you want to enjoy a clutter-free space in the long run, you also need to organise every area of your home by using smart storage solutions, clearing your desk, finding the perfect spot for your planters, tidying up your closet and so on.
Let nature guide you
Since nature and humans have been inextricably linked since the dawn of time, the natural environment provides a source of never-ending tranquillity that contributes to people’s mental and physical well-being. So, it makes perfect sense to integrate biophilic design elements into your home to enhance this age-old connection with nature and reap all the benefits it provides.
Embracing biophilic design can take many forms, from maximizing natural light and improving your home’s airflow to using natural materials like wood, stone and marble. But the easiest way to bring the outdoors indoors is to incorporate houseplants into your design. You can choose all sorts of low-maintenance plants and place them around the house or adorn your balcony and terrace with beautiful balcony pots. Adding a touch of green to your interiors will also brighten up the space and create a lively atmosphere.
Use calming scents
Out of all the senses, smells seem to be the most powerful trigger of emotions, having the ability to evoke strong memories and feelings. Therefore, aromatherapy is a fantastic way to stimulate your senses, induce positive thoughts and promote relaxation and wellness at home.
You can use scented candles, sprays or diffusers to flood your homes with the most enticing aromas. Essential oils like lavender, chamomile, bergamot, cedarwood and ylang-ylang are used regularly in aromatherapy due to their soothing properties that help alleviate stress and anxiety. However, there are many other scents that carry benefits for wellness, so feel free to use any fragrance that evokes happy memories and appeals to your senses to create a calming environment.
Upgrade your lighting
Getting the lighting wrong is one of the most common interior design mistakes people make and it has a direct impact on their mood, energy levels and mental health. While some people use harsh and overly bright light to illuminate their interiors, others fall into the opposite extreme and keep their rooms too dark, which can cause headaches, fatigue, and eyestrain.
You can increase natural light in your home by adding skylights, keeping your windows clean, using reflective surfaces and placing mirrors around the house. For a space to feel cosy and inviting, you also need to find the right lighting fixtures and place them strategically around the house to make sure every area is properly lit. Dimmer switches are also a great idea as they can help you adjust lighting levels depending on the time of the day and your personal needs and preferences.
Creating calm and peaceful interiors that can help you escape daily worries and stress is easily achievable as long as you take the time to assess your needs and focus on simple but effective design strategies. From organising your space to using natural elements, there are plenty of ideas and tricks that can help you enjoy peace and tranquillity at home.
