7 Tips for a home that supports your well-being

The home is not just a roof under which to eat and sleep but a LIVE place that supports us in every aspect, especially our psychophysical well-being.

The home should be that place where we feel good, where we let down our defenses, and where we rediscover and are ourselves!

To truly make it so, it’s paramount to pay attention to some details.

Let’s see them together.

– YOUR HOME SHOULD REFLECT YOU

An essential aspect of having a home that supports well-being is that it’s designed to represent you 100%.

Sometimes there’s a tendency to follow fashion trends, partly because they please the eye, partly to impress others, but this is a mistake!

Your home should exude your personality in every detail and be furnished with intention!

Each space should be designed to honestly support your lifestyle and personal way of being and living in the home.

Therefore, the choice of furniture, materials, and colors should be made based on your personality, as mentioned a moment ago.

They should please your eyes, of course, but also your body and soul, and they should speak of you!

Always start with a list of things that are important to you to create environments that are comfortable and harmonious for you.

(credits: luxesource.com; breyi.com)

– FUNCTIONALITY AND USABILITY

The same house and room can be furnished in many different ways, not only in style and colors but also in layouts!

It’s essential, first and foremost, that everything is arranged functionally for your way of living in the space.

As mentioned other times, consider the primary function for each room and then plan everything else around it.

An example I always give is the living room: is the primary function to entertain guests or watch TV?

You can see how the arrangements would differ!

Everything should be arranged functionally for you (you’re always at the center of everything!)

When functionally positioning things, it’s also vital to ensure that everything is easily accessible.

You should be able to move around the rooms and access everything without “jumping over obstacles” or moving things around.

This ease of access will make everything flow more smoothly, and you’ll enjoy every space totally.

Moreover, this fluidity will also make cleaning easier, making it, I won’t say enjoyable, but at least not stressful!

(credits: Isabelle Dimang; optimaproperties.com)

– LIGHTING

Light is essential for psychophysical well-being.

It has been shown that in Nordic countries where the population experiences very few hours of daylight for many months of the year, the incidence of depression is higher.

Therefore, it’s paramount to have a bright home and to make the most of natural light first and foremost!

Sometimes, rooms tend to be dark, and in these cases, it’s vital to implement some strategies, such as using glossy materials (without overdoing them because they can make the environment feel cold) and, above all, mirrors.

Mirrors strategically placed, more or less in front of the window, can double the light in the room!

Another helpful trick is to use shiny metals in the lamp stems, chair and table legs, handles, and frames, for example!

Metals will also help reflect light.

It goes without saying that artificial light is essential as well.

Every room should have proper general lighting to see everything well.

However, as you know by now, this isn’t enough; it should be supplemented by other sources of light that can create atmosphere and be useful for activities (for example, a lamp near the couch, especially if you enjoy reading!).

(credits: studio mcgee; Studio-design-HDm2)

– MATERIALS

We’ve mentioned this other times: buying furniture and accessories made from natural materials is essential.

That is good for the environment, we know that, but it’s also good for us.

Warm materials like wood provide a pleasant sensation, even if unconscious because they connect us to nature.

The same goes for fabrics, such as cotton, linen, wool, or velvet, because they are free from synthetic substances and are much more pleasant to the touch (often also to the eye).

Natural materials are free from chemicals that are often harmful, so using them for furniture coverings, accessories, and fabrics means creating healthy environments.

(credits: hoskelsa; @oh.eight.oh.nine)

– COLORS

Colors have an incredible psychological impact on us (I discuss it here), so they should be chosen carefully.

The calming colors of nature, such as sand, greens, and blues, are always an excellent choice for relaxing environments that connect us to nature.

It’s also a good idea to prefer warm tones or at least warm up cooler tones with the proper materials.

Neutral colors are very suitable for cozy and relaxing settings.

By neutral colors, I mean any color desaturated with white for a lighter tint or black for a darker color!

To have vibrant spaces, play with the tones and shades of colors from the palette, and dare with walls of intense colors.

If you love bright colors, use them to add character, maybe not in large quantities, but in accessories and decorations (the famous 10% of the 60-30-10 rule: I discuss it here).

(credits: habitatbyresene.co.nz; @rcpa)

– PLANTS

Undoubtedly, this point won’t surprise you; we’ve mentioned it many times!

Plants have a calming power because they mentally connect us to nature, which relaxes us.

This power is visual, so even though it’s better with authentic plants, it still applies to artificial ones.

Authentic plants have an added bonus, which is their ability to purify the air, and, of course, this is a great thing!

There isn’t a room in the house that can’t have plants, except maybe for a windowless bathroom or a storage room.

You can even put them in the bedroom!

Decorate with plants: get some tall ones that reach the ceiling, and get some small ones to put in your compositions on consoles, bookshelves, and tables.

You can even use just branches or decorative leaves; they have an elegant, minimal effect!

(credits: harlowejames.com; Scout & Nimble)

– GET RID OF THE EXCESS

For those who aren’t minimalist at heart (like myself, I admit, I’m not), it’s easy to “accumulate” many things.

That impacts our homes and, therefore, us!

When you have a lot, it’s much harder to clean and keep everything well-organized, and things end up occupying important spaces (both in sight and drawers and closets).

It’s vital to get rid of what no longer serves a purpose, what no longer represents us, what no longer has meaning.

I know it’s not easy, but there’s a trick here too!

First of all, DON’T do everything at once; after a while, you might get tired and give up, rearranging everything as before.

Dedicate an hour a week, 10/15 minutes a day, whatever suits you best, and start with one room and one closet and then continue.

You don’t need to get rid of everything RIGHT AWAY; for the things you’re unsure about, only start by setting them aside!

HERE A TRICK!

Find a corner where you can keep a bit of temporary clutter and put everything there that you might not use anymore or doesn’t fit but, for various reasons, you find it hard to let go of.

Once you’ve tidied up the whole room, look at the result and savor how it makes you feel.

At that point, you can look at everything you’ve accumulated with different eyes and decide, with greater awareness, what to do with it.

Some things might find their way back to their place, which is fine, but it won’t be the same as before because you’ve made space!

Most of the things, however, will leave your home, I’m sure of it.

Of course, you don’t have to throw everything away; what’s in good condition can be given away or sold.

Believe me: this work will create space in your home, sure, but also in your mind!

(credits: Pins studio; lillytaylorinteriors)

I hope this article has been helpful and enjoyable for you. If so, let me know in the comments!

Feel free to share it with anyone you think might be interested, I would be honored, and it will help me gain more exposure.

If you feel that your home, or any specific area of it, doesn’t reflect your personality enough, don’t wait any longer and book your consultancy!

This post is also available in: Italian