As the place where you often escape after the stress of work or hectic woes of life, your home needs to evoke a serene atmosphere and help you recharge from the day. Your home can either nurture and support you, or deplete your energy and leave you exhausted. In today's frenetic world, it is more important than ever to create a calm and peaceful space that allows you to recharge. Hence, creating a tranquil house goes beyond your design aesthetic and objects within a space; it starts with simple, mindful practices that allow you to feel stress-free. No matter your lifestyle, here are few practical ways to transform your home into a balanced and peaceful retreat.
Conquer the Clutter: Oftentimes messy piles and disorganization can lead to 20 minutes of searching for those pesky car keys and an overall feeling of distress. Take some time to tackle that messy closet or piles of old mail bogging you down. You’ll feel the tension immediately escape the room as you toss away those unneeded items. Few things create mental unrest like clutter. Hence, spend time cleaning out unused items for donation, and invest in appealing organizational tools like woven baskets, oversize clear jars, and drawer inserts.
Venture with Color: The simple addition of a colorful wall or statement piece can transform the mood of any room. Silky white textiles offer a sense of elegance and serenity to a bedroom, whereas a daffodil shade may add just the right amount excitement to a family’s living room. Choosing the right color scheme can be a challenge, so experiment with different shades and combinations to determine how they may impact the feeling of a space. Cool shades can help in creating a soothing space. If you feel the need of having a calm house, it is preferable to paint your rooms in cool colors like the shades of blue and green.
Embrace the Power of Plants: When looking to recharge from a stressful week, people often flood to their nearest botanical garden or hiking trail to immerse themselves in nature. Why not bring the restorative qualities of emerald escapes indoors? Not only do they add a verdant pop to your design scheme but, according to a study done by NASA, plants eliminate toxins from indoor spaces, thus re-oxygenating your home. Also, for those with a not-so-green thumb, try varieties such as parlor palms or snake plants that require little maintenance for maximum serene effects at a low lift.
Don’t Overlook the Bedroom: One of the most intimate areas of your home is the bedroom and it should invite you to escape from your busy schedule while still asserting a sense of sophistication. You always want to walk into a bedroom and feel amazed, but it also has to be a place where you can settle in and relax. Whether you prefer neutrals or pretty pastels, you can always incorporate colors that resonate with you and draw you in to the room. You may also want to pass on putting that television in and opt for calming weeping figs or aloe vera plants, which give off more oxygen at night.
Think Through the Room's Role: By designating areas for various activities, you are subconsciously allowing yourself to move with ease and purpose within your home. When developing a design scheme for each room, try to decorate with the space’s function in mind.
Strike a Balance: The Chinese tradition of Feng shui emphasizes the balance of opposing yet connected forces: yin and yang. The basic idea of the ancient art embodies countless aspects and approaches within decorating as well. From creating complete symmetry within a dining room to playing with dark and light pieces, look for ways to find complete harmony within your space.
Strokes of Natural Light: Nothing brings clarity and highlights the intricate design details of a room like a stroke of natural light. A naturally lit room boosts productivity, improves mood, and creates an overall tranquil atmosphere more so than an artificially lit environment. For apartment dwellers with few windows, try incorporating reflective surfaces into the home. The amount of natural light will immediately double by allowing sunlight to reflect off strategically placed large mirrors or lacquered pieces.
Utilize Natural Textures: It’s human instinct for people to appreciate and be attracted to the charming beauty of nature. While houseplants aren’t for everyone, textures and pieces made from natural materials exude the same amount of tranquility and ground the overall theme of a room. There are countless ways to foster a sense of inner calm through earthy pieces like original woodwork or adding a woven side table. For example, covering hard floors with rugs and layering textures to create depth rather than layering contrasting colors and patterns all create a serene environment
All Rooms Are Important: Whether it's a small powder room needing a refresh or a less-than-cozy home library, it often feels easier to close the door on these rooms and deal with them another day. Unfortunately, they weigh on your unconscious and zap your energy; they are essentially a task left undone. Create home unity by making each space in your dwelling an inspired one.