As the evenings get shorter and darker and the weather turns from arm and sunny to cold and rainy, many of us experience a negative impact on our mood. And, with this week being Mental Health Awareness Week, what better ways to look at the simple steps you can take to improve your wellbeing, all in the comfort of your own home?
Interior design can have more of an impact on the way you might feel than you think, and though it’s never going to be a miracle cure, it can certainly help alleviate some of the feelings of discomfort we sometimes feel when trying to relax at home.
If maintaining a beautiful home is important to you, then there is no time like the present to overhaul your living space. Injecting a few luxurious touches won’t just create a home you’re proud to show off, but one that will boost your happiness, too.
Unsure where to start? It couldn’t be simpler, read on for the best interior design ideas for improving your mood.
Light
Allowing more daylight into your home has been shown to have beneficial effects on your wellbeing – and this can be particularly true if you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SADs), which is prevalent at this time of year. The Vitamin D we get from the sun is an integral part of our health, but getting enough of it during the autumn and winter can be challenging.
We do tend to spend a lot of time in our homes as the temperature drops, so ensuring we have large open windows, with lots of bright walls to reflect the light, is actually an essential step in the right direction when it comes to interior design. When the sun pours through the window in your bedroom first thing in the morning, you are likely to wake in a better mood to start the day – leading to an improvement in wellbeing all round.
Interesting patterns
Adding some exciting and bright designs to your home can give you something unusual to look at inside your environment. This can be a simple as some vibrant photo frames holding some unusual prints, which can be placed anywhere in your home – or even some limited edition oil paintings from your favourite artist.
Adding interest to your living space is easy, so choose items and accessories that speak to you and uplift your spirits in a glance. Place them in the areas you pass the most – such as the hallway or upstairs landing – to cheer you up when you’re feeling sub par.
Personal items
A great way to improve your mood with interior design is to display some items or accessories that are reminiscent of a happy time in your life – for example, some photos of your family home or pet from when you were a child. A photo from when you went on holiday last, or even just a painting from a niece or nephew can also work well – it’s all about choosing the things that are meaningful to you, so that you have something uplifting to look at when that black cloud just won’t stop following you around.
Personalising your home is always going to make you feel happier, creating a place you truly love to spend time. Ultimately. our homes should be the place we are most able to rest and relax, and having some heart-warming pieces placed strategically around the place can make the world of difference to the way you feel.
Clean
The saying that cleanliness is next to godliness is quite true, and keeping your home clean, neat and tidy will make a huge difference to the way you feel on a daily basis. If you’ve ever experienced the inability to relax that can come with being surrounded by mess and clutter, then you’ll know what we mean – and a good sort and clear out can be just what is needed to help you reset.
It’s amazing what a calming effect a tidy house can have on you, and though our busy lifestyles can make the task seem overwhelming, there are plenty of resources out there that will help you get into a good routine so that it won’t seem like so much of a chore.
A few simple tweaks to your living space can have a truly uplifting effect – so why not take some time out to change things up this weekend? As Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 draws to a close, there has never been a better time to put yourself first – so turn off that mobile phone and indulge in some real ‘me’ time as you create a beautiful home that will make sure you always feel your best.
