The environment in your home can have an incredible impact on your overall wellness and the way you feel in your daily life.
A well-designed space can elevate your mood, give you energy and create a feeling of comfort in your home.
Because the “perfect” space is different for everyone, here are five design concepts that you can use as a guide to creating an environment in your home that inspires positivity in your life.
Perfect Your Color Palette
Establishing a color palette is the foundation for a cohesive room design.
If you want to use a cohesive palette to improve your current décor, begin by identifying which colors take up the most real estate in your room. Then, take a second look to identify other prominent accent colors that repeat throughout your space.
Once you’ve established a palette of about five colors, remove items in your room that don’t fit in. Then, work on adding items into your room that do. As you move through this exercise, your room should begin to look more cohesive and visually appealing.
Add Texture
Texture has the ability to add interest, depth and balance to a room. The textures in your space can also tell people how you want them to feel.
A ski lodge is a great example of how key elements of texture, such as architecture, décor and textiles, combine to create a cozy feeling: an inviting leather chair, flannel blanket, stone fireplace and wooden mantel unite a diverse set of textures to form a warm environment.
What feelings do you want your space to evoke? Consider your end goal and strive to pair the textures of your room with the style you have in mind. Experiment with rugs, throw blankets, textured lampshades and pillows; you might surprise yourself with fun combinations.
Play with Lighting
Lighting is an often-overlooked element that can have a huge impact on the mood and energy around you.
Since every space reflects light differently, experimentation is key. Before you invest in new lighting, try redecorating your space with table lamps and floor lamps from other areas of your home. Play around with the number of lights, placement and brightness until you’ve found a combination that enhances your enjoyment of the space.
Rooms with harsh, sterile overhead lights can suddenly become warm and welcoming with the addition of ambient table lamps. Don’t forget to pay attention to the corners of your room. Adding a floor lamp to a dark, empty corner can create visual balance and make your room feel larger.
Nail Your Proportions
Sometimes, a room can feel strange because the proportions are off.
Do you have an oversized chair positioned next to a narrow, low-profile couch? Is the rug in your space too small to extend beyond the arms of your sofa? Do you have a small piece of art hanging on a large wall? All of these proportional conundrums can contribute to your room feeling off.
As you make upgrades to your space, take measurements of your furniture and floor plan so that you know exactly what size items to buy. If you’re not ready to invest in new pieces, try swapping items from other rooms in your home to achieve better proportions.
Add a Personal Touch
Decorating your home with items that are meaningful to you can instantly boost your mood.
Souvenirs from your favorite travels, unique family heirlooms and gifts from close friends are all items that can be displayed throughout your home. Sentimental items are often the most interesting pieces of décor because they’re usually more unique than store-bought accessories.
Sometimes, items that are meaningful, like letters, clothing and medals, don’t work well as home décor in their original form. For those items, adding a frame will instantly make any sentimental piece into a work of art that you can display around your home.
If you have a set of china that you love but rarely use, take a couple of teacups or bowls out of your collection and use them as decorative indoor planters. Whatever the item might be, find a way to incorporate it into your space if it brings you joy.