6 Ways To Use Interior Design To Create a Healthy Home Environment
Over the past two years, quarantines, travel bans, isolation periods, and lockdowns have forced us to spend more time indoors than ever before. At the same time, during a global pandemic, it is essential to stay healthy and do all we can to focus on our mental and physical wellbeing.
Luckily, your home design, style, and decor can truly help you create a living environment that is healthy and able to promote wellness. In the sections below, you can find some tips to create a healthy home environment in 2022 – for you, and your whole family!
Focus on Light
Light is essential to creating a healthy home environment, especially now that we all work, exercise and enjoy our free time at home.
A darker or poorly lit home can cause bacteria and allergens to proliferate, which can make your entire home far more unhealthy. Additionally, working and living in a darker home can cause you to feel more tired and unable to concentrate.
Whether your home is blessed with skylights and floor-to-ceiling windows or you only have a few small openings to play with, there is a lot you can do make your home brighter:
a. Invest in quality custom window treatments
b. Strategically position mirrors to amplify natural light and give the impression of a more spacious room
c. Invest in multiple light fixtures and systems to brighten up every corner if needed
d. Swap heavy drapes for lighter curtains
Especially during winter, these strategies can help you create a home environment that can help the physical and mental wellbeing of the whole family.
Strengthen Your Connection With Nature
When we are in a natural environment, we feel calm, more comfortable, and able to find better emotional balance. New studies even tell us that spending around 2 hours a week in nature can protect our health, strengthen our immune system, and lower the risk of chronic and severe diseases.
Whether you are able to spend 120 minutes in nature per week or not, there is a lot you can do to bring the beauty and calm of nature inside your home. Some ways to let nature in include:
a. Decorate with natural elements, including plants, flowers, wooden elements, metals, and stone
b. Reduce the amount of single-use and plastic items, swapping them for longer-lasting, ethically made items
c. Open the windows and let fresh air and natural light in
d. Opt for natural fabrics over synthetic materials
Embrace Minimalism
Minimalism is not a lifestyle choice that causes you to get rid of all of your possessions. Instead, a minimalist mindset focuses on fewer, higher-quality items that allow you to create a home living environment that is bright, airy, clean, and tidy.
Some of the health benefits of minimalism include:
a. Can help you fight the negative effects of materialism and consumerism
b. Can reduce clutter, thus increasing our cognitive facilities and making it easier for the brain to focus
c. Can make the whole place easier to clean, thus reducing the accumulation of dust, dirt, and allergens
d. Can be extremely beneficial for your finances and reduce the financial worries that you might have
Decorate With Plants and Art
So, you might have embraced minimalism, let nature in, and created a healthier home. However, decorating your home is important, and understanding how to do so is essential. If you are looking to decorate your home while keeping it healthy, minimalist, clean, and tidy, plants and art can help.
Vegetation and artwork can help you add colour to your design, without adding cumbersome decorations to your home interior design. Additionally, these decorations are inspiring, promote creativity, are better for the environment, and are suitable for all styles.
Create Dedicated Spaces
When the pandemic hit, we all had to make do with the home spaces and rooms we had. This meant that many people had to turn the kitchen table into an office space, the bedroom into a conference room, and the living room into a fitness center. However, almost two years after the pandemic began, there is a lot you can do to give each space meaning and a function.
Your bedroom should be your sleep sanctuary, and your kitchen is the place where to eat and socialize. Then, you should consider turning spare rooms into home offices and even add square footage to your home to incorporate a small home gym.
Mind the Colour Scheme
The colours you pick can influence your whole home’s vibe. Of course, whites, beiges, and greys can create a timeless design for any of your rooms. However, keep in mind colour psychology is important! Don’t be afraid to partner with an expert interior designer and use some alternative tones for important areas such as your bedroom, kitchen, or bathroom.
