Using Holistic Home Decor For Good Mental and Physical Health

Have you ever given a thought to using holistic home decor throughout your home or office space? Most people design their living spaces based on their personal tastes but don’t give a second thought to how their decor and design might impact their physical or mental health. Yet the design of your habitat and home is incredibly important to your well-being.

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Design and Mental Health

So how exactly does design impact your mental health? Well, everything from the amount of light you get in your home to the noise that you experience within it can impact your body and psychological health. Clutter, colour, smells, air quality and products used all matter and can change how well you live in a space.

If you live in a place with nature on your doorstep and that is peaceful and quiet you are going to obviously have a different experience from someone who is living in a city with constant noise. Whilst we can’t always change the places that we live we can however choose holistic home decor to boost our wellness and minimise the negative elements.

The Design Council dedicate a portion of their website to discussing this very problem and stating how important design and mental health especially for city dwellers who are more likely to experience mental health problems. They believe that the area of design and mental health has a huge area for growth when it comes to urban planning.

Whilst mental health and urban design will take a time to permeate our living standards there are active steps that can be taken with your home decor and design to help create a more positive living environment.

Decor and Well-Being

So what holistic home decor ideas should you add to your home to help with your well-being and mental health? We have a number of ideas that you can in your home to create a better environment for you to live in.

Remember that you don’t have to tackle all your living space at once if that feels too overwhelming. Instead, start with one room or one element on our list and make your way around your home or office bit by bit until you make the changes necessary. Designing your home to work for you can take time and money but it can make a significant difference in how you feel.

Decorating To Calm Anxiety – Think About Color

The colors we use in our home can have a direct impact on our moods and the way that we feel. Choosing a calming color palette to use in your home is going to be more helpful for issues such as anxiety and stress than deciding to decorate your home in a riot of color.

Blue has traditionally been seen as a colour associated with positive mental health and home decor but the study that decided this wasn’t necessarily comprehensive. A good rule is to stick to a neutral color palette which tends to consist of colors such as beige, gray, white, black and the various shades in-between.

The Love of White: The White and Neutral Home is a book by the White Company who are experts in selling products in their shop which appeal to buyers who love neutrals. Read it to get some inspiration to use in your home.

Think About Light In Your Interior Design For Well-Being

When our homes are filled with light and sunshine we feel happier and brighter. Homes that are dark and oppressive however make us feel depressed and constricted.

An obvious solution, if you have the money, is to change windows, add skylights, bi-fold doors or even light tubes to bring light into the home. However, if you are renting or don’t have the budget then think about your interior lighting instead.

Holistic home decor should involve various types of lighting throughout the home to help your mood. This should include overhead lights for when you need brighter light as well as mood lighting, wall lights and worktop lights for specific areas in your house.

If you weren’t aware you can even buy happy light bulbs to place in your lights. These light bulbs simulate sunlight to make you feel brighter and feeling more energetic. For those of you with seasonal effective disorder think about investing in a SAD lamp to get an extra dose of light to help with your mood.

Clear The Clutter For Good Holistic Decor

When you are thinking about things you need to add when creating a holistic home then remember to incorporate storage solutions and lots of them! Having a cluttered house is a big no-no when it comes to looking after your mental health.

It is well known that extreme clutter such as hoarding is a sign of psychological struggles but even if your mess is not quite at that level it can still cause problems.

Keeping a neat and tidy home means that you are not always struggling to find things or battling junk which can take over and make you feel overwhelmed. There are tons of amazing storage and organization solutions out there that can help your life become easier and reduce your stress.

Think about purchasing storage cupboards, kitchen storage, filing systems and boxes to organise your belongings and clear your space.

Creating a Relaxing Habitat With Plants

Using plants in your home has a positive psychological impact on your well-being. Even if you live in a city high rise choosing to fill your home with indoor house plants can make you feel as if you are living in nature.

Looking after plants helps to relax the body and is a great way of alleviating stress or anxiety. Plus recent studies have shown that certain bacteria in plant soil helps the body to produce serotonin the happy hormone.

Having plants in your home is therapeutic and also a great way to decorate. We love this wooden plant terrarium that is both stylish and practical for growing plants in your home.

Smell and Well-being Go Hand in Hand

What you smell can also have an impact on your home and on your mental health. When you breathe in fresh clean air you are going to feel calmer and more relaxed. Breathe in car fumes, aromas from smelly restaurants and dirty streets then you are going to feel stressed and your senses assaulted.

If you don’t live in the country where there is natural clean air then think about investing in a house air purifier to get rid of the pollutants you don’t want in your home. These are great products for holistic health and make a difference if you suffer from allergies or asthma.

Also, think about using scent to change your mood in the home. Uplifting smells such as citrus tend to be invigorating and energising whilst lavender is a calming and relaxing aroma often used to assist with sleep. A really simple way to use smell around your home is to buy a diffuser and some essential oils. Our guide to the best desktop diffusers may be helpful especially if you are looking for smaller products for your home office or other spaces in your home.

Think About Calming Things to Put In Your Rooms

If you want to learn how to create a peaceful home environment then you also need to think about what products you could add to your home to change the mood.

Holistic home decor tends to feature natural products and fabrics rather than having a house filled with plastic, MDF and artificial fabrics.

Think about usual natural fabrics like cotton or linen to soften the space. Choose sustainable wood furniture mixed in with neutral coloring. Decorate your home with crystals, wind chimes and scented candles to add positive vibes. Oh and don’t forget to think about the artwork for your walls which can consist of everything from abstract designs to positive typographical prints.

Holistic Home Decor To Create Wellness

However you decide to decorate your home remember to think about how you use your home and the things you place in it are going to impact your health and well-being. With a few simple tweaks and adjustments to the things that your purchase it can be really simple to build holistic habits and create a serene and peaceful living space.

Good mental health is not just determined by one thing but by a multitude of different elements. Your home and the way you live in it is just one of those elements but don’t neglect the others. When you find a better balance in your life in all areas it can really make a difference.