As self-isolation becomes a reality for more and more of us, creating a happy home is most-likely top of your wish list (alongside this all being over). While we might be biased, we think the perfect place to start is with your interiors.
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Research by architecture firm RESI has found that more than half of UK adults feel stressed in their home. In London over a third admitted that their home actually made them feel sad. Creating a relaxing and cosy home, where you are happy to sit out the remainder of this coronavirus outbreak is crucial to overall well-being.
However, with half of UK adults unhappy with their homes it is clear that creating a happy home is no easy feat. However, there are a couple of easy things you can do to give your home a happiness overhaul .
1. Maximise natural light
A dreary, dark home is going to make anyone feel gloomy. Maximise on the natural light coming into your home by hanging mirrors adjacent to windows to help bounce the light around the room.
To keep your home feeling cosy in the evening invest in plenty of eye-level lighting. Lamps on the side boards, even a salt lamp will help ward off those January blues.
2. Embrace yellow and pink accents
Painting a room your favourite colour is going to fill you with joy. However, certain colours can influence how we feel according to colour psychology.
If you are looking for a jolt of happiness, a shot of yellow paint or even a yellow cushion can lift your home. While blush pink cushions or bedding can feel more nurturing and boost feelings of optimism.
3. Scent your home with candles and diffusers
For many people, a happy home is a cosy home. So follow the lead of the Danish and add a little Hygge lighting into your home with candles. But, while the Danish are said to typically prefer unscented candles, we can't resist a smelly candle.
Citrus scents can give your mood a quick pick-me-up. While a combination of lavender and jasmine are perfect for unwinding.
4. Add in plenty of storage
Stuff. It's the bane of everyone's life. It's nigh on impossible to live a relaxed happy life if every room has clutter piled up in the corner. Get it all sorted though and you can have a serene space that's easy on the eye, but without having to rid yourself of all your precious belongings. Hidden cupboards, clever shelving, well-organised lofts and properly planned kitchens ensure everything can have a place and everything can be in its place, massively cutting down on your stress.
5. Invest in houseplants
Nothing wrong with furniture. Lampshades are lovely. Cushions can be cute. But every house needs something that grows to give it a sense of life. And we're not talking about a dusty spider plant to neglect. Fresh flowers can do it. Or a banana palm. Hey, you can even fake it if you lack the green thumb, but something organic will always make a space feel a bit more alive and, without wanting to get all scientific on you, real plants make the atmosphere that little bit purer.
6. Splash your money on a squishy sofa
This is your home, not a doctor's waiting room. So forget all that high-end, sharp angled seating. It may look swish in the showroom but homes are for downtime, putting feet up, recharging batteries. A warm squishy number quite literally gives you a cuddle at the end of a hard day. Chose white or cream by all means (provided you're not a red wine drinker, or prone to klutziness), but stint on the all-important squish factor and a quiet night with your feet up can all too easily turn into a stiff day at the office.
7. Transform your bed into a cosy haven
Nothing beats a good night's sleep. A bad nights sleep will not only leave you unhappy, but cranky too. Invest in quality mattress, bed linen that's as luxe as you can afford, and you'll wake up raring to take on all comers.
8. Make a statement piece the focal point
Whether it's an enormous piece of art, a giant vase, a clever holiday find or a designer chair you've saved up for, one brilliant piece will get itself noticed. Statement pieces provide great conversation starters, add personality and give a room an all-important focal point.
9. Something that makes you smile
We know, we know, your dream is to have somewhere that would grace the pages of a glossy magazine. Somewhere so 'perfect' that every cushion is symmetrically arranged, every piece of furniture cleverly sourced, and the whole scheme creates a beautiful picture. But frankly, who wants to live like that? It's the quirky, unexpected thing that throw things off kilter that give a space true personality. Toss something wacky into your mix and you're guaranteed a home that's warm and welcoming. Simply spell out 'happy home' and you're already on your way there.
10. Make space for sentimental items
It's your home, right? And you've got a family. That means they bring their art home from school. You have snaps that remind you of happy holidays. You had a great wedding that you don't want to forget. Your baby takes a particularly good photo. You have a life long passion for kitsch, or a ceramics collection you don't want to part with. Newsflash, that's what gives your home its heart!
Make design feature of all those little reminders of the things you love. Hang a corkboard for photos or create a table devoted to your beloved nick-nacks. Trust us they'll instantly make your home that little bit more special too.
'Design choices at home have typically been led by aesthetics and trends, but being on trend is overrated – we need to focus on our individual needs, and the needs of the people we live with,' explains Alex Depledge, founder and CEO of Resi. 'When it comes to improving happiness at home, small improvements that maximise and personalise your space can make a real impact. Most importantly, we need to create space where we can relax and unwind, by designing homes with flexibility in mind.'
Related: Millennials are happy to live without these two key house features – but would you be?
Will you be trying any of these tips for creating a happy home?
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