Looking to make your home a tranquil sanctuary?
As we find ourselves spending more time at home, either by choice, or as we spend more hours working remotely; our home should provide comfort. As I myself spend more time working from home in the off season; I have been studying new design elements. Mainly for outdoor living spaces; however, in the winter season many of these same elements can apply to our indoor spaces as well.
There are a few design elements we can accomplish to make our indoor spaces feel more tranquil in the winter months, and year round.
It has been suggested that the energy in our home can greatly influence different areas of our life. If being at home causes you to feel unmotivated, stressed, or just uneasy, it may be time to rethink your design. A well thought out design should provide an atmosphere of peace and comfort. Just as we take care of our physical health, our home can be an extension of our mental well being.
While my main focus is on studying landscape design and I am far from an interior design master; it does make sense that when planning for an indoor tranquil environment one should try to balance different elements. With that said, the main elements of a good design should incorporate wood, metal, water, earth, and fire. An imbalance of these elements can also cause an imbalance in our energy.
Wood
Wooden elements bring a natural beauty to the home’s interior. The wood element can be accomplished by bringing in house plants, decorating with green, light blue or teal accents and accessories, or having a landscape with trees and plants visible from inside your home.
Metal
The metal element can be accomplished with the color white. Try some white accents, artwork, or accessories. The metal element can also be accomplished by adding circular objects and round shapes in the home. A round mirror, a small round white table, a light with a globe cover, or artwork with circular shapes are all a part of the metal element.
Water
The water element is aesthetically and visually pleasing. It is best fulfilled with the colors blue and black. Painting a feature wall blue or an anchor piece of furniture black can add balance to your design. Try using some glass accents as well. Of course, the best way to add the water element is to use water; add a small tabletop water feature or fountain in your home.
Earth
The earth element can be accomplished with warm earthy colors, think sandy beaches, clay and terracotta pots, tan, brown, and warmer shades of yellow. Hanging up framed artwork and pictures of earthy landscapes can also bring in some earth elements. Also, decorating with stone can help balance out the other elements. Use elements found in your area to tie your indoor space to your outdoor landscape.
Fire
It probably goes without saying that a fireplace is the best way to bring the element of fire into the home. A fireplace emits beautiful dancing flames and natural light and warmth. However, even without a fireplace one can accomplish the warm glow of fire. Lighting candles can also produce a warm cozy glow. A well lit home is key. During the the day be sure to include as much natural light as possible and keep your home and work area well lit with a lamp or light fixture. When needing a more relaxing atmosphere, try accent lighting to stay warm and comfortable. Also, red accents can boost the element of fire. Plants with red leaves or flowers, a red accent wall or accessories, or artwork with red elements.
Some other helpful ideas for making your home more tranquil is to declutter. Clutter is an energy blocker. When an area is cluttered the above listed elements cannot flow. Also, a clean clutter-free area is just more aesthetically pleasing. Not to mention it is hard to work in a cluttered environment.
As mentioned above, bring in house plants to your living and work space. Plants are becoming more common in interior design. Plants make our living spaces more appealing. Plants also play a role in our health. Plants not only clean and purify the air in our home; they may also help reduce stress and anxiety: It is believed plants can also help lower blood pressure and invite a calming environment.
The biggest improvement in creating a calming and relaxing environment in our home is to make it clean and tidy. Each space in our home can create a unique energy and when these spaces are dirty that energy can have a negative impact on our health and well-being.
In conclusion, making our space more tranquil can be accomplished through some small changes. So have gratitude. First, make note of what the year has brought you and be grateful for the little things. Think of the wisdom gained, the skills learned, and the many challenges you have overcome.
Clean, clear, and declutter. It is said that our physical living space can greatly impact your emotional state. While our outdoor landscapes are covered in snow and dormant for the winter months, we can focus our energy on our indoor spaces, By decluttering and clearing out our old spaces we make way for the new.
For many a new year is a figurative or symbolic fresh start or clean slate. Cleaning our physical environment symbolically conveys we are ready to receive what the new year will bring. Do not simply throw away your old treasures; if they still have some life consider donating them. By donating your used items you are ensuring they find a new purpose and help others in the process.
In keeping with the interior theme of decluttering, clearing, and cleaning; also consider rearranging your space. It can become mundane and stale to look at the same items every day. Switch out the books on the bookshelf, try something new to add life to your desk or workspace, if you are really ambitious try rearranging the furniture in your home. This will give your space a surprising refresh. This also challenges our mind and invites new and creative ideas.
While we are at it, clean up the old files and unused apps from your digital devices. By updating systems, deleting old unused files and apps, and clearing out clutter from our electronics we organize our physical world as well. Be sure to backup your files and save important documents to the cloud. While these files are cleaned up from your device; they are still accessible when needed.