LIFT ITEMS OFF THE FLOOR
PRING is almost here – and the start of this new season often makes us yearn for clean, calm, refreshed spaces at home. Amy Brandhorst and Athina Bluff, aka interior design duo Topology, have teamed up with Habitat to share expert tips on how to banish your home’s winter hangover and make it warm weather-ready and fabulous.
The stylish pair have taken a lot of inspiration from Feng shui. Although it might sound a tricky concept to get your head around, the traditional Chinese practice basically centres on the belief that the specific arrangement of shapes, furniture and objects can have an effect on the unseen energies around us, and combine to harmonise and balance a space. Creating a positive home environment, it’s believed, benefits our mental and physical health too.
Study the space
AS a beginner, it’s easiest to kick off your Feng shui mission in either your home office/desk area or your hall, say the two designers. “Placing your desk in the centre of a room or opposite/ adjacent to a window, according to the laws of Feng shui, enhances creativity, energy and productivity,” they explain.
Apparently, it pays dividends if you blitz that hall as well. After all, if your first sight of home when you get in after a day at the office is a dumping ground for coats, shoes and sports kit, it won’t exactly lift your spirits! “Keeping it tidy, spacious and inviting is a great start for good Feng shui and positivity within the home,” say the pair. Clean the windows so they let in more light.
Follow the three-colour rule STICKING to a simple colour scheme can prevent your space from feeling chaotic or busy, they point out. Just doing that can, they explain, make spaces feel much more understated and tranquil but still full of depth and interest.
Above top:
Space exploration:
INTRODUCE MORE NATURE
BIOPHILIA is a bit of a buzzword in the worlds of interiors and wellness right now – and in essence is a nod to upping the greenery in rooms with indoor plants, to harness our innate need to connect with nature. The Topology pair point out the powerful potential effect on our wellbeing of filling our homes with plants, as it’s thought we’re significantly happier when we’re surrounded by the natural world.
TOP TIP: An interior furnished with natural materials – earthenware, linen, marblebased lamps and objects, woollen cushions and blankets – will increase that feeling of being connected to the great outdoors.
LIFTING furniture, clutter and everyday objects up and away from the floor can easily create a lighter, detoxified and more uplifting space.
“Seeing more floor space and light through and around objects in a room helps a space feel much more weightless and clutter-free,” they explain.
TOP TIP: Sofas or chairs with high legs make furniture appear less bulky and dominating. Open storage and wall shelves will complement the style and add to an uncluttered effect