LIFT YOUR SPIRITS WITH THESE EASY DECOR IDEAS
More than ever, we are spending a lot of time in our homes and rely on them to support many areas of our lives, from the personal to professional.
But for some of us, being at home so much can get boring or even stressful, so it’s important to create a place that not only performs but also brings us happiness and positivity.
I’ve come up with some simple and easy ideas to increase your sense of well-being at home.
LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE
It has been a very long spring. On cloudy or rainy days, it’s important to make up for the lack of light. Have you ever noticed when you wake up on a sunny day that you instantly feel better? A few lighting tricks can swing your mood into something happy on the long, rainy (or even not so rainy) days at home.
■ Mimic natural light with the new LED bulbs that create cool, bright light early in the day and then a warmer light after sundown at night.
■ If privacy isn’t an issue (and you are a morning person), keep drapes and shades open to wake up to a brighter day.
■ Use mirrors to reflect light.
Hang a mirror at 90 degrees to a window to create the best light bounce and reflective effect. It’s like adding another window in the room.
ADD A PLANT TO THE FAMILY
Green plants are not only a big trend in home decor for esthetic reasons, they’re good for your well-being. It’s therapeutic to have something living (and to take care of ) in our homes, especially if we are alone for many hours.
■ A terrarium is a fascinating world unto itself. It’s also a gorgeous centrepiece.
■ Add small potted plants along a windowsill to create a sunny indoor garden. This is an especially great idea near a workspace, as plants can help reduce anxiety.
■ Not a green thumb? Try faux plants, botanical wallpaper or fabrics that feature flora or fauna to get the same hit of natural beauty.
CREATE A MOOD ROOM
Maybe you live in a very bright home — perhaps too bright. When stuck inside, it’s nice to have what I like to refer to as an escape room that’s decorated completely differently than the spaces where we tend to spend the most time.
■ Having a darker room to get away to is as important as having a bright light to keep your mood up. Darker rooms create a cosy getaway, and that can be a calming space. Spare bedrooms, master bathrooms and lower levels ( basements) are great spaces to decorate as moody rooms.
■ Something as simple as lighting candles and taking a bath with the light off (yes, even during the day) can help soothe the soul when feeling stressed.
■ Navy blue is a gorgeous paint colour for a mood room. Bonus: Blue is known to help relieve anxiety and is an on-trend colour in home decor.
BRING THE OUTDOORS IN
Elements of stone, wood and finds from nature are outdoor elements that can give your home an earthy beauty. We might be spending less time outdoors (especially in crowded cities), but we can still benefit from the sense of well-being we get in nature.
■ As garden centres and stores slowly open, pick up outdoor accessories for your patio table and furnishings and use them inside for the next few weeks until it is safe to keep them outside at night.
■ Faux bois (the look of wood) concrete planter pots make great accessories around the home. Use them as a rustic wine cooler, wastebasket in the bathroom or to display utensils on the kitchen counter.
■ Look for fallen foliage to bring inside. Use branches to hang fairy lights to create a starry sky inside. Turn bark, stones and moss into a centrepiece. I am a fan of pine cones that have dropped and collect them in a large bowl on my coffee table. Karl Lohnes is the editor-at-large of Style At Home magazine and has worked as a home decor expert and product designer for 25 years.