Interiors: Making lockdown more bearable at home

Be inspired to make your home a bright place to be during the darker months with accessories and lighting to help lift your family’s mood

While none of us is particularly thrilled about t he latest set of restrictions, the best way to get through this challenging time is with as positive an attitude as possible. Personally, Lockdown 2.0 has me a bit more nervous than the first go-round, in part because it’s coinciding with my least favourite time of year: winter.

As we are all doing our part to ensure the latest restrictions are lifted in a timely manner, we also have to take care of ourselves both physica l ly a nd emotionally. Whether that’s baking cake every Tuesday or finally tackling clutter you didn’t get to in the spring, a little sense of achievement can go a long way.

Alternatively, popping a few extra plants or twinkle lights in lonely corners can help as well.

Here are four tips for optimising positivity during Lockdown 2.0.

Perfect your baking supplies

It might have added a few pounds to the scale, but it’s an easy way to feel like you’ve achieved something — in a simple way. If you’ve picked up the baking habit, it might be time to invest in better (or more adorable) baking tins for your newly honed banana bread recipe, or a few more tools to ensure you master those impressive Christmas recipes you’ve had on your list for years.

Declutter tricky spaces

We all have areas in our homes that collect clutter for months (years, even) and then threaten to overflow.

Now is the time to tackle the chaos, with tips on our Get the Look page.

Amp up the plants

Plants really can improve your mood, so make sure you’ve got a few in every room. Once a week, set aside twenty minutes to give them a watering, and tick another week off the lockdown countdown calendar.

Lighten up

With winter brings the risk of seasonal affective disorder. For the winter months, bring in as many lights as you can, from twinkle lights in the bedroom to extra floor lamps in your living space.

Bring the tranquility of the garden inside (Abstract House)

Upgrade your baking supplies for elevated banana bread in Lockdown 2.0 (Dunelm) Below: A few new storage options will help with organisation (Amara)

Plants and lighting in dark corners will keep the gloom away. Below: A bright combination of interesting lighting and potted plants (both Oliver Bonas)