BRING THE OUTSIDE IN

You can use the view from the window as your focal point; studies suggest we feel happier when sitting close to a window. If there is no view, paintings or photos of the natural world can reduce stress within five minutes, according to a study by the American professor Barbara Fredrickson, while house plants can reduce blood pressure and increase attentiveness. Incorporating natural materials into the space is also linked to a sensation of comfort. “Spending time in a room with a balance of wooden surfaces has been linked to a decrease in diastolic blood pressure,” Bernheimer confirms. In her Cornish retreat, former Vogue editor Fiona Golfar created a snug with a wooden fireplace, a wooden coffee table and sheepskin fleeces on the chairs.