DESIGN DIGEST

Designing for Wellness: The Mental Health Effects of Interior Spaces

Interiors Design
Has this ever happened to you - you enter someone's house or apartment and immediately feel as cozy, warm, and comfortable as possible? Perhaps the whole room is flooded with light and filled with plants, photo frames, and paintings hang on the walls, and grandmother's dishes are in the “sideboards.” Or, it is a rather ascetic space in monochrome tones, perhaps even gray, but such “properly warm,” devoid of anything superfluous and aggravating, no clutter and visual noise.
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Places like this remind us that interior design is not just about furniture or wall decor; it's about creating spaces that are responsible for our mental health. It is extremely, even critically important that “we” design interiors, being aware of their influence and understanding how to make this influence positive. The way people organize their homes and offices/workplaces plays a big role in their overall mental state throughout the day. From this, we can conclude that the correct formation of the environment can profoundly affect a person's mood, activity, and mind.
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Taking care of your space, placing new decor, and rearranging furniture provides many mental health benefits. Your home is a haven, a quiet place where you can relax and feel as protected as possible. Taking care of your home means taking care of yourself by giving you a resource to recharge. Let's take a closer look at the positive impact of interior design on a person's psychological health and emotional state.

Reducing Anxiety

Repairs and even a small rearrangement of furniture distract from thoughts that cause everyday anxiety. Of course, renovation is a definite concern, but when finished, you will create a relaxing renovated space.

Improved Sleep

Decorating your home will help you feel happy, which will have a positive effect on the quality of sleep. Some items, such as aroma sticks or candles, and blackout curtains, can improve your sleep.

Improving Air Quality

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Getting rid of unnecessary interior items, the presence of live plants, and the placement of humidifiers and air purifiers makes it possible to deeply clean your home and improve its “ecology.” After all, the lack of fresh air affects the level of oxygen in the blood, therefore, brain function and energy levels.

Clarity

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The chaos in the room makes your mind confused and disordered. Placing objects in their places brings calmness and clarity.

Love

By surrounding yourself with photo memories of loved ones, you create a positive atmosphere.

Social Confidence

As the “attractiveness” of your home increases, your confidence increases, and, as a result, there is a desire to share your space with friends and family, to demonstrate it.

The decor always affects the state of mind. The effect depends on how you use the various elements of interior design. We present to your attention a list of interior design techniques and tools and a description of their impact.

Natural Light

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The presence of a large amount of natural light increases the feeling of happiness, improves mood, energizes, and even helps to fight depression. The lack of natural light increases anxiety and worsens the quality of sleep. With this in mind, you should design your home so that as much natural light as possible penetrates it. Also, do not forget about the temperature of artificial lighting. Cold light (5000K and above) is suitable for workspaces/offices; it helps to activate brain activity and process information faster. Warm light (from 2600K to 4500K) is more often used in residential areas.

Colour

Many researchers study the psychology of color, that is, how color affects mood. Shade, saturation, and brightness work together to trigger psychological reactions. When you make repairs, you should definitely pay attention to the colors. Here are some popular color options and their psychological effects:
  • White: The light is reflected in white rooms, creating a calm, positive atmosphere. However, an all-white room seems sterile, so you need to mix white with other colors, use halftones.
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  • Blue: Dark blue or too much blue can cause feelings of detachment and sadness.

  • Red: Red can evoke feelings of love and passion, or hatred and anger. You should think about how red makes you feel before using it in your interior.
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  • Grey: Although grey is a wonderful neutral color, it is recommended to combine it with other colors. Too much cold grey can make you feel lonely.
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Ergonomics

The layout of the room affects its functionality. It is quite uncomfortable if, for example, you have to squeeze between the sofa and the coffee table to get through, or if the closet is so high that you cannot reach the upper shelves even with a stepladder. In order for ergonomics to be an integral part of your interior, you must take into account how you usually move around and the more often you use it.

Clutter and Clutter

A cluttered room causes stress. You see things scattered and covering all surfaces. The realization that everything is out of place can cause anxiety. Dealing with clutter frees you from unnecessary stress. Investing in new furniture will help you put things in order and reorganize the space. For example, you can use hidden storage solutions. Renovate your home with the help of “resource” furniture, investing in your emotional health.

Forms

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Curved soft shapes create a more pleasant and inviting feeling of space; they allow the nerve endings to relax.
In conclusion, I would like to wish everyone to live in the very space that gives the feeling of a real home! Adopt the techniques closest to you and create a dream home!