Our surroundings not only shape how we move through our days, but how we feel, think, and live. If you doubt the impact of home design on wellness, think back to COVID days. Home was everything, and we quickly realized how functional and aesthetic choices served us – or didn’t. Thoughtful design elements can transform a house into a refuge that supports balance, harmony, and calm. If wellness begins at home (and it does), then design is a powerful act of self-care.

Home Design and Wellness

We spend an average of 90% of our time indoors – and about 17-18 hours at home. We could stare at the same uninspiring four walls, but that has a deleterious effect on our wellbeing. The environment in which we live should be one in which we can do just that: Live. How we approach interior design matters, not just for aesthetic reasons but for our overall health. Our home impacts how we think, feel, and act. Well- and thoughtfully-designed spaces help us relax, sure, but they also spark creativity, spur productivity, promote greater energy, and elevate our moods.

Which sounds overwhelming. There’s a lot riding on that throw pillow! Don’t be afraid to start small. It’s not about filling your home with “stuff” that should make you feel good; it’s taking a holistic approach that does make you feel good.

Focus on the Core

Think about making high-impact changes. Focusing on core elements yields big results and keeps the overwhelm in check.

Lighten Up

One of the most functional aspects of design, lighting also creates ambience, enhances anchor and focal points, and has an influence on our moods. For example, cool tones can boost focus and productivity, while warmer light helps create a calm and relaxing environment. Selecting the right “temperature,” fixtures, and placement is key.

You might have a lighting scene customized to work hours, cooking/prep, or cleaning. This would feature cool white light (4000K – 5000K) to stimulate and energize. When you’re reading, watching television, or chatting with family/friends, you might shift the scene with cozy warm light (2700K – 3000K). Don’t forget about natural light. Daylight (5000K – 6500K) enhances mood and puts pep in your step. Maximizing exposure with strategically-placed windows, French doors, and glass walls can completely alter your design.

Try layering your lighting. Choose fixtures that provide adequate light for the space’s intended function(s), and then opt for a variety of looks. Floor and table lamps, semi- and full-flush mounts, sconces, pendants, and chandeliers (and thoughtfully-placed mirrors and reflective surfaces) provide useful illumination for the situation at hand and help you strike the right mood.

Just Breathe

You can’t see it – but this is one of the most impactful steps you can take to create a space that heals. Wellness-focused design should emphasize exceptional indoor air quality, which is important because the average home has pollutant levels two to five times higher than outdoor air. What can you do to clear the air?

• Replace your HVAC air filters regularly.
• Consider a portable air filter.
• Ensure interior fans (e.g. range hood, bathroom fan) are properly vented to the outside and routinely cleaned.
• Replace old (and likely allergen-filled) carpeting with new low-impact options or with a solution like hardwood, engineered wood, or LVP. Regularly vacuum carpets/rugs.
• Open your windows when you can to circulate air.
• Use low-VOC paints and cleaning products.
• Adopt some plants. Besides adding beautiful, natural greenery to your home, plants like the English Ivy, Peace Lily, Spider Plant, and Heartleaf Philodendron, can help filter the air.

Let Nature Take Its Course

From a few plants, it’s just a natural jump to incorporating other organic materials. Wood, stone, tile, linen, etc., bring a sense of calm and authenticity to your space. In an overstimulating world, the one you create inside provides balance and a place to breathe.

Feel free to start small here too. Score a reclaimed wood coffee table or install a clay/tile backsplash; place a wool area rug in an entryway or opt for soft linen throw pillows. Whatever you do, know that biophilic design (i.e. design that connects us to nature) helps lower stress and enhance mental clarity.

Declutter Your Space – and Your Mind

Admittedly not the most “fun” aspect of your project, decluttering is one of the biggest steps you can take to create a space that restores you. Chaos in our environment invites chaos into our minds; it raises our stress levels and exacerbates difficulties with focus, productivity, and even our relationships. You might have a junk drawer that needs organizing or closets-full of clothes to weed through. In many cases, it can seem overwhelming. That’s the chaos talking. Talk back:

• Start with one small space at a time. Tackle that junk drawer today!
• Be honest. Do you use this item? Does it have a home? Do you love it? If no, no, and no, donate, recycle, or toss.
• Use the one-in two-out rule. You treated yourself to a new sweater? Great! Now start a donation back with two unused/unloved clothing items.
• Try a rating system. If you’re trying to decide whether to keep an item or not, rate it. Don’t keep anything below an 8. You deserve to live in surroundings you love.
• Use organizers to group like items in logical locations. Pro tip: only fill organizers 80% of the way. The extra 20% gives you room to add if you need to – and use the one-in two-out rule here too when a cubby, bin, or drawer starts to get too full.
• Create landing zones. Place a bowl by the door, for example, for your keys and loose change. Install cubbies in the mudroom for each family member and one for general household items (e.g. mail).

Start small, and you’ll realize big results.

Welcome In All the Senses

When it comes to home design, we tend to focus on what we can see. For a greater sense of wellness, though, incorporate the other senses. The texture of natural fabrics, the feel of a fresh summer breeze, the sound of gentle music or a bubbling fountain, the scent of fresh flowers or simmering herbs… These all contribute to your design and the feelings that it evokes.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of course – just make sure to engage your other senses.

Help with Home Design for Wellness

Health and wellbeing start at home. This is where many of us spend most of our time, and it should also be where we make our most treasured memories.

There are many steps we can take to make our home environment more conducive to health, wellness, calm, productivity… and life. If you need design guidance, HVAC help, decluttering expertise, or other services to complete your project, browse our directory of experienced, trusted artisans. They are here to ensure your spaces work for you, your household members, and your lifestyle.