If there’s one place you want to be able to collect yourself after a long day, it should be your home. By letting mindfulness guide your home design and decor, you can create your own little sanctuary that lets you better yourself.
Give yourself some space
We all need a space where we can disconnect from everything and gather our thoughts. When planning your home design, give yourself a nook that’s just for you. Add a small sofa, day bed or armchair where you can completely unwind. Set this area up with a journal, sketchbook or some of your favourite novels, and ensure there are no distracting electronics nearby.
Make comfort your top priority
Too often, we purchase homewares just because they’re cute. In reality, we should be choosing comfortable furniture above all else. You want to be able to relax and be present in the moment wherever you are in your home, instead of worrying about staining an expensive item or not being able to get comfy on a designer beaded pillow. To ensure total bliss, add an affordable mattress topper to your bed.
Choose low lying furniture
By keeping furniture pieces low to the ground creates a “down to earth” feeling. Placing a cushion directly on the floor also provides you with a great place to meditate. For the ultimate style inspiration, look to Japanese home design, which features tatami mats as a seating and sleeping option.
Use soothing scents
Our sense of smell is incredibly powerful, with smells often conjuring up specific memories or associations. Find a scent for your home in the form of a diffuser or candle that transports you somewhere else, be it the spa, the beach or the forest. This will completely transform the atmosphere of your home, and is highly conducive to meditation or yoga practices.
Change the energy of your room
A cluttered, poorly laid-out room can make you feel frazzled, so try rearranging your furniture to change the energy. Look up feng-shui layouts to ensure the energy of your room is soothing. When choosing paints, decor items and linens, opt for tranquil shades like beige, white and light blue. These soft colours ensure you don’t feel overstimulated and can instead let the day’s worries melt away.
Declutter
The opposite of mindfulness is chaos. Survey your home and identify whether there is an excess of clutter that is causing your mind to feel cluttered too. To cut through the clutter, get rid of items that don’t serve a functional purpose or add beauty to your home. Try putting all your other belongings in clever and appealing storage boxes or cabinets to open up your space.
Brighten up
Humans need natural light to feel energised and happy. If your home feels more like a cave, try swapping out your curtains for a sheer material, which will allow more light to filter through. Consider soft diffused lighting for night time like fairy lights, candles or votives, which are less harsh than light bulbs. This soothing lighting will help you take the edge off and focus on your own peace of mind.
Get in touch with Mother Nature
There’s nothing more soothing for the human soul than being amidst nature. Bring as much nature into your home as possible in the form of luscious indoor plants like monsteras and peace lilies, and fresh bunches of flowers. If you’re able to do a more extensive home design, see if you can break down the divide between the outdoors and the indoors by adding glass stacking doors. When choosing furniture, opt for natural materials like wood and choose botanical prints for your homewares.
Focus on the little things
What small things make you feel over the moon? This could be a warming cup of tea, a luxurious blanket or a soothing bath. Whatever it is, design your home so you can enjoy the little things as much as possible. Create a beautiful little tea station in your kitchen, add a chunky throw to your sofa, or get divine-smelling bath bombs – every detail counts towards creating a home that promotes mindfulness.