Designing for well-being
Well-being is a hot topic at the moment. With many of us leading increasingly stressful lives, it has never been more important to optimise our health and happiness.
Adequate exercise, sleep and nutrition are all key factors in determining how we feel mentally and physically, but did you know that your home can also play its part? Here, we explore ways in which the home environment can become a vital component in your journey towards improved health and contentment.
Calming colours can make your home a relaxing haven
Colours have a remarkable ability to affect our mood, enabling us to feel calmed or energised, depending on the particular hue. Calm and soothing colours are a great way to create a relaxing atmosphere. The right colours can take the edge off your hectic day, so you can relax and unwind.
Here are some of our favourite calming colour schemes that will help you relax:
Blue-green: This beautiful shade is perfect for creating a tranquil space. It’s also great if you like to infuse nature into your home décor.
Mint green: Not only does this colour look good on its own but it also goes well with other colours like navy blue or grey.
Grey: Grey is another great colour for relaxing rooms because it can be soft and soothing or bold and dramatic depending on how it is used in the room.
Warm neutrals: These colours evoke feelings of homeyness and comfort, which makes them perfect for creating an inviting atmosphere in any room in your house.
Reduce stress with comforting fabric textures
Our sense of touch is a powerful tool. Whether you're stressed out or trying to relax, the touch of soft fabric can be very soothing. It's a great way to reduce stress and calm your mind.
The feeling of soft fabric against your skin has been shown to reduce stress levels and even lower blood pressure.
What textures do we find calming?
Bouclé upholstery is a fabric woven from yarns with a loopy, coiled-up quality. It has a lovely enveloping cuddly texture. We have a feeling you love these cuddly textures too, because FibreGuard bouclé fabrics have been more in demand than ever before.
Velvet upholstery really is the height of decadent comfort. Its plush pile is captivating, and that luxurious deep nap will always be in demand.
Upholstery with cotton blends. Cotton has a lovely tactile quality that spans from a micro-emerised brushed cotton touch all the way to a dry, matte, linen look and feel.
Create a relaxing oasis at home with plants
Another factor to consider when it comes to creating a relaxing home is the concept of Biophilic Design, the practice of bringing the natural world to bear on design.
This trend relies on incorporating nature-inspired elements such as plants, florals and natural materials. This visceral connection with nature has been shown to boost well-being by improving mood and reducing stress levels.
Floral patterns and botanically-inspired motifs are other great ways to reference the natural world. And one of the simplest ways to embrace nature is to bring in lots of greenery. Plants in pots – the bigger the better – can add a reassuring vitality to a space and if you don’t have green fingers, it’s fine to go faux.
