Interior Design Tips for a Calming Space

As people all around the world retreat to their houses to seek shelter and safety from the Coronavirus pandemic, we need our homes to be a calm and comforting space. We have always looked to our homes to be a refuge and a haven. But now that need is greater than ever.

Go Natural

One of the best ways to turn your home into a calming oasis is to incorporate natural elements into your decor. We’re all spending a lot more time indoors nowadays. Bringing a bit of the outdoors inside can literally be a breath of fresh air, especially if your family is feeling stifled by long days indoors.

Best of all, integrating the beauty of the natural world in your interior spaces doesn’t require a lot of time, money, or know-how. Cacti and succulents, for instance, are the perfect way to easily greenify your home. They’re low-maintenance and hardy and you can enjoy them year-round.

Creating Designated Spaces for Relaxation

Your home may be your sanctuary, but it’s also, by necessity, a highly utilitarian space. There are going to be areas of your home, such as your home office, that aren’t exactly designed for relaxation. That’s okay. In fact, it’s essential, especially as our homes increasingly serve as spaces for home-based work and schooling.

But just as you dedicate particular areas of your home for work and productivity, it’s also vital that you designate other areas solely for relaxation. The bathroom is the perfect place to start. With a few creative touches, from soft lighting and scented candles to luxurious towels and cozy bathrobes, you can turn your tired old bathroom into nothing short of a home spa retreat.

You shouldn’t stop there, though. Take a room in your house, or even a quiet corner of a room, and turn it into a quiet space for relaxing, napping, listening to music, or reading.

Trick it out with warm, inviting fabrics. Select window treatments that let in lots of soothing natural light, or incorporate lamps for a softer glow. Choose art pieces that make you feel happy and peaceful so that, wherever your eye lands, it will find something beautiful there. At the same time, nix the clutter. Include only furnishings and decor that make you feel tranquil and cozy.

Color Your World

One of the best ways to transform your home into a calming oasis is to spruce it up a bit with a new color palette. With spending so much more time at home, now is the perfect time to splash on a fresh new coat of paint on the walls or to revive drab old finishes with a new pop of color.

If your family isn’t all-in for a full-scale paint project, you can still easily refresh your home’s color scheme just by switching out your curtains and drapes with lighter, brighter fabrics. You can also change your bedding and add new throw blankets and pillows to infuse your decor with exciting new tones and patterns.

Temper the Tech

No, we’re not asking you to give up your devices or go on a technology fast, especially now that we’re relying so heavily on social media to keep us connected with the outside world. But just because you’re living the tech lifestyle doesn’t mean your home has to look like NASA Mission Control.

In fact, there are tons of hacks you can use to camouflage your devices to preserve the cozy ambiance you want for your home. For example, consider placing your Wi-Fi router and charging stations in a drawer or decorative box. Also, try hiding electrical cords behind furniture or wall hangings, or clipping them to table legs.

Embrace the Eclectic

Turning your home into a comforting haven means decorating only with the things you love. And, chances are, you’re not going to be drawn to just one style or period, but that’s okay. You can still incorporate traditional and mid-century modern. You can still have your stained glass and your pop art.

The transitional style is ideal for blending elements that inspire and delight you. What matters most is that you avoid the temptation to clutter and horde.

Carefully select quality pieces featuring vintage style. Try combining clean, straight lines with soft curves and edges. Use complementary tones and colors to create a sense of balance, flow, and calm. Opt for mirrored surfaces and metal frames to provide a feeling of spaciousness, airiness, and harmony.

The Takeaway

The world today is all too chaotic and frightening. We have perhaps never needed a comforting haven than we do right now. Fortunately, with a few simple design strategies, we can transform our familiar old house into a refuge of calm and comfort.

About The Author: Luke Smith is a writer and researcher turned blogger. Since finishing college he is trying his hand at being a freelance writer. He enjoys writing on a variety of topics but lifestyle and home improvement topics are his favorite. When he isn’t writing you can find him traveling, hiking, or gaming.

 
Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay