EASY WAYS TO PROMOTE WELLNESS AT HOME
Wellness can be described as a holistic way of pursuing a healthy and fulfilling life. Finding ways to promote wellness in all aspects of life is a highly rewarding task, and is much easier than you think. Lately we have been spending a lot more time in our homes, meaning they have a huge impact on how we feel on a daily basis. Finding ways to promote wellness throughout your home can play a major part in improving your quality of life.
We spoke to WB Interior Design Consultant, Melissa Redwood, about her tips for creating a sense of calm and wellness throughout the home.
“The key to wellness and feeling good is to ensure that you have a calm environment,” Melissa said. “Plenty of natural light coming into a home is so important. There is something uplifting about walking into a space that is bathed in natural daylight.”
“When you get up in the morning, open all the curtains, open up a window or two and bring in the fresh air. Opening all the curtains also means that you can see the trees, the garden and the sky. It brings a little bit of the outdoors in, without having to give up the feeling or safety and security that comes with being in your own domain.”
A major factor in the way your home feels is its colour palette, according to Melissa. “Colour definitely has a strong impact on the mood of a room and how it can make you feel,” she said. “Greens, blues or softer shades (such as pastels) will always create a sense of calm in a space. Blues and greens have also been known to increase mental focus.”
Another way to create a sense of wellness in the home is by exploring ways to add nature. Biophilia is a design trend that has rapidly increased in popularity in the last few years, with having an abundance of indoor plants becoming the norm. Incorporating nature into design is a great way to promote wellness in the home, and create a sense of calm.
“Biophilic design principals focus on humans’ innate attraction to nature. Incorporating nature into the design of our homes has been shown to reduce stress, blood pressure and heart rate, whilst also increasing productivity, creativity and well-being.”
“If you happen to be lucky enough to have a kitchen window that gets a generous amount of light, why not have some fresh herbs growing. It’s a lovely way of adding a bit of greenery into the kitchen, but even more satisfying when you can pluck a few sprigs and add it to your cooking.”
If you’re wanting to make some changes in your home to create a feeling of freshness and evoke a sense of calm, there are plenty of quick ways to do this without breaking the bank.
“A change of colour to your bed sheets or your towels can instantly make you feel like you’ve done a bit of a refurbishment,” Melissa said. “Even just arranging your cushions can make things feel a little bit more organised.”
“A new piece of art on the wall can completely transform a room. There are thousands of online art suppliers now, and art can be an extremely affordable way to transform a space.”
If you have a spare room without a specific use, consider transforming it into your own relaxation area.
“Turn a spare room into a place for yoga or meditation, away from any electronics, computers or distracting noises. Or maybe just put your favourite comfy chair in there, so that it becomes your own little sanctuary or just a place to read and escape the world.”
“During these unprecedented times with COVID-19, it is now more important than ever to feel relaxed and calm in our homes. We are spending so much more time indoors and we need to ensure that the space is as stress free as possible and instead, creates a feeling of harmony and wellbeing.”
Melissa’s top 10 favourite ways to create a sense of wellness in the home:
- Add oxygen boosting indoor plants. Adding indoor plants and bringing the outdoors in instantly creates a sense of calmness in the home.
- Add some fresh colour into the bathroom with new towels.
- Light candles or incense. I have a favourite one and every time I light it, it sends me to Bali and reminds me of being on holidays.
- Buy some fresh flowers to put in a vase. Or, pick them from your own garden, which brings an even better sense of satisfaction. If you don’t have flowers growing, just pick some greenery and add it to a vase. It’s amazing how a little bit of greenery gives such a fresh feeling to your home.
- Adding a fresh coat of paint to all the walls, or adding a new colour can give such a lift to a room. Or maybe try your handiwork, and buy some brightly coloured wallpaper and have a go at doing it yourself.
- Reinvigorate a boring old wall with a montage of family pictures. Frames don’t all need to match. They can be of all different shapes and sizes. It’s more about getting the memories on the wall, so that every time you are in that space you are surrounded by your loved ones.
- Do some baking and let the lovely aromas fill the whole house. Or run a bath with scented bubble bath or a bath bomb. Scents and smells can change the whole feel of a space and it’s an easy way to create a relaxing atmosphere.
- Open all the curtains to get as much light into a space as possible, and open the windows to get plenty of fresh air.
- Tidy a cupboard or drawer that you’ve always wanted to. It gives such a good feeling of satisfaction and makes you feel organised.
- Add textural elements throughout the home such as rugs, cushions, throws or lots of fluffy bedding. This will give a lovely sense of calm and make it feel like home.
