Recent events have suddenly given these subjects greater focus.
As we face the collective experience of confinement, social distancing and homeworking, ensuring that our environments facilitate positive energy and lift our spirits is more important now than ever before.
Our ethos at RK Signature Interiors has always been that our homes are our refuge from the outside world and that they should create a feeling of sanctuary.
Whilst there are currently and unquestionably other key priorities for most of us, we don’t think we should underestimate the importance of home décor and interior design as we spend our days at home in self-isolation.
Interior Design Tips
There are a few practical steps we can all take to create harmonious spaces that are conducive to both working and, importantly, relaxing. The simplest of these is to declutter. Take the time to organise storage spaces such as pantries, wardrobes and home offices. Simplifying and organising your home has the effect of helping us to feel calm and focused. The rise of movements such as the KonMarie method are a response to the fact that we are ‘hard-wired’ to appreciate order and patterns. Organising your decluttering into stages allows you to achieve goals which produces a ‘feedback system’ of dopamine making us feel good.
Design should be responsive to our needs, behaviours and requirements. Consider the flow and energy of different rooms when planning a home renovation project. Small changes can have a big impact, for example, orienting desks to maximize views to outdoors can increase our creativity and productivity.
If you are planning on redecorating, you can achieve a sense of cohesiveness by incorporating different hues within the same colour palette in your home so that rooms feel connected. Your chosen palette can be picked up on walls in one room and carried through in the accessories of another, producing a subtle sense of flow and continuity.
As previously discussed in our last post about the science of colour, determining the atmosphere of interior spaces through the use of colour can have a dramatic impact on mood.
Design for Wellbeing
Over the last couple of years, the concept of Biophilic design has grown in popularity.
Biophilic design is based on the relationship between nature, people and design, to reduce stress, increase cognitive function and creativity to improve our well-being.
Humans have an innate connection to nature. Sunlight, natural materials and planting all help create a sense of bringing the outside in. We always try to include plants in my interior design schemes.
Not only do they soften spaces, but they have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. Some plants even release oxygen at night, making them conducive to a better night’s sleep. Ferns are particularly hardy and will survive even the least green fingered amongst us.
At its core, biophilic design nurtures a love of our environments. Given the situation that we all now find ourselves in, surrounding yourself with things that make you happy and spaces that enhance wellbeing should be a priority for us all.
If you would like advice on any aspect of designing your home, our new online interior design service provides end-to end solutions tailored for you.
Contact us on info@rksignatureliving.com