Create a feel-good focal point

The first thing you see when you enter your home should be something you love, whether that’s a piece of art, a vase of flowers, or a special souvenir. A beautiful first impression helps you relax.


Organize daily debris

If you see old newspapers on the floor waiting to be dropped off, you’re going to think obligation, not relaxation. Piles of stuff at your entryway send the message that there’s more mess and chaos inside, and who wants to walk into that? Keep a designated place for every item that enters and exits your house. Place a couple of chic containers near the front door, one for outgoing items and one for incoming things.



 Create space

Our anxiety builds in small spaces if there’s too much stuff. So in order to reduce the clutter and make the room feel larger, one should ask if all those end tables or picture frames are required and cut anything deemed non-essential. Consider painting a table or bookshelf the same colour (or a similar one) as the wall it’s up against, so it ‘disappears’ into it. Painting walls white or a light colour will also make smaller room feel more spacious.


Light up locations

Bright overhead light can make it difficult to wind down at the end of the day. One should make use of spot lighting for areas where one needs brightness, such as next to the sofa where you read, and put overhead lights on dimmers. Also one can switch to full-spectrum bulbs, which mimic natural light as they are better than standard ones. Although they cost a bit more, they’re worth it because they create a more soothing natural atmosphere.


Create pedestrian-friendly paths

One should arrange the furniture safely. If the path from the sofa to the door is cramped, rearrange your furniture. Not being able to safely and easily move about produces anxiety, not to mention an easy way to trip or stub toe.
Simplify your colour scheme

Use restraint with patterns and loud colours. If you mix patterns, keep their colours schemes similar, and if you like lots of colours, keep patterns to a minimum. If you have too many bright colours or high-contrast patterns in a room, your eyes are going to be drawn all over the place, making it difficult to relax. Simple designs and colours, one the other hand, are soothing. The less-is-more rule applies to shelves and tabletops too. Don’t fill them just because they’re there. Instead, display just a few pieces that are meaningful.



 Bring the outdoors in

Introduce a couple of houseplants or hang a mirror across from the largest window to maximize outdoor vantage points. If your view includes more building than trees, hang landscape photographs on the walls.


Use soothing hues

Generally, we find cool shades of blue and green and neutral earth tones to be relaxing because they remind us of nature. If one is not ready to commit to new paint, one can incorporate a few accessories, such as throw pillows, a quilt, or lamp shades, in calming colours.


Switch off electronics

To rest easier, remove all televisions and computers from your bedroom. The light emitted by these devices signals the brain to stay awake, interfering with a good night’s sleep and leaving you with elevated levels of stress hormones in the morning. If you must keep these gadgets where you sleep, one can place the TV in a cabinet and putting a screen between your bed and the computer.


Bring your fantasy to life


Think about what paradise looks like to you. If it’s a tropical island, add sand and sea shades and tropical touches, such as wicker side tables or a sea grass rug. Prefer a mountain cabin or country home. The add colours, textures, and accessories to your bedroom décor that call those setting to mind. Design is highly individual, so mine your past experiences and flip through design magazines to identify what elements make a room feel relaxing to you.