Take note of how your home makes you feel. If it doesn’t fill you with joy, bring you calm, or support your interests, then it may be time to redecorate. Contrary to popular belief, redecoration doesn’t have to be stressful. Mindfully redecorating your house can actually boost your mental health and help you feel more connected to the place you call home.
Color and Light
You may not realize it, but the color you choose for your walls and ceilings can have a significant impact on your mental health. Color psychology is a growing field, but some initial evidence suggests that the paints we use can have a big impact on how we feel.
When redecorating, consider adding light tones, like yellow and baby blue, that help you feel calm and bring you happiness. If bright colors don’t suit your style, opt for neutral, earth-like tones to create a soothing effect. If you find that these colors haven’t improved your mood, you may want to consider the amount of light entering your home.
Redecorating to increase the amount of light you get in your home may minimize the impact of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD occurs during the darker, colder months when you may experience lethargy and depression. If you suspect that you suffer from SAD, you may want to create a well-lit room and install a light box that helps regulate your mood and boosts your mental health.
Hobbies and Interests
Your home should reflect your personality and encourage you to take up hobbies that you love. However, many people fail to make space for their hobbies in their house and miss out on the mood-boosting quality of a supportive home environment.
If you consider yourself to be a fledgling artist, then you could create a small art studio to support your practice. Even a temporary space for canvases and tools can inspire you to start drawing, painting, and sculpting.
You can follow zen decorating principles when creating an at-home studio. Opt for neutral color tones and add a few plants. Leave some space unfilled so you don’t feel claustrophobic, and place your materials in an area that is well-lit and easy to reach.
If your hobby doesn’t fit into your house, you can still bring the feeling you get from your favorite pastime into your home. For example, if you’re a horse lover, you can cheer up your space by incorporating equestrian decorative features like paintings, pillows, light fixtures, and sculptures that revolve around the majestic creatures.
Create a space for self-care — whatever that may look like for you. Turn your bathroom into a spa-like experience with candles, greenery, and bath oils. Create a reading nook by a light-filled bay window. Install a yoga mat rack on the wall to inspire your flow. Whatever you enjoy the most in life deserves to be in your safe space at home.
Mindful Redecorating
Redecorating may usually cause you a lot of stress. Usually, this happens when your decorations don’t meet your expectations or if you experience tension with your partner or roommate over redecoration. Reduce stress and rediscover the joy of redecorating by following these principles:
- Give yourself room to make mistakes;
- Allow others to shift your plans within reason;
- Remember that your home is a dynamic space that changes over time;
- Find joy in learning new techniques and methods to redecorate in the future.
These principles for redecoration can mitigate conflict and help you sustain lengthy projects that may require more time and effort than you first realized.
Conclusion
Mindfully redecorating your home can help reset your mood and boost your mental health. When painting, choose colors that reflect your personality and brighten the mood of your house. Make sure you get the most from the natural light your house receives by opening up areas for an art studio or a meditation room complete with a lightbox. This will help mitigate conditions like SAD and help you feel more connected to your home.
author: Sam Bowman
