Our homes are more than shelter, our homes shape how we think, sleep, connect, and feel. Thoughtful interior design can lower anxiety, improve sleep quality, boost productivity, and even protect long-term cognitive health (1).
We know redecorating a home can be overwhelming, so if you’re wondering how to design your home for better mental health, we sat down with Annie Guest, mental health therapist and author of Design for your Mind. Annie breaks down the science and the practical steps you can take today to design your home to boost your mental health.
1. Clear out the Clutter
Before beginning on your interior design journey, Annie suggests firstly clearing out and organising items so they are easy to access. She said, “In a cluttered environment, every object is competing for our attention, increasing our anxiety and making it difficult to focus, think clearly and create. The effects of clutter are amplified if one already feels trapped and overwhelmed”.
A cluttered house can also lead to isolation and loneliness. If we’re not comfortable inviting other people into our home, we lose opportunities to spend time with people. Social support is essential to mental health. Its mood-enhancing benefits help ward off depression, and the mental stimulation that human contact provides helps protect against cognitive decline.
2. Include Natural Elements
According to Annie, there are two areas we need to focus on to improve our home: boosting natural lighting and bringing in natural elements.
She says, “Our innate human desire to connect with nature and other living things is driven by our genes. It’s called biophilia. Time spent with nature is associated with reduced stress, improved memory, and heightened creativity”.
Annie suggested natural elements inside our home create the connection we often miss. “Plants and greenery in a room soothe—even if the plants are artificial. And natural materials, such as wicker and wood, deliver the same benefits as greenery because humans associate those materials with nature”.
Think about the materials you choose for your coffee table, dining table or sofa, which can feature these natural wooden elements. The art of greenery can also promote healing as well, especially when the images are of nature biophilia.
3. Boost Natural lighting
Annie also suggests that natural lighting helps to regulate your sleep-wake cycles (known as circadian rhythms) and promotes better sleep.
She says, “Natural light also boosts Vitamin D for strong bones and immune function, improves mood, enhances productivity, and supports our overall physical and mental health by syncing our bodies with the day-night cycle that artificial lights disrupt. Interior design choices that take advantage of natural light include bringing exercise equipment onto an enclosed patio or a room with skylights or a big window, so we can work out in natural light during the long, dark days of winter. We can also set up our computer and a comfortable reading spot in that room, so we enjoy the benefits of natural light as we engage in a mentally stimulating activity”.
4. Cool Colour
For colours, Annie suggests using a cool colour palette which includes colours such as blues and greens to make the room feel bigger and the ceilings feel higher. She suggests that cool colours register with the brain more slowly than warmer colours such as reds, yellows, and oranges. “Cool colours appear to move away from the eye. We feel as if we are in a larger room, and we breathe more easily and feel freer as a result.”
So, when is the best time to begin redesigning your home?
Annie says any time is the best time. But certainly, during the months leading to winter, it’s important to prepare a room where you can read, work, and exercise in natural light during the months of short, dark days. Before winter sets in, we might need to clear out a patio or atrium, install exercise equipment, a comfortable chair for reading, and a work desk.
Because our sleep and wake cycles are tied to natural light, we can avoid some of the grogginess that overtakes us during the winter by exercising, reading, and working in natural light.
