Perhaps it sounds a little presumptuous to suggest that interior design (and therefore interior designers!) can make you feel good. But when we stop to think, it makes perfect sense that the environments that we spend our time in have a big impact on physical and mental health and therefore how important it is to create feel good spaces.
Uncomfortable chairs and beds, too much light when we are trying to sleep, not enough when we are trying to work. These little niggles in our environment can have a major impact on the enjoyment of our day. Whilst there are plenty of ways the design of your home or workspace can negatively impact you, there are plenty more that can improve it.
Here are a few of Batteson Studio's top tips on how you can make small changes to create homes and environments that make you feel good!
Light
This is at the top of the list for good reason. Making the most of natural light is one of the easiest ways to improve the feel of a space and it doesn't need to cost a thing.
Keep windows free of clutter, avoid putting large pieces of furniture in front of them and think about the layout and placement of your furniture to take full advantage of the changing light throughout the day.
If the sunlight is too bright use window dressings that filter rather than block the light so you can still benefit from those feel good rays. If your rooms are dark introducing mirrors to bounce light around opens up a gloomy space.
Consider your artificial lighting options too. Layered light sources will allow you to change the mood of a room throughout the day for different purposes. Use accent lighting to create a softer feel and task lighting for, you guessed it, tasks.
The warmth of candle or firelight in the evening with its rich red and orange tones creates a cosy atmosphere which is ideal for winding down and prepares us for a good nights sleep.
Flow
A key consideration when designing a space is in thinking about the way in which you move around it. Having enough clearance to walk with ease and not bashing into things and stubbing your toes is a good place to start. Look at how much furniture you have in a room. Most of us tend to find ourselves with more furniture than space, particularly if you are anything like Batteson Studio and have a penchant for trips to the auction!
Consider how you are using each item. Is it the best possible way? Perhaps they may work better in other areas? If you do decide to part with pieces that are no longer needed consider donating to worthy causes such as Emmaus, British Heart Foundation or here in Suffolk look at Dora Brown. Alternatively you can sell them on.
Whilst physical flow is important, visual consideration is equally so.
If pieces are blocking a view or are too visually heavy for a space they are going to negatively impact the feel of a room. Think about your view from one space to another including from the seating areas.
Scent
Scent is often overlooked, but it is a simple way to make a space feel good. Changing the air is the simplest way to achieve this by opening windows. You can introduce scent in a multitude of ways from making fresh coffee, bringing flowers into your home and using natural oils and scented candles to invigorate the space.
Colour
How we respond to colour is highly personal and we each have our own associations with different hues, both culturally and on an individual level. Colour psychology is fascinating and many of us may discover that we have quite defined seasonal colour personalities, Batteson Studio is very much an Autumn in case you wondered! Discovering the colours that work for you is incredibly helpful when thinking about how to incorporate more colour into your home (and wardrobe) and knowing which colours make us feel good is definitely worth exploring.
The colours that we choose to decorate with have the greatest impact on how a space feels, some colours can invigorate whilst others are restful. One persons dark and cocooning is another persons dark and depressing. Understanding the colours that best resonate with you and introducing them to your interiors is a fast track way to bring some truly feel good vibes to your space.
Find out more about Batteson Studio's colour consultation here.
Personality
Here at Batteson Studio we are truly passionate about creating homes with personality and believe it is a sure fire way to make a space feel good.
It is important that the environments we spend our time in reflect who we are. Our homes in particular should tell others something about us, but whilst it's nice for visitors to get a sense of who we are, really this is more about how it makes us feel. Surrounding yourself with things that make you smile, inherited pieces that spark memories and personal collections that make your home a place of warmth and sanctuary. Which is exactly what our homes should be!
Clearly this is going to look different for everyone, but by recognising and embracing the things that you enjoy and respond to you can be confident in adding personality to your home.
Your home is about you and reflecting the things that you love rather than following trends is always the best way to make a home feel good.
Organic Materials & Shapes
Using organic materials is a fundamental element of biophilic design. As human beings we have an innate response to the natural world and creating connections in our built environments has a positive impact on our wellbeing improving our mood, physical and mental health and cognitive function.
Introducing organic materials in your home is an incredibly simple way to tap into this. Stone, wood, cork, linen, rattan and sisal are rich in texture and visual appear with their tactile patina unmatched by synthetic alternatives.
Even a humble collection of stones or seed pods can build that connection with the natural world.
Botanicals
This leads us nicely on to all things botanical, another principle of biophilic design. Here at Batteson Studio we absolutely love to be surrounded by plants. The connection to nature can provide emotional restoration, increase productivity, creativity and performance. And of course they look lovely too! The houseplant trend is massive and most of us will have at least one in our homes or workplaces. If you don't, what are you waiting for? With so many plants to choose from and so many ways to display them there really is an option for everyone.
However if plants require a little too much care then having flowers, sprigs or stems picked from your garden or from a local market is another simple way to incorporate the botanical connection, even a collection of grasses or twigs will do the trick.
Sustainability
A final but really important point to finish on is the importance of making sustainable choices when designing our environments (and, well everything really!). Being a conscious consumer means examining our relationship with the constant need for new. The most sustainable choice is using the things that we already have but perhaps in a different way.. Consider if your existing pieces can be repaired, revamped or reupholstered.
When you are looking to purchase something see if you can buy a secondhand or antique piece. These have the benefit of being unique and often good value, with pieces likely to be far better made than the budget options available on the mass market which may also include toxic chemicals.
When purchasing new pieces it is worth investing in quality items, made from sustainable materials that are built to last and will stand the test of time.
When redecorating a space we want to do so in a way that is going to last, making confident design choices that they are for the longterm and will be enjoyed for many years to come.
Whilst making sustainable design choices might not be the easiest on the list it is one we could all do with putting at the forefront of our minds. And surely knowing that we are minimising our impact on the environment is as feel good as it gets!
We would love to know if you have any other ways you have improved your environment to best support your mood and health.
You can chat with Chloé here