Nike Onile gives us pointers on creating a healthy home environment and promoting wellness through home design.
When it comes to freshening up your home, whether that’s a family residence or a single-person, small modern house, what may immediately come to mind is a fresh coat of paint and the introduction of season-specific décor. However, freshening up your space can be approached from an entirely different perspective: a holistic one. Considering how much of our lives are spent inside, it is only natural that our bodies desire a sense of harmony when it comes to the spaces we live, work and play in.
Our homes, in particular, should be our sanctuaries, and, with all that has been going on around us, now more than ever we are feeling the very real impact our physical space has on our well-being. Creating a harmonious environment serves not only as a functional space, but also helps in creating a healthy, full and rich home environment.
I’m a big believer that your home should cater to all five senses, though, far too often, the focus is placed solely on visual consumption. Freshening up your space and creating a more holistic domestic experience for the senses can be done with simple changes that will elevate your home space and nurture harmony from sunrise to sunset.
How our home feels to the touch is an immense source of calibration for us.
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TOUCH
How our home feels to the touch is an immense source of calibration for us. This can be in both the literal and figurative sense, so, when thinking about creating a healthy home environment, consider touch from the perspective of temperature and texture. For example, temperature is a major determiner of comfort and our mood. With all the technology out there, smart home devices can help regulate your temperature based on the time of day and be pre-set and controlled by your handheld devices.
Texture is another contributor to how your home feels. As you introduce a selection of textiles into your home, it is important to curate soft elements like pillows and rugs, as they help create an inviting atmosphere. Layering textures as well, including your artwork, helps the space feel less cold and sterile and creates a more interesting and welcoming mood.
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SOUND
The sounds we cultivate in our homes can dramatically affect our peace of mind and emotional/energetic balance. And like scent, sound is typically not a part of the conversation when thinking about healthy home design. It is fair to say, that with the variety (and sometimes constant) sound baths we have been experiencing over the last few months with our extended homestays, it is important to consider our relationship with sound.
Because sound affects us all in different ways, it has a variety of powerful impacts on our temperament and mood, so harnessing it to our advantage is key. We can do this by eliminating or dampening the noises that add to our unrest, like noise pollution from the street, neighbors or sound coming from other rooms in your home.
Amplifying the noise that cultivates harmony and healthy home design can be done by upgrading windows that filter noise better or by sound-proofing the interiors of your home, especially if you live in an apartment or duplex. Introducing an integrated speaker system can help as well, or you can take advantage of mother nature and crack a window on rainy days to let the soft sounds infuse your home.
Visual clutter is the fastest way to create mental unrest, so consider the way color impacts your mood and how the patterns you choose work in conjunction with the other elements in your space.
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SIGHT
The visual experience of a home has always been the main factor of good, healthy home design. When considering wellness when freshening up your home, it is important to look at how color, pattern and texture all work together in order to create a cohesive look. Visual clutter is the fastest way to create mental unrest, so consider the way color impacts your mood and how the patterns you choose work in conjunction with the other elements in your space.
For example, bright colors and contrast tend to create an energetic environment, while neutral tones invite a calmer and more relaxing vibe. Remember that it is also important that your space fosters peace as well as inspiration, so don’t shy away from creating moments of impact in the pieces you bring in. Just be mindful of your intention with each piece so that you achieve the right energy.
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SCENT
Often overlooked, aroma is one of the most simple and most powerful ways to freshen up your home space, no matter how big or small the design layout. The key here is to be intentional with what we are breathing in, something we do an average of 20,000 times a day. Focus on increasing your air quality by eliminating pollutants in the home then introducing aromas that support the emotional, mental and physical self.
Air quality can make or break your efforts in creating a healthy home environment. Introducing an air purification system and adding plant life that helps clean the air and practical and efficient ways to ensure that the air you are breathing is at its best. Doing this in conjunction with curating an aromatic palette for your home through the use of essential oils, sage smoke and lead-free, soy essential oil candles are great ways to easily freshen up your space and promote wellbeing, decrease stress and create more balance.