16 Aug Interior Wellness Design Trends- designing interiors for health and well-being
While quarantined homeowners began to create home relaxation areas two years ago, the trend is still going strong. A recent report from the American Society of Interior Designers found that “health and wellness” was a top interior design trend. Today’s homeowners are creating in-house retreats where they can relax, detox and increase their wellness and mental well-being. Research evidence shows a correlation between our health and factors such as providing adequate daylight and views to nature, using colors that promote mental well-being, a quiet room, acoustics, indoor air quality, scents and more.
Create a Quiet Room or Corner
In the realm of interior design for wellness, a quiet room can be a private, cocoon-like indoor space also known as ‘recharge rooms’ with therapeutic qualities aimed at reducing anxiety levels and enhancing productivity within the workplace. Pick an area that is quiet, cozy and make it comfortable by adding pillows, plants and whatever makes you happy. Plants are another feature, as they improve indoor air quality by converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. Homeowners with larger budgets and more square footage have taken the concept further, adding soaking tubs and skylights that provide more Vitamin D.
Natural Daylight
This is one of the most important elements in Interior Wellness design. Natural light is an essential building block of health and wellness interior design. Sunlight causes our brains to produce serotonin, a hormone that can improve mood by alleviating pain, providing energy and making us feel happy and well-rested. Sunlight can also produce endorphins, otherwise known as the “feel-good hormone”.
Aromatherapy
Did you know the art of aromatherapy can be traced back to the great ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece and Rome where essential oils were valued for their many uses?
Run out and get yourself a diffuser and some of these oils:
- Lavender – Lavender is calming, overcomes nervous tension, depression.
- Eucalyptus – Eucalyptus increases brainwave activity and counters mental fatigue. Also promotes clarity of mind and increases energy.
- Peppermint – Effective at nerve relaxation, it relives pain, promotes healthy digestion and also increases energy.
- Citrus – Invigorating, calming and reassuring. Also helps with depression.
- Rosemary – Rosemary is associated with feelings of contentment, and it’s been shown to have positive effects on performance and mood. Rosemary can also reduce cortisol levels, which can help relieve anxiety and stress
Halotherapy
Also known as dry salt therapy, halotherapy has been a popular complementary treatment in Eastern Europe for many generations but is just now becoming popular in North America. Salt rooms are popping up in spas, resorts and wellness centers across the country, and folks are touting a variety of benefits that primarily center on respiratory health and treating skin conditions.
While you may not have heard of salt rooms before, you may be familiar with Himalayan salt lamps, which have been popular for decades. These lamps give off a warm glow and are said to release negative ions into the atmosphere. This, in turn, has been shown to improve mood, reduce stress and enhance relaxation. When creating your quiet place for relaxing, add a Himalayan salt lamp. It has done wonders for people! Salt room therapy often includes Himalayan salt bricks or lamps for this effect while also taking things a step farther to include breathing in air with a salt concentration that is meant to produce an effect that is roughly the equivalent to spending three days at the beach in just 15 minutes in a salt room.
Nature Sounds
While I’m working I always have a YouTube channel playing in the background. It’s always nature sounds – Rain, thunder, ocean waves with a light piano or guitar in the background is very relaxing and de-stressing. Today my choice is “Bamboo Water Fountain” and it’s very soothing. There’s also an app for that! Sleep Sounds is available in the app store and the cool part is you can create and combine your own sounds with rain, wind, waterfalls…endless possibilities.
Outdoor Garden
When space is available and weather conditions permit, an outdoor garden is an even better amenity,. Gardening can make you feel more peaceful and content. Focusing your attention on the immediate tasks and details of gardening can reduce negative thoughts and feelings and can make you feel better in the moment. Just spending time around plants eases stress for many people.
Colors
It should come as no surprise that color can have a strong impact on the mood of a room and how it makes you feel. Color is difficult to discuss as it is largely a matter of personal taste. The different colors that are used in interior design can really effect the environment and can either overstimulate or under stimulate your space. Lighter colors are considered to be airy and can make rooms feel larger and even brighter. Darker colors are considered to be more refined and make rooms feel more intimate and warmer.
Clutter Free
Believe it or not, the biggest impact on our wellness and happy spirit at home is, in fact, the little things. Clutter – shoes piled up at your front door entrance, wardrobes stuffed with clothes we haven’t worn in years, the dining table without much space for actually having a meal. I can’t emphasize enough how these things have an impact on our mood, our relationships and even on our sleep. Have you ever noticed how difficult it is to focus when you’re in a room or home surrounded by clutter? Clutter creates chaos and can affect our anxiety levels, sleep and ability to focus. It can also make us less productive. Our brains like order and constant visual reminders of disorganization can certainly have an effect on our well-being.
In Closing
Eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep, mastering stress and practicing mindfulness – it all definitely adds up to longevity and enhanced well-being. In the end the things that transform a space into a home are the personal touches. And that’s true for improving the wellness aspects as well. Find what small things make you happy and calm when you look at them, and then fill your home with them. For me, it’s personal photographs, my collection of books and candles on my console table.
Considering that the past two years have delivered plenty of stress, adding a relaxation area is never a bad idea…and the ideal venue is your home.
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