How To Design Your Home To Boost Wellbeing

Our environment plays a key role in our wellbeing. In order to live a happy and healthy life, we need to set ourselves up for success. This more often than not can start at home. We will all thrive better when we start and end our day in a happy and healthy space. And there are many ways to design your home to ensure that you are maximising the space you are in order to boost wellbeing. We asked local interior designer, Katie Le Tissier to share her top tips to create a space that promotes and maintains all aspects of wellbeing by responding to both your physical and emotional needs. Below she has identified seven elements to consider when creating a happy home - a thoughtful place to get your energy flowing in the right way. From lighting to scent, storage to colour, have a read below so you can start implementing them today.

“A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.” - Benjamin Franklin

1. Lighting

Natural light has been proven to be key for your wellbeing. It is recommended that you get outside as soon as possible first thing in the morning to help your circadian rhythm, hormones, mood etc. So, maximising access to the natural light in your home is incredibly important. We know that we all feel better when the sun is streaming through the windows into a space. You can also use mirrors to increase the light in rooms with smaller windows as they allow the light to bounce around the room. However, there are days and even full seasons where there isn't even a lot of light outside to let in. This is where artificial light can be used in clever ways to create different atmospheres and scenes. You can play with softness, brightness and even colour and shapes with your lighting setup.

2. Greenery

The presence of plants in your home can play a variety of roles. Some plants purify the air from toxins creating a calming and energising atmosphere. The colour green itself is known for its calming effects in design. Plants also create a connection with the outdoors breathing oxygen, life and fresh, positive energy into your home. Also, from a design point of view they also add vibrant colours and shapes to really lift a space.

3. Storage

Tidy space, tidy mind. Organising your home is vital to setting up a relaxing and productive space. Use clever storage solutions in your space to reduce the presence of clutter, as it will only scatter your mind and cause unnecessary stress. These days, storage doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, it often makes a space, acting as beautiful decor. You can choose from an array of cabinets, trunks, shelving units and baskets to add functional personality and character to a room.

4. Scent

Your home should connect with all your senses. Smell is often forgotten. Scents can evoke memories and create distinct moods. From citrus and peppermint providing you with the energy you need in the morning or a more calming scent like the classic lavender or sweet orange to relax you in the evening, utilise candles and diffusers to enhance your wellbeing space. Extra tip: ensure you are using products with natural wax or essential oils to eliminate your risk of exposure to harmful chemicals, which will negate the work you are doing with the scents!

5. Texture

How you feel when you touch something as well as how materials feel on your skin affect the way you use an item. You need to enjoy everything in your home to add to the overall feeling of it. It’s likely your sofa in your living room is for chilling out, so introduce some warm textures and soft textiles to cosy into and spend some time. Make sure flooring feels welcoming to your bare feet and bed linen feels inviting and soft on your skin. It's the simple changes that add to big results.

6. Zones

Many of us work from home and it is important to be able to switch off from this when it's time to relax, so find a specific area that you can leave behind when work is finished for the day. The easiest way to do this is to create zones and dedicated areas to the different tasks you undertake in your home. Start by working out the various activities that you need to do in your home. Whether it’s a table you can be creative on or a space you can clear to be active for a home workout or playing with children, plan carefully when organising and laying out your space for maximum benefit. If you live in a smaller place or an area is multi-purpose, use the other elements in this list to transform it - storage, scent and lighting can quickly transform a lounge from a play area into a relaxed zone for the evening or a dining table from a workspace into a cosy place to connect with family at the end of the day.

7. Colour

The way we use colour in our homes heavily influences our mood. Brighter, stronger colours can evoke joy and energy into a room, whereas you to calm a space down you might want to opt for a more muted palette. Although, while there are certain general truths about how colour makes us feel, it is also highly subjective and highly dependent on our memories and culture. Ultimately, you should choose what makes you feel happy, as this is what will make you feel good.

About Katie

Katie Le Tissier is an independent Interior Design Consultant based in Guernsey. Her love for Interior Design stems from the love of helping people, creating an environment for clients that suits their desired lifestyle and supports their mind, body and soul.

Visit designwithkatie.co.uk for more info.

Want To Work With Katie?

She has put together an exclusive package for The List readers:

The ‘Happy Home’ Design Package

What it includes:

💙 An at-home consultation with Katie to discuss your space.

💙 A personalised moodboard full of ideas for your home, plus a checklist focused on the 7 wellbeing elements above, sent to you after the consultation with Katie.

Only £450 per room.

Email katie@designwithkatie.co.uk to book.