Not sure about you, but almost every article, self-help book and podcast has been saying we need to be taking more time for self care. We’ve all heard this term bandied about more and more over the years. It’s time taken to relax and reflect—or simply, to take care of yourself.
While active social lives, challenging work and travel are meant to bring joy and celebration into our lives, they often come with stress. And with the ongoing uncertainty of the pandemic, the need for self care is ever more important.
While spa treatments and meditation retreats can be wonderfully rejuvenating, a self care routine can also begin with home design. From choosing the right lighting to curating your own chill-out spot, we teach you how to turn your home into a self care sanctuary.
Bring nature into self-care
If you want some wellness in your home interior design, nature should be incorporated. We’re no stranger to the fact that a simple act like going for a nature walk can alter your mood entirely, calming your nervous system and improving sleep. So why not bring natural elements into your home?
If you live in a house with a garden or backyard, focus on making it more beautiful to you. Has it been your dream to add a water feature, or grow a garden patch with fresh vegetable? Now’s the time to make it yours. Once you’ve made it a place of calm, it can become a place you spend your leisure time ie: your self care time!
Sit out there for a while. Let your eyes rest on the trees, shrubs, and leaves around you. This can apply to those living in apartments as well. If you have a balcony, take a moment to take in the colours and shapes you see. Notice how the sun or rain or wind play upon them.
If you’re bound to an urban setting, add different plants to your space. More than just visually pleasing, some plants can also detoxify the air. From hanging potted plants to a whole living wall, you have many options to bring the outside in.
Your bedroom should be a healthy haven
A bedroom is more than just where you sleep. It’s where you recharge and replenish your energy. “The bedroom is a great place to carve out a little space or altar for yourself,” says Rashia Bell, founder of The Cristalline, a US-based lifestyle service.
So where do you start? With more natural elements! Invest in some clean, sustainable bedding made of natural materials like linen, bamboo, cotton or latex and kapok for your mattress and pillow filling. Aside from air-purifying indoor plants, actual air filters work fantastically to ensure you’re breathing clean air. It’s great for hay fever symptoms which come with warmer weather.
Pro tip: make sure you’re getting a purifier that’s powerful enough to work in your bedroom.
Bedroom lighting is definitely an important factor as well. Natural light can give you a boost in the morning, while darkness can enhance your body’s melatonin release at night. So try blackout curtains and a sunrise alarm clock, the latter of which emits a natural light that’ll help you wake better in the morning.
Carve out a self care spot
We were serious about finding a spot at home just for your self-care. But first, ask yourself what helps you relax. Sophie Ashby, founder of interior design firm Studio Ashby prompts us— “is it by cooking, taking a long bath, reading on the sofa or entertaining friends?
Once you’ve established that, design your space around it.” If what you love is curling up with a good book, look for a comfortable chair you just love. If it’s baking pastries, gift yourself some utensils or a nice cookbook. It is Christmas after all!
A pro tip of ours is to make sure that space is good vibes only. So in your self-care spot, avoid participating in anything potentially negative or stressful when you’re in that area.
Tidying up is self care
Seems intuitive, doesn’t it? But tidying up and creating a well-situated space is a huge component to building self-care design in your home. Clutter and mess physically can create stress mentally. But this doesn’t mean you should try to become a minimalist, we’re just encouraging the use of smart storage solutions.
Pro tip: Look at what’s exposed in your home. Is it knick knacks, dishes or your skincare products. Sometimes, when not organised or arranged properly, they can create the feeling of disorder. Look for clever storage that will cover them up while keeping them in easy access.
Consider the little pleasures
While it can be daunting to think of redesigning your home for self-care, you don’t actually need a total overhaul. There are small changes that can add sparkle to an otherwise everyday routine. A crucial step is to assess which changes bring you joy.
Is it luxurious bed sheets? Is it fresh flowers on the dining table every week that give you a pep in your step? Most humans are influenced by the state of our surroundings, and with the four walls becoming the main surroundings of our day, small changes can make a big difference.
Let your style shine
It’s wonderfully easy to fall into interior design trend traps while browsing Pinterest or Instagram. These images, while beautiful and edgy, can be pitfalls. There may be many different design styles, but your style is entirely yours. So celebrate that by letting your personality shine through your home design.
Your home should be a space for you to express yourself and your aesthetic. Indulging in a trend may eventually create a room that’s inauthentic to you. So whether you love big, bold colours or shy, muted tones, be ‘at home’ at home.
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