The Psychology of a Well Designed Home
Imagine walking into a room, looking around it’s a normal living room: Sofa, coffee table, area rug. Yet, there’s a soothing feeling of tranquility paired with enthusiasm that sparks new creativity in your mind.
Whenever we enter a space, the environment makes us feel things, whether it be subconsciously or not, every surrounding has an effect on our psychology.
When I was a kid, I remember going to children’s museums and the second I saw the colorful array of shapes and textures my heart burst with excitement and my imagination went wild. As adults we understand that we want our kids rooms to be fun and playful in order to spark creativity and joy; however, we don’t have that intentionality with our own spaces and homes.
In order for survival, humans have always had an acute sensitivity to their surroundings. Taking it a step further, our environment can dictate our overall health by causing or reducing stress. As neuroscientist Candice Pert puts it, "What you are thinking at any moment is changing your biochemistry.” If this is the case, shouldn’t we put more clout in how we are designing our homes?
There are three main areas that one should consider when designing their home:
Light
Research studies over the years have revealed that rooms with bright light, both natural and artificial, can improve health outcomes such as depression, agitation, and sleep.
Bad lighting can not only effect us psychologically, it can also make or break the interior design of a room. The most well designed home has failed if it is not lit properly. Of course we all wish that we can have the large picturesque “glass wall” windows in our home letting in all that natural light, but alas we all have our burdens to bear. However, regardless of the size of your windows, adequate artificial lighting is essential in a home due to the lack of natural lighting during the change in seasons.
AMY BARTLAM ; DESIGN: COURTNEY NYE
Sure, some of us want the moody and broody lighting in their space; however, keep in mind that you can always turn off lights to achieve that feeling. You never want to be caught wishing you had more light than available.
2. Comfort
Comfort both visually and physically is exceedingly important. How many of us have been to a friends house that looks pretty, but the second you sit down your back and booty are screaming at you to stand back up? Comfort versus aesthetics should not be mutually exclusive. There is a happy line we need to walk when selecting our furniture and soft goods between comfort and beauty - never abandon one to satisfy the other.
3. Noise
Last, yet most important “noise” is key when designing your home. There are many definitions that I attribute to this word to mean different things in your space, they are: sound, clutter, and visual discord.
Having hard surfaces in a home is wonderful. It provides a sense of luxury, reflects light and has the added bonus of an easy clean up. However, it can also be a recipe for “echo city”. Theres nothing worse than hearing the echo of someone peeing in the bathroom down the hall. In order to mitigate this effect, soft goods are essential. They may seem like an “extra” that you might not need, but I assure you, you and your guests will be infinitely more comfortable with the addition. When considering your soft goods, always start with the ground up (i.e. area rugs, then pillows then drapery).
MONICA WANG PHOTOGRAPHY DESIGN: KATIE HODGES DESIGN
Clutter also falls under the category of noise in a space that can effect us psychologically. A cluttered space evokes a cluttered life. Of course we all know we like a clean house, but that is not what I am referring to. My meaning lies with that of one’s styling in their home. I don’t know who needs to hear this, but you don’t need another framed photo on your dresser. As we live our lives, we naturally begin to accumulate stuff; whether it be that 100th framed photo or your 10th porcelain cat, the lesson to be learned is editing. I’ll do another blog post on accessorizing and styling in the future, but cluttered accessorizing and over filled surfaces is the biggest problem I run into with clients as a designer. Cluttered surfaces can make home owners and guests feel on edge and stressed, even if there is well intention behind it. Lesson: take one item off after accessorizing a surface - editing is the key.
Simple and few dynamic accessories.
Visual discord is the last attribute attached to the noise element in terms of consideration when designing your home. There are many avenues in which this topic could be discussed in relation to interior design; however, I will focus on the key component of color psychology and color scheme.
Color has been used in the context of therapy for a long time, so why not use it as such in our own homes? For instance blue evokes a sense of calmness and serenity, which makes it a popular choice for bedrooms and businesses such as spas. That being said, it is also one of the least appetizing colors, so it is not recommended for kitchens (unless you’re trying to lose that baby fat thats been sticking around for the last 30 years). Red evokes strong emotions, both positive and negative; therefore, I usually try and steer clients away from this color with the exception of a few bedrooms here and there for newly weds *cough*.
That all being said, consider your life, your day to day and what you need from your space when you come home and make your color decisions accordingly. HOWEVER, do not design room to room, make sure there is a cohesion throughout your whole house. Pick a color scheme and stick to it! Avoid the pit fall of having a room that looks like it belongs in a different house. Yes, we want each color we choose to do what we need it to psychologically, but it is also important to have a harmonious house.
Perfect example of a scheme that can be carried throughout your whole home.
Of course we all want our homes to look “on trend” and be personal to ourselves, but consider these elements of light comfort and noise when designing your space. So march forward and design confidently with your mental health at the forefront of your mind!