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Interior Design: Focus on Health and Sustainability
The study of environmental psychology has a long history, dating back to ancient China and India and it has always strived to emphasize the inextricable bond between people and elements of nature. In modern times, the idea is still present and further aided by research in neuroscience and psychology. The results undeniably show that various natural elements have the power to cause positive and negative feelings in people so interior design uses them to create a favorable, healthy environment and trigger desired emotional responses. If you want to live in a home that is healthy, comfortable and inspiring, here are several useful tips.
Impact of interior design
From a spacial point of view, interior design has a great impact on how we feel and it can make you feel trapped and confined, or light and liberated. Very often, details and elements we don’t regard as important can strongly impact our mood. As IED Forward’s online course in the creative process in product design explains, each product designer follows a series of steps in their creative process that serve to develop an idea, shape it and turn it into a product that responds to the needs of the user and that is successful in the market.
Other factors that are also influential are indoor air quality, space arrangement, free flow throughout the house, amount of natural light and safety. Sustainable home solutions can also have a positive impact on the neighborhood you live in.
Functionality of rooms
In addition to ceiling height, the purpose and functionality of rooms also have an impact on our emotions. For instance, a common rule of interior design is not to place a TV set in a bedroom as it can be a disturbing factor that keeps your brain active and awake instead of it being a room that evokes serenity. With that in mind, the bedroom should be free of digital distractions, strong colours, busy design patterns and clutter.
What is important is to give each room a clear and specific function first and then use the power of creativity and design that follows that principle and adapts to it. Therefore, vibrant and stimulating design elements can be incorporated in home offices and kids’ playrooms where it’s desirable for your brain to be active and productive.
Benefits of green design
A home is everyone’s safe haven and with the help of eco-friendly design, you can avoid making mistakes that will have a negative impact on your the health. Firstly, avoid painting your walls with paints that contain VOCs as they emit toxic gasses that harm your lungs and eyes. It’s recommendable your repaint your home every couple of years in order to maintain the cleanliness of your home and high indoor air quality.
In addition, boosting the energy efficiency of your home is another sure way towards a greener life. Reducing your energy consumption by switching to efficient lighting, Energy Star appliances and using natural and organic materials will greatly improve the sustainability of your home and lower your carbon footprint.
Decluttering brings peace of mind
Regardless of the room, be it your living room, bedroom, home office or closet, clutter and mess will definitely have a negative impact on your ability to focus and be productive. Physical clutter commonly leads to mental clutter and that’s much more difficult to deal with. On the other hand, decluttering your home is quite easy with the use of multi-purpose furniture with hidden storage, a good system of organisation and categorizing and by regularly donating your things to charity.
Personalizing the space
Making your home reflect your personal style and preferences can greatly help in laying the basis of a happy life. In addition to choosing mood-enhancing color for the interior and including ornaments and pieces dear to you, you can achieve this by incorporating natural materials like reclaimed wood, stone, bamboo, cotton and wool, allowing a lot of natural light to come in, using soft fabrics of different textures and introducing greenery and plants that will boost your mood and purify the air.
Hopefully, these design tips will help you design your own comfortable home and a healthy oasis.
