Wellness and interior design are interconnected in more ways than you might think. The design of our living and working spaces can significantly impact our physical health and mental wellbeing. I recently wrote a piece about holistic wellbeing and the 8 pillars of wellness. Our environment was one of those pillars. By creating environments that promote relaxation, comfort, and balance, interior design can contribute to enhancing our wellness. I sat down with Kat, founder of interior design studio Casa Arana, to find out how we can use design to promote wellbeing in our homes.
Emma: Hey Kat, it’s so lovely to sit down with you and talk about our two passions of design and wellness in the same conversation. How do you think the two are connected?
Kat: Hey Emma, I know so glad we can do this! So people often don't understand how much their environment affects them, until they go to specific areas for relaxation and wellness such as yoga. studios, retreats and spas. They instantly feel calmer and relaxed as these places are designed to make you feel that way. It makes you realise just how relaxing an environment can be, and how design plays a huge role in how well you feel. People can change their home very easily through design and change the way their home makes them feel. You should be super intentional when designing and furnishing your home, with your end goal in mind of how you want your space to make you feel.
Emma: That’s so true, we escape our homes to go to relaxing spaces, but don’t always consider that we could try and incorporate more of this into our homes.
Kat: Exactly! Think about any space, like a gym, an afternoon tea in a fancy restaurant, a co-working space like the one we’re in today - they all make you feel a certain way, evoke a certain feeling or emotion. People can do the same with their homes.
Emma: Yes definitely, I’ve never really thought about how much spaces evoke certain emotions and feelings in me, but the environment does play such a huge role. So where should someone start?
Kat: There’s a few really simple things people can do to start creating a more calming space. Firstly begin decluttering and stop hoarding! The process of organising and simplifying our physical spaces can bring clarity to our minds, reduce stress, and create a more peaceful and harmonious environment. Start with clearing out the dusty cupboards that you barely use, clothes you haven’t worn in years and shelves that are busy with unnecessary things. Cleanse your personal space in the same way you would your mind and body.
Emma: Why is clutter so bad for our mental wellbeing?
Kat: Physical clutter often translates into mental clutter. When our surroundings are disorganised and cluttered, it can be overwhelming and create a sense of chaos in our minds. It can be a significant source of stress as it adds visual noise and can make it difficult to find things when we need it. The constant reminder of unfinished tasks or untidy spaces can increase anxiety and make it challenging to relax. I could go on, but decluttered spaces promote a sense of calm and contentment, so it really does help to make this a focus.
Emma: I’m sold, I’m going to be clearing out some old stuff now! So what other simple things can people do to promote wellbeing in their homes?
Kat: Colour is another perhaps obvious one. There’s a lot of psychology behind colour but I say be brave to go for the colours that make you personally feel something. If you have a colour in mind that you love and evokes good feelings in you then you will love your home. Of course if you want to you can research colour theory/colour psychology, but if you’re not going for an intentional feeling go for how a colour makes YOU feel. There is no right answer. If you don’t want to paint the walls you can implement colour into furniture and accessories. Perhaps a statement piece that you really love.
Emma: Okay great! Anything else?
Kat: Fabrics!! Bed linen and towels are a really easy way to give you that relaxing feel like you would in a hotel. People often go to hotels/spas as a treat to feel pampered but they forget that a lot of this is so easy to recreate at home. Invest in good fabrics to recreate that luxurious/relaxing feeling.
Emma: Yes I agree, it’s so simple but these things really do make a difference to how you feel at home. Especially how you feel when you get into bed.
Kat: Absolutely! The bedroom is perhaps the room I would say should be the priority. Invest in this room, it should be your sanctuary.
Emma: So other than good quality bed linen how else could someone create that sanctuary feeling?
Kat: There’s a few things I’d suggest. Lighting should be warm, no white lights! Also if you can, change to dimmable lighting so you can adjust it to suit your mood. Also choose lamp shades with soft textures. A nice feature headboard that feels plushy can evoke that feeling of luxury. I’d also really recommend adding calming scents to the bedroom, such as an oil diffuser with essential oils.
Emma: Okay so we’ve covered bedrooms which tend to be quite a personal space. How can design promote social wellbeing in the rest of the home?
Kat: Layout is important - establishing zones and putting furniture in place that identifies that zone. For example, arrange loose sitting furniture like low armchairs and oversized beanbags in small clusters that naturally create a zone/hub. People will always gravitate to where the seating is. These are informative visual cues of what a space is for. If you have an open plan space you can use carpets/rugs for creating zones. The dining table can sometimes seem like a bit of an old-fashioned concept, and today is often used as an office desk amongst other things (not for dining). But it can be an inviting space for family and friends to sit together without making it too formal. Add table runners/ place mats to remind you that it is a dining table and should be used as one. Dress the table with candles and flowers. And if you are using your dining table as an office desk, ensure everything gets put away at the end of the day like you would in an office and set it up for dinner. Intentional design can help promote healthier habits.
Emma: I do think it’s a shame that dining tables are rarely used as such. I know I’m guilty of it! But by making it an inviting space I can see how I could change that. So any other quick design tips to promote wellbeing at home?
Kat: We could go on for hours but I’d also just like to add a few last things. Textures can be used to help bring the outside in, such as natural materials, textured wallpapers or accessories that mimic textures in the natural world. Limewash or plastered walls are also very in right now! If you’re not a fan of indoor plants then you can still create that natural outdoorsy feel.
Emma: Yes, I love a limewash wall and have used this in my bedroom to create that spanish villa feel! What advice would you like to leave someone with if they are about to embark on an interior design project or are thinking about switching it up in their home?
Kat: The one thing I would say is before making any big purchases or painting walls, be really intentional with what you want to achieve for your home and think about how you can make your space work for you. What feelings do you want to evoke? Of course, there are interior designers to help you with that if you get stuck…
Emma: Yes! Which leads me on to my final question. How can people work with you and what services do you offer?
Kat: People can often feel reluctant to work with an interior designer due to cost barriers or not being 100% sure on what services they actually need. I want to make interior design more accessible to everyone through offering online consultations with a variety of different packages depending on how much interior support someone wants. I have compartmentalised the entire range of services so that people can cherry pick the services they want. If you just want styling without all the technical drawings then we can do that too! Some people might see interior designers as a luxury, but if we’re looking at it through the eyes of promoting wellbeing then why would you not invest in design in the same way you would a personal trainer or therapist?
Emma: Yes I really agree. I think we need to start paying more attention to how our homes make us feel, especially as we spend so much time there! It’s an investment worth making. Thanks so much for sharing your wisdom Kat. Where can people find you if they are interested in finding out more?
Kat: Thanks Emma! My Instagram is @hellocasaarana and website www.casaaranahome.com :)
Comments