5 ways to bring mindfulness into your home
Create a calming, serene environment that takes away the days stresses with interior designer and co-founder of Owl Design, Simone Gordon’s styling tips for a mindful home
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With so much attention given to the latest fitness crazes and superfood fads, it can be easy to lose focus on our mental wellbeing over our physical. Stress-relieving exercises and practices such as yoga and zen meditation improve our overall health, but the key to sustaining a healthy mind starts with a healthy home.
We asked interior designer and co-founder of Owl Design, Simone Gordon, to reveal her top styling tips to create a living space that soothes the soul and calms the mind.
Appeal to the senses
Image: Simone Gordon
Your surroundings have a huge sub-conscious impact on your emotions and thoughts. Create an environment which is as pleasant as possible. Soft music to calm, fresh flowers for scent, favourite accessories to delight the eye and natural materials which are warm to the touch.
Consider Colours
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When creating a mindful interior colour is a key component to get right. Certain colours, particularly those soft colours found in nature, are more calming. Colour doesn’t just mean paint and wallpaper – natural woods, plants, stone all dictate the colour palette too.
Follow the light
Image: Simone Gordon
Lighting is key to your mood and enabling as much natural lighting into your home can make a world of difference. You also need to consider artificial lighting too and make sure you have the correct lighting in the different areas of your home. For example use daylight bulbs in kitchens and bathrooms and softer lighting on dimmer switches in living and dining areas.
Green Fingers
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Indoor plants are currently very on-trend, not only because they look great but because of the health benefits they bring. Being outside for a few minutes can boost your mood and by bringing them inside some studies have shown that they can reduce stress and help with breathing problems.
Beautiful practicality
Image: Alexandra Gorn on Unsplash
William Morris hit the nail on the head when he said, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
Your home should be filled with objects which bring you joy and are equally as useful to help and not hold you back. Be careful when choosing photos, furniture, etc, as you want to be reminded of calming positive moments and avoid negativity.
Don’t fall into the trap of keeping anything out of guilt such as an unwanted gift given from a family member or friend.