Your home is your refuge, a place where you can feel safe and relaxed when life gets overwhelming. Calming decorating ideas foster that sense of peace and have a huge impact on how you feel in a space. A well-designed environment filled with your favorite items can be calming and reduce stress, but a cluttered room can be counterproductive to your mood and mental health. We asked her favorite home decor designer for tips on turning your home into a personal sanctuary. These decorating ideas will help you create a stress-free oasis that you can enjoy every day.
Start with a neutral palette
Calm, neutral tones are easier on the eyes than bright colors. “While we definitely love decorating with color because it's fun and exciting, we believe that neutral spaces foster the most peaceful, sanctuary-like atmosphere,” says Karin Bourne, founder and creative director of House of Bourne. ”
When decorating in white or light-toned neutrals (like cream, off-white, or taupe), use plenty of texture to create interest. Flat white walls and smooth white furniture are a calming interior idea, but they quickly dissolve into boringness, so try layering them with different fabrics and subtle patterns. Add warm shades like gold, pale tan, and faded yellow to keep white from looking too bland.
Create color clusters
To add a sense of well-being and positivity, add some brightly colored accessories like pillows (like these Better Homes & Gardens Blue Velvet Blooms Throw Pillows, $19, Walmart) and throws, says Hackett Interiors. Suggested by Meghan Hackett-Cassidy and Erin Hackett. Pottery in your favorite colors, vibrant artwork, jewel-colored vases, and other items with strong colors can help draw the eye and focus the mind.
Maximize its comforting effect by gathering your favorite accessories to create a focal point. That way, you can enjoy the collective joy of the items every time you pass by. Be sure to choose a location where you'll see it every day, like a fireplace mantel or a console table in the entryway.
Maximize the charm of your fireplace
There is no need to light a fireplace to create a comfortable atmosphere. To maximize its relaxing appeal, focus on the entire hearth area. Create a cozy vignette by adding cozy decor ideas to the surrounding walls and the floor in front of the fireplace.
When not in use, brighten the firebox with a decorative screen, bundles of birch branches, or an arrangement of pillar candles. Otherwise, a dark and empty area can detract from the calming effect of the room.
warm with candles
The soft light of candles is a soothing decorating idea for any space, so use them liberally throughout your home. “I like to light candles in the kitchen and living room in the morning and let them burn until the evening,” says Jade Joyner, co-founder, lead designer, and chief creative officer at Metal + Petal. “It creates a calming atmosphere while adding a little luxury to everyday life.”
Make sure you have enough candles (tapered, pillared, or votive) and a few favorite candle holders for when you need them. Be sure to blow it out when you are not at home or when you go to bed.
work with light
Utilize different types of lighting in every room (natural light, ambient lighting, task lighting, etc.). “Illuminating a room is an easy way to make a space feel more inviting and put together,” says Sarah Barney, co-founder and principal designer at BANDD DESIGN. “Consider adding wall sconces, floor lamps, desk lamps, or pendants to bring more light into dark spaces in your home.”
During the day, make the most of natural light by closing the blinds and enjoying the sunlight streaming in. And in the evening, use light bulbs that emit a gentle, warm glow to create a lighting scheme that's as inviting as natural light.
smell the air
Pleasant scents are one of the easiest soothing decorating ideas to create an environment of relaxation and well-being. Interior designer Darla Bankston May lights her favorite scented candles (Better Homes & Gardens Salted Coconut & Mahogany Bell Jar Candle, $13, Walmart) to add fragrant fresh flowers to the rooms she uses most often. I suggest placing it.
Or, try turning on an essential oil diffuser to fill your room with a unique scent blend. “Eucalyptus, geranium, and chamomile are some of my favorites, and they bring a soothing, spa-like feel to any room,” says Caitlin Murray, founder and creative director of Black Lacquer Design .
View family photos
Display framed photos to create a soothing home decor idea that brings back memories of fun places you've been, like a trip to the beach or a beautiful family wedding. “Being surrounded by happy memories and loved faces is a great way to add warmth to a space,” says interior designer Abbe Fenimore. She can keep an image of her loved one somewhere she can see it every day, or store the photos in an easily accessible album or box.
embrace the outdoors
A bouquet of flowers, an arrangement of branches, or some houseplants can all bring a breath of fresh air to the room. “It could be as simple as collecting a bunch of branches from a tree in your backyard and placing them in a vase,” says designer Linda Isles. Ailes suggests creating an easy spa-inspired centerpiece by filling a wide, shallow bowl halfway with water and floating your favorite flowers on top.
If you're worried about wilted petals or neglected plants, opt for dried flowers or hearty houseplants, and enjoy fresh flowers on special occasions.
Emphasize perspective on nature
If you have a great view from your windows, highlight your natural portrait by choosing smart window treatments. By layering treatments, you can create a style that suits the day. For example, you can raise the shades to block your view if you need privacy, or raise them to emphasize your view. The balance of the shades keeps the windows from looking too drab, and the side curtains add softness.
soften with textiles
Layer cozy textiles like cable knit, velvet, and suede for cozy interior ideas that give your interior a relaxed look and feel. Curtains that collect on the floor, loose covers, and plenty of pillows bring a sense of peace to the room. These accents are easy (and relatively inexpensive) to replace on a whim. “Rugs, cushions, and blankets wear out over time, so making a concerted effort to replace them all at once can refine a space, make it feel cohesive, and send a signal of contentment to your brain. ” said Murray. For pillows, choose different shapes and sizes and move them around regularly.
Redo a room with simple changes
Sometimes, simple repetition can create tension. A quick refresh of your space is all you need to maximize your comfort level. Keep your approach simple yet fresh by changing the look of your room depending on the season. Make your room more inviting by dressing up your chairs with covers, rearranging your furniture, and adding seasonal decor.
relieve stress
Make your bathroom cater to both practical and luxurious needs. Create a spa-like atmosphere with simple, soothing decor ideas like stacking fluffy towels and a few candles, and use the space to de-stress in the bath. “Put away your kids' toys, pick up your favorite book, make your bathroom your own again, and enjoy some quiet solitude,” says Kate Lester Interiors, Creative Director and CEO of Kate Lester Interiors. One Kate Lester suggests. Warm tones, soft lighting, and soothing music enhance the experience.
Create a relaxing bedroom
Improve the quality of your sleep (and the quality of your waking hours) by making your bedroom your sanctuary. “After a long day, there's nothing more comforting than wrapping up in fresh, clean, high-thread-count sheets,” says Lester. “Invest in a set and you'll feel like you're relaxing in your favorite luxury hotel every night.”
Extend your calming benefits beyond your bed by keeping only the essentials within reach. Decorate your walls with calming colors and add only artwork that makes you smile. Cover your floor with a rug or carpet that feels most comfortable for bare feet.
sort out the mess
Chaos breeds anxiety, so think about getting organized in preparation for calm to arrive. “I'm a strong believer that spaces with lots of decorations, or just disorganized spaces, create visual tension and physical stress,” says Vaughn. If your space is overflowing with stuff, start your path to organization by focusing on a single space, such as where you enter your home. Invite the whole family to help clean up the clutter, starting at the front door.
Once you clear the clutter in one room, shift your focus to the next space. “Organize your living room by adding extra-large baskets in corners to hold blankets and toys,” suggests Fenimore. “Decluttering your clutter can not only give you a sense of satisfaction, but it can also add a little more space to your room.”
create a comfort zone
Bankston May suggests designating a spot in your home where relaxing is the main purpose. Customize it for your chosen activity: reading, listening to music, meditating. “Move a comfortable chair to an area of your home that has natural light or a favorite view,” she says. Place barriers between you and distractions, such as screens, to block unwanted views and direct pedestrian traffic away from the area.
You don't need to reserve the entire room. Choose a location that is outside of the main flow of household chores. “All you need is a comfortable chair, a floor lamp, and a side table for your teacups,” says Iles. “Everyone needs a place to get away from it all.”