The environment that surrounds us day in and day out has a tremendous impact on our health and overall well-being.  Just try to imagine yourself in an elegant house with large windows and a direct view of the beach and the ocean. You’re laying on a comfy sofa and smooth jazz plays in the background. Did you feel instantly relaxed and soothed? 

Well, not everyone wants front beach property or likes jazz, but you get the idea. The elements and items that surround us can invite relaxation and good feelings or they can add to the overall stress and anxiety. 

Therefore, we asked the talented people at Living Cozy to give us a few interior design tips so that everyone can create the best home environment for themselves and their families. 

Increase the Lighting

Human beings need light to develop and grow because our brain uses the amount of light in the surrounding environment to decide whether it’s time to be active or it’s time to go to sleep. Therefore, we need exposure to light during the day (preferably sunlight) and access to the appropriate amount of artificial lighting in the evening, until it’s time to go to bed. 

A well-balanced artificial lighting scheme should contain several different types of lights such as task (an office lamp), ambient, and decorative. This way, you can work or do your tasks but also enjoy a pleasant environment.

Quick tip: In order to sleep well (which is crucial for your well-being), you have to reduce exposure to blue light emitted by electronic devices (TVs, smartphones, tablets, and so on). Here are a few tips for high-quality sleep, in case you keep waking up tired. 

Invite Nature Inside

Nowadays, most people in the urban areas live a life severed from nature. If we’re busy, we also cut the time spent in parks or going on hikes, which has a visible impact on our well-being. So, if you often find yourself out of nature’s reach, bring it inside via potted plants. 

If you’re not familiar with caring for indoor plants, start with succulents (like a cactus plant) since these don’t need a lot of maintenance. As you get accustomed to the idea, add more green plants to your collection. 

Quick tip: If you really can’t keep a plant alive, there are lots of gorgeous arrangements with dried plants, branches, and even moss. 

Get Things That Spark Joy

We all have that odd piece of furniture (or kitchenware, or anything else) we found interesting and joyful but didn’t buy because it would’ve been out of place at home. However, when you’re down and feeling blue, these are the things that can warm the heart and jolt the brain into producing some feel-good hormones. 

So buy that chair and get that odd mug everyone thought it was ugly but you loved it. Get the weirdly colored objects and display them proudly, for everyone to see. Even if you don’t live alone, you need to have a space you can make your own.

Embrace Colors

Some people associate elegance with all-white designs or try to create a black and white design to maintain a perfect balance between elements. While these arrangements can be great for a magazine cover, they rarely inspire warmth and joy in a normal home. 

So don’t be afraid to express yourself with color! Paint your walls bright orange or dark indigo and throw a red couch in the mix, to see how it fits. While this may be a bit of an exaggeration, the idea is to allow yourself to discover the colors that bring joy and spark creativity and ingenuity. 

Overall, a home where you feel relaxed and you are surrounded by the things you like and the people and pets you love is the perfect way to make sure your wellbeing is at its best standards.