Designing a Happy Home: How to Create a Mood-Boosting Interior

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Designing a Happy Home: How to Create a Mood-Boosting Interior

Our homes are where we spend the majority of our time, so it’s hardly surprising that they can have such a powerful influence on how we feel. Nick Acaster, Managing Director at Rugs Direct, shares some tips for creating a mood-boosting home interior that will help you banish the blues.

How do you feel when you come home after a long busy day? Are you relieved to be back in your own private sanctuary? Or how about after spending hours upon hours in your home? Do you continue to feel stressed out and fed up? If it’s the latter, it’s a sure sign that your home is in need of an overhaul. After all, our homes should be places where we can relax and feel good, but that can only happen if we love the way they look. In this article, I’ll share five tips that will help you to design a mood-boosting interior.

Pick Mood-Boosting Colors

Colors can have a huge impact on our mood, with a number of studies suggesting that certain shades can make us feel happy, while others can make us feel down (Psychology Today). So, for a happier home, you’ll want to decorate your living areas using colors that make you feel more energized and cheerful.

Pantone Color of the Year 2021, Illuminating by KOKET mood boosting interior happy home yellow design
Pantone Color of the Year 2021, Illuminating by KOKET

Yellow is often touted as the go-to happiness color, so adding a few pops of mustard or gold to your home can help bring the sunshine indoors. Selected as one of two Pantone Color of the Year 2021, a pop of Illuminating yellow is a sure way to brighten the mood of your space. It’s also thought that vibrant colors, like orange and purple, create a stimulating, energetic environment, which can be great for home offices or other spaces where you want to encourage creativity and action.

For areas of the home where you want to relax and unwind — like bedrooms, for example — then you may want to go for more soothing shades, such as blue. This calming color projects tranquillity and stillness, which is ideal for helping you to switch off before bed. Plus, Classic Blue was chosen as Pantone’s Colour of the Year 2020, meaning it’s every bit as on-trend as it is soothing. Pantone describes the color as a “restful shade” that “offers refuge” — ideal for a space like the bedroom.

mood boosting interior Classic blue interior by Georgeta Varodi featuring KOKET's Prive Bench & Vengeance Table Lamp
Classic blue interior by Georgeta Varodi featuring KOKET’s Prive Bench & Vengeance Table Lamp

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Create a Sense of Comfort Using Soft Textures

There are few things quite as comforting as sinking your feet into a thick, fluffy rug after you’ve been on your feet all day, or cozying up on the sofa with a luxurious throw blanket on a rainy night. Soft, shaggy textures will instantly make your space look more inviting, which in turn makes it easier for us to relax and switch off. So, you should always accessorize your home with some lux throw pillows, rugs, and blankets. If you have stairs at your home, consider adding a custom runnеr rug You can customizе your runnеr rug shape to pеrfеctly fit thе dimеnsions of your stairs, еnsuring a snug and sеcurе fit.  This pеrsonalizеd touch allows you to harmonizе thе ovеrall look of your spacе while prioritizing comfort and safety. These touches are what make a house feel like a home, so don’t be afraid to spend more to get the highest quality textiles money can buy — you can really feel the difference.

Stunning modern and cozy interior by Naira Omar
Stunning modern and cozy interior by Naira Omar

Keep on Top of Clutter

If there’s one thing that can make even a stylish home feel claustrophobic and depressing, it’s clutter. There’s evidence to show that having too much clutter on view can increase stress levels and make it harder to relax — it’s even thought that being surrounded by excess stuff can disrupt our sleep patterns (St. Lawrence University). So, if you think your home is looking a little messy, or you struggle to keep everything tidy, make it a priority to have a good decluttering session.

bedroom by gulla jonsdottir
Interior by Gulla Jonsdottir

Set aside an afternoon and really take the time to sort through your belongings, setting aside any that aren’t serving you anymore. Then, donate, sell, or recycle the stuff you no longer want. Once you’ve had a good clear out, make sure you have enough storage solutions to keep your remaining possessions neat and tidy. Investing in some nice woven baskets and stylish storage ottomans can be a great way to keep everything out of sight and out of mind.

Consider Using the Principles of Feng Shui

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese practice of arranging your home in a way that allows energy (or “qi”) to flow freely through the space, which is believed to create a happy, healthy, and tranquil home. Depending on how you position your furniture, you can design your home to help encourage certain things into your life, like love, wealth, or career success. Key principles include ensuring that there’s always a clear pathway running through each room, never obstructing windows with furniture, and covering TV screens when not in use.

Even if you don’t believe in the more spiritual aspects of feng shui, it can still be a useful set of principles for designing and a balanced and tranquil home. So, if you’d like to make your interiors more orderly and peaceful, it may be worth looking into feng shui and taking some of the key ideas on board when re-designing your interiors.


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Use Lighting to Boost Your Mood

Natural light is hugely important for our mental health and wellbeing. It’s thought to aid the production of serotonin, which influences everything from when we feel hungry, to when we go to sleep and wake up (Heathline). So, if you want to boost your mood, it’s a good idea to try to increase the amount of natural daylight in your home.

Bright and airy bedroom design by NA Architects
Bright and airy bedroom design by NA Architects

There are lots of ways to do this: you could replace a rear wall with large windows, French doors or bi-fold doors, or install roof windows and skylights. If major renovations aren’t an option, you could try swapping heavy curtains for sheer viole versions or add some large mirrors to reflect more natural light into your space. In spaces with little to no natural light, bright daylight bulbs and LED overhead lights in luxurious twinkling light fixtures can be great for mood-boosting your interior.

Interior by KOKET - eternity chandelier - mood boosting lighting
Interior by KOKET

Try taking these mood-boosting interior design tricks on board for a stylish home and a happier, healthier you.