Your home should be a sanctuary to promote better well-being and to enjoy moments alone or among family and friends. The time you spend at home should consciously restore you, so it’s essential to cultivate a calming home environment to escape stress.
Whether you carve out an entire room or an available corner, designing a space solely for relaxing will help you to create not only a beautiful home but a home that promotes peace and wellness. Follow the guidelines below to create the perfect at-home relaxation retreat that allows you to manifest your best self and life:
Incorporate plants
Plants and flowers are a natural and cost-effective way to bring the calming effects of nature into your home. They produce fresh oxygen and purify the air by absorbing pollutants, providing a beautiful solution to making a room feel less stuffy. It’s remarkable that some plants, like can help promote healthy sleeping patterns with their calming effects. Jasmine is a great plant to incorporate into a relaxation space, as it reduces anxiety and has a soothing effect on your body and mind.
Add cozy furniture and accents
There’s just something about comfortable seating that completes a room, so picking out pieces that match your taste is a great place to start when designing your relaxing retreat. Since you’ll be lounging in this space often, consider buying furniture with durable and stain resistant fabrics. Choosing easy-to-clean furniture takes the worry out of kicking back and relaxing with your favorite cup of tea or snack, and makes cleaning those accidental spills a breeze.
For added comfort and a simple way to cozy up a room, include textured throw pillows and blankets. Keep the space organized with storage baskets. They are a practical and decorative method to hide items when you aren’t using them.
Choose a neutral color scheme
Colors affect our mind and bodies, so make sure your dedicated relaxing space includes soothing color choices. Shades of blue and green are great for relaxing, as well as neutrals like off-whites, creams and gray. Neutral hues are calming, go with almost all decor and bring in cozy tones to help ease your mind and make any room feel like a relaxing oasis. If you want your relaxation space to feel modern, combine neutral furnishings and color schemes with marble or wood accent tables. Choose a table with storage options for your favorite relaxation items like candles, incense, paint supplies, books, magazines, music and more.
Take advantage of natural lighting
If you can, create your relaxation space near a large window with natural light. Exposing yourself to a natural dose of sunlight will help you feel refreshed and relaxed by regulating your body’s production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your body’s internal clock.
Another positive effect of resting near a window is being exposed to nature. Even if you cannot get outside, it can be healing to look out onto the natural environment. Leave the stressors of your everyday life behind and focus your mind and body in a natural, calming space. If you cannot find or create a space near natural light, opt for warm lighting options like dimmer bulbs in the evenings to relax you and wind down to get ready for sleep.
Unplug from technology
In a world that constantly demands our attention, it’s important to take a break from the feeling you should always be available. Use your relaxation space as an escape from your devices. Try to unplug from your phone, computer and TV altogether, and really center your mind and get some mental distance from the workday.
Arhaus is located at 15 Port Washington Blvd., Roslyn. For more information, call 516-627-5498 or visit www.arhaus.com.
