Did you know that the status of your home’s appearance can influence how happy (or unhappy) you are? According to a survey conducted by the home design site, Houzz, it was noted that 9 out of 10 homeowners (87%) felt their home design impacted their overall happiness. Furthermore, only 51% of those describing their home as being “in need of work” reported feeling happy at home.
Does this mean you can’t manage to find true happiness if your home never looks exactly how you want it? Of course not. Does it mean that if you do want to make changes you’ll have to invest heavily in the updates? Again, no. What you can do, however, is give your home— and as a result, yourself— a little pick-me-up by incorporating some small and simple changes. Let’s take a look at some ways you can make your home a happier and more inviting space.
1. Mix things up.
There’s no reason everything in your home has to match unless you want it to. Feel free to add interest by mixing pieces from different cultures and periods, or create intrigue by mixing humble and fine materials within rooms. The ultimate goal is to have a room “coordinate” not “match” — and rooms that coordinate have varied textures, prints, materials, and tones that work together and appear balanced and cohesive. Be selective with your choices, carefully piecing together furnishings and decor that work together. By far, a room that looks collected over time will be a lot more stylish than a room that looks like it was purchased as a set from a store catalog.
2. Decorate with things you love.
Sometimes, we can make decorating our home more difficult than it needs to be, but if we remember to decorate with things we really love, it’ll all come together. Find accessories that speak to you or make you feel blissful and use them in your decorating. Use colors that put a smile on your face and bring you the peaceful feeling you should have when at home. And don’t forget the whimsy! Putting fun items in unexpected places keeps the house from becoming boring and predictable.
3. Stick with curvy and neutral furniture.
There are many beautiful furniture pieces with sleek lines, but if you want the place to feel extra inviting, purchase pieces that have curves. Simply put, curvy furniture will soften the room. In regards to color, color is good, but save it for the accents and accessories rather than seating. Bold or busy patterned seating often weighs a room down whereas neutral-colored seating lightens it.
4. Make colorful statements in small areas.
Entryways, half baths, and guest rooms are a few examples of small areas in need of a bold, colorful statement. Spaces such as these can go unnoticed unless you add a punch of drama. What colors may work best for making a statement that also brings joy? Green and yellow of course! In fact, out of the entire rainbow, a study from Vrije University in Amsterdam found that these two hues evoked the most feelings of happiness. What better colors then, to use somewhere in your home? Since both can be pretty bold, there’s no need to go full-on with either, unless you really want to, that is.
5. Add texture for extra smiles.
Texture, whether seen or touched, has a way of bringing a smile to our faces. Incorporate feel-good textures like a luxurious throw on the arm of the couch, a seagrass rug on the floor, or your favorite flowers done up in beautiful arrangements.
Speaking of flowers…did you know that pretty posies are one of the easiest ways to trigger happy emotions? In fact, science says so!
6. Go for a whiteout.
Color is quite popular these days. So much in fact, that it has caused many of us to forget just how powerful the color white can be. More than any other color, white produces this incredible energy because of the light it reflects. Furthermore, it gives you a blank canvas for unexpected pops of color to really standout and make a powerful statement.
7. Display personal photos.
Sometimes, all we need to increase positive feelings and instill a sense of calmness is to surround ourselves with the people we cherish the most. So it’s not surprising that one easy way to boost your happy feelings in your home is by displaying personal photos that bring you joy. Whether you create a gallery wall or simply display random pictures on the flat surfaces of your home, personal photos are a wonderfully visual way to stimulate happiness.
Your Home, Your Happiness
Breaking the decorating “rules” can be liberating, so be sure that you decorate your home with your happiness in mind. Stick with what makes you feel good and you’ll be sure to have a place that makes you happy.
When you are looking for ways to boost the happiness in your home, stop by our Cutting Corners showroom for great deals on discount designer fabrics and stylish accessories. You will find something for every home interior project from gorgeous drapery fabrics to lightweight cottons and luxurious Dupioni Silks– all of which, can leave you feeling very happy.
