Designing Wellness
10 Ways Interior Spaces Influence Your Wellbeing
If you ever speak to me about interior design you will know that I am passionate about the impact our surroundings have on our wellbeing and I approach design from a wellness and wellbeing point of view… but what is “Designing Wellness” and how do we go about it?
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, the spaces we inhabit play a crucial role in our overall sense of wellbeing. Whether it’s a cosy and relaxing living room, a calm and tranquil bedroom or an uplifting and inspiring work space, interior design has the power to shape our daily experiences. In this blog, I explore the relationship between interior design and wellbeing and uncover how the spaces we create can enhance our physical and mental health, foster happiness and bring balance to our lives. Here’s 10 ways interior spaces influence your wellbeing:
Appealing colours and textures are the first step towards designing for wellness and wellbeing.
1. Visual Appeal
Let’s start with the obvious! Well-designed spaces with appealing colours, textures and layouts can evoke positive emotions and reduce stress. In short, if you like the room you are in you will naturally feel more relaxed, more comfortable and it will have a positive effect on your mood.
Utilising previously boxed-in space under this staircase added much needed extra space into the hallway, leading to a less cluttered route into and out of the home.
2. Optimising Space
A well-designed interior makes the most of available space which makes daily activities more efficient, reducing frustration. Making a room feel less cramped, or playing with layouts to incorporate an additional bathroom or utility room can have a huge impact on the daily lives of the occupants, transforming the time it takes to get everyone up and ready on a morning, or removing piles of laundry from other parts of the house. Which leads us on to…
3. Organisation
This goes hand in hand with optimising space. Clutter-free, organised spaces reduce visual stress and make it easier for us to focus and relax. So incorporating enough storage, in the right places in a home, can have a huge impact. How much nicer does it feel walking in to a clean and clear hallway as opposed to tripping over shoes and bags? And how many of us feel we can’t relax on an evening whilst there is clutter and mess around us? Streamlining the number of possessions we keep and giving everything a home goes a long way to creating a calmer and happier life.
This design considers storage, organisation and ergonomics as well as visual appeal (illustation).
4. Comfort
Ergonomic furniture (designed to reduce discomfort and support natural posture and movement), appropriate lighting, and climate control all contribute to physical comfort, reducing discomfort and fatigue. This is particularly pertinent in work spaces, where we may be sitting and working for prolonged periods of time, but should always be a huge consideration in any room. It’s clear that if we are uncomfortable, in pain, straining to see, too hot or too cold this is going to impact our overall sense of wellbeing.
5. Nature
Incorporating natural elements such as plants and natural materials like wood, stone, and wool connects people with nature, which has been proven to improve mood and reduce stress. Plants also improve the air quality in our rooms and natural materials can be sustainably sourced and manufactured and are more easily recycled so there are added health and environmental benefits too!
Plants, natural materials and personal effects all add to the comfort and texture of this design (illustration).
6. Personalisation
Spaces that reflect the personality and preferences of their occupants create a sense of belonging and comfort, effectively making it feel like home. Personalising our spaces is vital to making places our own, and connecting us with our histories, loved ones and the things that bring us joy. Incorporating family heirlooms, treasured possessions, photographs and art into a design is what gives a room it’s soul and really creates that sense of home that is so vital to our overall wellbeing.
7. Lighting
A well-designed lighting plan has the power to enhance mood, support circadian rhythms and reduce eye strain. Most rooms require several layers of lighting, to support the different functions of the space at different times and having a versatile lighting plan that enables you to adjust the light to suit your mood or activity is a huge asset to a space and can have an enormous influence on user wellbeing.
The Maggie’s Centre in Yorkshire, designed by Heatherwick Studio, uses soft furnishings, cork tables, smooth curves and layers of light to manage acoustics and create a warm and welcoming space.
8. Acoustics
There are spaces where we want noise to travel and fill the room, such as a concert hall, and there are places where noise needs to be contained and reduced for comfort and privacy reasons, such as in a treatment room. Considering noise and the impact of noise in design is essential to user wellbeing. Unwanted noise can be hugely distracting and irritating, disrupting our ability to relax or sleep as well as inducing anxiety and stress. Controlling noise levels through design elements can create a more peaceful and focussed environment and this can range from structural considerations like adding walls and doors, to simple additions like rugs and soft furnishings to absorb sound.
9. Safety
It almost goes without saying but creating safe environments is paramount and every element within a room should be safe. From the structural integrity of the building, gas, electric and water supplies, to furniture, fixtures and fittings. Well-designed spaces (and reputable trades people) always consider safety and reduce the risk of accidents, enhancing wellness and peace of mind for the occupants. If there is anywhere in your home that you feel is unsafe it should be absolutely top of the list when it comes to home improvement!
10. Social interaction
Social interaction, and human connections have an enormous impact upon our mental health. Spaces designed for social interaction can help to foster connections and reduce feelings of isolation. Think sociable kitchens, where people can cook and chat together, workspaces where colleagues face each other, instead of staring at walls, and welcoming bars, cafes and restaurants. Social spaces bring joy, fulfilment and a sense of belonging to our lives ultimately enhancing our overall wellbeing.
Social Interaction was at the heart of this space, designed by Love Interiors and ADP architecture for the DIY SOS Getaway Girls project, which I assisted on in Leeds in 2022.
In summary, thoughtful interior design can have a profound impact on your physical and mental wellbeing by creating spaces that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional, comfortable, and tailored to individual needs. If you aren’t thinking about wellness and wellbeing when it comes to designing your home isn’t it about time you started?
Kim Heslip is an interior designer and the founder and owner of Nest and Flourish Interiors. Helping families throughout Leeds, York and Harrogate to transform their homes with an emphasis on improving wellbeing and wellness through thoughtful interior design. Kim has a wealth of knowledge around accessible design and is passionate about making beautiful interiors more inclusive.
Click here to book a free, no obligation discovery call to find out how Kim can work with you to help make life-enhancing improvements to your interior spaces.