Creating a Brighter, Friendlier Home
Your environment has a huge impact on your mood, so it’s important to create a home space that is beneficial to your well-being. Your home should be your castle and your sanctuary, a place where you can be you, and where you are uplifted and rejuvenated for every day. Unfortunately, many people either clutter up their living space, or have a utilitarian approach to decorating, as if they were afraid to burst into expression. If you are living in a drab apartment or run-down house and wonder why you feel down or have low energy, consider these simple ways to revive the atmosphere at home.
Bright Walls
Painting your walls brightly or having a boldly coloured feature wall is a dramatic way to instantly lift the mood of any space. This works especially well for rooms with no windows, making the space seem bigger and brighter. If you do the painting yourself you can save quite a bit of money, but you should only attempt to paint your own place if you know what you’re doing.
Flowers are a great way to make any place more cheerful, friendly and bright, adding instant vitality and happiness to the room. Scatter vases around the room or, better yet, have potted flowering plants. Potted plants last longer and are easier to move around so you can readily change the look of your room as well as create seasonal or holiday themes. Many florists are happy to work with you to determine the right flower and plant mix for your home, so drop into your local florist for a chat.
Inviting Furniture
Having furniture in a room that says “sit on me; stay and enjoy yourself” is a subtle method of communication; a silent but enduring welcome. Armchairs, comfortable couches, beanbag chairs, cushions and love seats are some fantastic examples of inviting furniture. If you are on a tight budget, get a colourful blanket or throw and drape that over your chairs or tables for a quick and inexpensive way to change the mood of your furniture.
Lighting
If you’ve got big bright windows, you are in luck, as there is nothing more cheerful and healthy than natural sunlight. It does tend to fade the colours of your walls and furniture though, so if you’ve got a bright sunny room, choose light colours for your walls and furniture. If your home has few or small windows, investing in some well-placed lamps can lighten up a dark room. If your home has dim hallways or corners, illuminate them with a wall sconce or floor lamp.
Space
If you crowd your home with a lot of stuff, it will only make it seem cramped and unfriendly, yet a too sparsely furnished room can seem empty and cold. It is best to decorate your home in moderation, though where you draw the line of moderation is entirely up to you!
