We all know that having things doesn’t equate happiness, but studies show that your surroundings DO have a dramatic effect on your well-being. Here are 5 ways to get more smiles at home.
Soften the edges.
Our brains are wired to avoid risks. Hard edges and surfaces warn our brain away, to reduce the chance of a hard knock. Give your brain the cue to relax by balancing hardness with plushness, straight edges with rounded forms.
photo courtesy Alex Proba
image by Woonwinkel
photo by Woonwinkel
Add light.
Light affects our cycles of waking and sleeping, our moods and our productivity. Add reflective surfaces in small or dark rooms and you’ll dramatically increase the light and add a feeling of expansiveness. Mirrors are especially helpful because humans like seeing their reflections. It's not a vanity thing--it stems from a basic need to connect and achieve a sense of self.
photo courtesy Ferm Living
image by Woonwinkel
Add life.
There are physical benefits to having real live plants around (more oxygen), but if you don’t have a green thumb, even a bowl of fruit is a sign of abundant life that satisfies our human brain’s drive for “plenty”. Keep a bowl of fruit on the table as a visual cue, but also as a way to add beautiful color and encourage healthy eating, too.
photo courtesy @foodiesnitch
image courtesy Ferm Living
Use pattern.
You can give your brain a similar feeling when you decorate with pattern. Repetition in patterns tells our brains that there’s lots of something—and that helps satisfy that primal need for abundance. But the repetition of visual elements within a pattern also brings a sense of order.
image by Woonwinkel
photo courtesy Areaware
Play with color.
This one's our specialty. Color is an immensely powerful tool for affecting mood. Color comes to our eye through various wavelengths of energy. Short wavelengths tend to be calming and soothing (violets, blues, greens), while longer wavelengths tend to be energizing (yellows, oranges, reds). But within any color there are ways to produce a mood effect you want. Add white to a color to get a calming pastel. Tone down the saturation (intensity) of a color to feel grounded. Use colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel to add energy, and colors near each other on the color wheel to feel harmony.
photo by Woonwinkel
Studies show a link between viewing art and improved mood, so if playing with color in a whole room sounds daunting, start smaller. Affordable art can include a colorful school project, a digital print, a small original painting by an artist, or even a build-your-own beetle you can send scurrying up your wall.
photo courtesy Meow Wolf
photo courtesy Studio Roof
Cue your brain's pleasure center at home. Go big or go small. Save up and invest in a large piece, or go low-cost and DIY. The time you take to add joyful aesthetics to your home will pay dividends for your well-being.