Lifestyle: Simple Ways to Boost the Feeling of Calm in Your Home
Leave your stresses at the door and walk into a space that feels relaxed and soothing with these Zen-like styling tips
Jo Simmons
10 December 2015
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several books on design and numerous features for glossy homes mags over the years. For Houzz, I cover decorating ideas and trends and interview designers and professionals for their insights. My favourite pieces to write, though, are Houzz Tours, as I love exploring and learning about real homes. Call me curious — or nosy!
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several... More
The atmosphere inside a home is hard to define, and yet most places have a ‘feel’ that you become aware of as soon as you step through the front door. It might be positive – the house feels ordered, cheerful, peaceful – or it could be negative, with a messy hallway and poor lighting getting things off to a bad start.
After a busy day out and about, most of us just want to return to a home that feels calm and restful, but how can you pull this off? These 10 simple styling tweaks should soon get things moving in the right direction.
After a busy day out and about, most of us just want to return to a home that feels calm and restful, but how can you pull this off? These 10 simple styling tweaks should soon get things moving in the right direction.
Go fuss free
Trying to keep clutter to a minimum is a good recipe for calm. We’re not talking austere or sterile, and this look does not have to feel super-modernist, either. It’s just about stripping out the disarray in your home so you can live calmly and breathe deeply. Work in lots of texture – think natural materials such as animal hides, woven mats or leather upholstery – so the space feels welcoming, but still airy and restful.
Trying to keep clutter to a minimum is a good recipe for calm. We’re not talking austere or sterile, and this look does not have to feel super-modernist, either. It’s just about stripping out the disarray in your home so you can live calmly and breathe deeply. Work in lots of texture – think natural materials such as animal hides, woven mats or leather upholstery – so the space feels welcoming, but still airy and restful.
Clear your desk
If you work from home some or all of the time, keep your desk tidy. This helps you feel more calm and organised when you sit down to start work each morning and, at the end of the day, helps you to switch off, too.
If you work from home some or all of the time, keep your desk tidy. This helps you feel more calm and organised when you sit down to start work each morning and, at the end of the day, helps you to switch off, too.
Order your clutter
Rather than let your treasured bits and bobs spread out across your home, confine them to a single location. This could be a whole wall of shelving or a small display case. You still get to enjoy them, but the overall effect is much more calm and ordered.
Browse more ways to organise clutter
Rather than let your treasured bits and bobs spread out across your home, confine them to a single location. This could be a whole wall of shelving or a small display case. You still get to enjoy them, but the overall effect is much more calm and ordered.
Browse more ways to organise clutter
Choose soothing shades
Earth tones and soft blues or greys are perfect for creating a chilled-out mood. They have a calming, closeting effect, ensuring your home feels more like a haven. Be brave in at least one room and use the same deep shade for walls and upholstery.
Earth tones and soft blues or greys are perfect for creating a chilled-out mood. They have a calming, closeting effect, ensuring your home feels more like a haven. Be brave in at least one room and use the same deep shade for walls and upholstery.
Go for bright
White is calm, tranquil and timeless and will max the natural light in your home, so it’s just the job if you’re after a more Zen-like feel. Go for a whiteout, or simply use it as the backdrop and introduce pale neutrals and varied textures to keep the look soft, rather than sterile, as seen in this restful bedroom.
White is calm, tranquil and timeless and will max the natural light in your home, so it’s just the job if you’re after a more Zen-like feel. Go for a whiteout, or simply use it as the backdrop and introduce pale neutrals and varied textures to keep the look soft, rather than sterile, as seen in this restful bedroom.
Grow succulents
Plants and flowers bring life and organic colour to your home, which is both enjoyable and beneficial. That said, no one wants to come home to vases full of brown water and wilting flowers and many of us find nurturing houseplants tricky. So why not opt for succulents and cacti instead? Most specimens are hardy and low-maintenance, introducing lots of green without the graft.
Discover more ways to add succulents to your home
Plants and flowers bring life and organic colour to your home, which is both enjoyable and beneficial. That said, no one wants to come home to vases full of brown water and wilting flowers and many of us find nurturing houseplants tricky. So why not opt for succulents and cacti instead? Most specimens are hardy and low-maintenance, introducing lots of green without the graft.
Discover more ways to add succulents to your home
Bring in natural materials
You may live in the centre of a city, but you can keep a connection with the wilder world by adding plenty of natural materials, such as rustic wood and raffia, into your home. The colours, texture and warmth will help keep your space feeling rooted, real and calm, making it a sustaining and nourishing place to live.
You may live in the centre of a city, but you can keep a connection with the wilder world by adding plenty of natural materials, such as rustic wood and raffia, into your home. The colours, texture and warmth will help keep your space feeling rooted, real and calm, making it a sustaining and nourishing place to live.
Hang sheers and voiles
Transparent curtains and floaty voile panels have a light, weightless feel that adds airy elegance to any home. They let all the beautiful daylight in while shielding you from a less than perfect view.
Of course, if your home overlooks a lake or open countryside, you may prefer to enjoy the vista. But if it’s right next to a busy road or lots of neighbours, sheers at your windows may help you feel calm. They can also be more restful than blinds or frosted glass in the bathroom, as seen here.
Find out how to bring nature into your bathroom
Transparent curtains and floaty voile panels have a light, weightless feel that adds airy elegance to any home. They let all the beautiful daylight in while shielding you from a less than perfect view.
Of course, if your home overlooks a lake or open countryside, you may prefer to enjoy the vista. But if it’s right next to a busy road or lots of neighbours, sheers at your windows may help you feel calm. They can also be more restful than blinds or frosted glass in the bathroom, as seen here.
Find out how to bring nature into your bathroom
Light some candles
Softly glowing candlelight makes any room look more beautiful and peaceful, and flickering flames create a relaxing alternative focus to the TV. So light lots of candles and enjoy gazing at them, then see how much more relaxed you feel.
Try these 10 ways to make your home a haven
Softly glowing candlelight makes any room look more beautiful and peaceful, and flickering flames create a relaxing alternative focus to the TV. So light lots of candles and enjoy gazing at them, then see how much more relaxed you feel.
Try these 10 ways to make your home a haven
Coordinate displays
Arrange objects according to their colour or material for a beautifully calm styling moment. Even quite disparate pieces will look harmonious when arranged along style or colour lines. Alternatively, start collecting items of a particular ilk, like these vintage Rimini Blu ceramics by Bitossi.
TELL US…
How do you create a Zen vibe in your home? Share your tips in the Comments below.
Arrange objects according to their colour or material for a beautifully calm styling moment. Even quite disparate pieces will look harmonious when arranged along style or colour lines. Alternatively, start collecting items of a particular ilk, like these vintage Rimini Blu ceramics by Bitossi.
TELL US…
How do you create a Zen vibe in your home? Share your tips in the Comments below.
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How lovely - I feel peaceful just looking at the pictures.
Sorry, guys, but this all looks far too sterile for me. I'm a potter (and poet) and find inspiration from the surrounding bush where I live ... which gets blown into my house every time the door opens. I love tactile, different materials (I did like the baskets underneath the wooden kitchen bench photo). And colour! I love my polished pine floors which are so easy to keep and look great and slate tiles for coolness in summer. But with three pets and a creative lifestyle, my home is always a mess!
I love soft neutral colours and textures, but I would not find animal skins at all welcoming. Love the fake ones though!