Clara Bullock
Your home is your sanctuary; the place where you feel safest and can relax after a long, stressful day at work. But how you decorate your home can influence the way you feel: Research shows that too much clutter can increase your stress hormones. If you come home to a mess, you feel demotivated and cannot relax properly. Your mood can also be influenced by how much light comes into your apartment, the colors of your home and the amount of open space you have. This is where minimalist interior design comes in: By focusing on calm, organized and open spaces, minimalism aims to make homes more relaxing and create a calm environment. Here are just a few ways of how minimalism can improve your living situation:
It sounds only logical: the fewer knick-knacks and clutter you accumulate, the less you have to clean up. This means less stress when you walk in the door. Of course, some knick-knacks might have an important memory attached to it or make your space look and feel more like home. However, less is always more when it comes to cluttering your home. You might want to try the Mari Kondo method when choosing which items to keep: Hold them for a minute and see if they spark joy in you. If you don’t believe in that stuff, just go with your instincts.
A simple, minimalistic design can make you feel calm and relaxed. Studies show that our brain reacts positively to symmetry and creating a balance in your interior design can actually make you happier. Minimalist interior design usually focuses on just that: Symmetry and balance. Placing matching bedside tables on either end of your bed or using plants to balance a room might seem silly but can improve your mood and help you feel relaxed as soon as you walk through the door.
It is no secret that dark interiors will make you feel gloomy, whereas light, spacious rooms make your home feel inviting and open. Minimalism focuses on light, open rooms that will lift your mood considerably. Colors are usually kept simple and light, focusing on shades of white or grey. If you want to add some color to your minimalistic interior, try to accentuate it in the small details, like a blue picture on the wall that matches your blue bed sheets. These neutral, simplistic colors will help you feel calm and take in the room as a whole, without being distracted by dashes of color.
Finally, the open, decluttered spaces of minimalistic interior design will give you room to relax after a long day. Coming home should be about making space for yourself and your needs. The airy feeling of your open, inviting home will help you focus on yourself and give you the space you need.