Create a Home that supports your lifestyle, and reap the benefits...
We often talk about health and wellbeing in the workplace, but very little is ever spoken about wellbeing in our homes.
Home is where we spend the majority of our time. But if you are spending most of your time there anxious because you can’t find something or you don’t have the space to store things out of the way, the likelihood is it’s actually a very stressful place to be, rather than an escape from life’s complexities.
We all lead busy lives and many of us are looking differently at life in terms of creating experiences rather than collecting objects. The next step is to design and organise our homes to facilitate our desired lifestyles. Our living environments should be a place of peaceful sanctuary; somewhere to escape, to relax, to breathe.
We can create luxurious environments with coordinated colour schemes and sumptuous soft-furnishings, but if your home isn’t supporting your lifestyle, then all the beautiful hues and materials mean nothing.
You need to think about how you want your home to work for you. We’ve worked on many projects where homeowners have amazing properties but with a completely impractical layout. One of our clients owned a beautiful two-storey flat with fantastic views of the London skyline, but much of the flat was unused, unusable and thoughtlessly allocated. The roof terrace had become somewhere to store bikes and the large conservatory was little more than a dumping ground. Our design team got to work and, with the support of the homeowner, were able to realise the potential the flat had to offer. Finally, she had a home totally suited to her and her interests. Read about the transformation here.
Every homeowner can reduce stress and improve mental health by making the better of their home. Do you like outdoor sports? Then you’ll have lots of washing to deal with so think about the location and design of your utility room. Maybe two washing machines would make life easier, for example, or a decent space to dry clothes out of the way of the hub of the home.
Do you have a dog who loves to jump in muddy puddles? Then make sure you have a towel rail or space for a dog bath right by your back door. If you are a keen skier and need to store equipment, think about creating a solution where it’s easy to access, yet safely away so it doesn’t encroach on daily life.
Family homes are busy, but you can easily create quiet corners with a comfy chair and versatile lighting – a go-to place for thinking, relaxing and reflecting. Every home should have one.
After all, home is not just a place, but a feeling. Your home needs to reflect your feelings, your lifestyle and your needs. Make it work for you and reap the benefits to mental health and wellbeing that are sure to follow.
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