Design Secrets you can try NOW to change your mood in the apartment
Did you ever
step into a room and suddenly felt anxious, angry, sad, or not in the mood?
Did you ever
step into a room and felt at home, happy, energetic, or in a very good mood?
Well yes,
designers have a superpower! They can play the role of a doctor by healing your
physical pain through design, the role of a psychologist by treating you on an
emotional level, and a lot of other roles. And I am here to give you the secrets
that you don’t know.
Ilse Crawford
once said: “We spend 87% of our time inside buildings, how they are designed really
affects how we feel, and how we behave. Design is not just a visual thing, it
is a tool to enhance our humanity.”
So I promise
I will make this very easy. I will be dividing the impact of design on humans
and human behavior by our Five senses. Because our senses help us experience
the world around us. After this blog post, you will be able to know why you
behave differently in different spaces.
So if you
are ready, let’s start!!
Hear:
A tune can
lift you up or bring you to tears. “For several years, music has made a lot of
individuals happy. That’s because soothing tunes foster the release of
serotonin, a hormone that fosters happiness and a general sense of well-being.
It also flushes the body with dopamine, a neurotransmitter that makes you feel good.” To know more about how music affects us you can check https://examinedexistence.com/how-music-changes-your-mood/
And I
suggest you check this post by her-bubble for a mindful morning playlist.
Sight:
Well here
comes the interesting part. We all know a good design when we see one. For me,
a good design is the one that makes you feel good. There are a lot of
components in a room/space that can, directly and indirectly, affect us both
physically and mentally. So let me just jump into it.
- Colors: Colors were always associated with feelings like I feel blue. I will write a blog explaining the impact of colors and where and how to use them. But for now, let me tell you a small summary. Colors are divided into two main categories, warm and cool. Two things you must know, cool colors make the room feel colder and warm colors make it feel warmer just like their names. Warm colors also tend to create a cozy feeling. On the contrary, cool-toned colors create a less cozy feeling. Interesting? I KNOW! I promise I will elaborate on this topic in my next blog.
Tip 1: Study the function and location of the room before choosing a color palette.
- Symmetry and balance: Department of psychologists at the universities of Rome and Liverpool have found a link between symmetry and positive response. Mirror images were found to make people feel happy and positive. As for a balanced design, according to Gestalt psychology, our eyes take in separate pieces of information and our brains boil all of it into a simpler recognizable pattern. How does this relate? We usually love balanced designs because they keep the amount of information that our brain process to a minimum. So by having a balanced design and a repeated pattern, we process the individual elements faster, making the space very easy to understand, As a result, when we understand the space quickly, our mind finds them more aesthetically pleasing, promoting positive vibes in the space.
Tip 2: Choose the apply symmetry in large furniture and then small asymmetric accessories to make a more interesting atmosphere (check image below)
- Spaciousness: This is a very important point and a blog topic on its own. But I will share with you some interesting facts. Ceiling heights impact your notion of freedom and confinement. People are found to be more creative and focused in rooms with higher ceilings, and their mood is significantly improved.
Tip 3: You don't actually need a large room for "spaciousness" notion. Even the smallest rooms having the right paint and furniture can create the same effect.
- Furniture placement and Shapes: Let me make this easy. The way you place your furniture impacts how people will interact and feel in your space. I will give you a small example, If you place your couches facing each other this will unconsciously make the people sitting in the space interact and talk. However, if you place the couch facing the television, all you are doing is making everyone in the space focusing on the Tv and not on interacting with each other. So be careful how you place your furniture and what actions and interactions you need in a particular space. This is called persuasive design.
Tip 4: Always ask yourself what is the purpose of this room? The answer will always help to find the perfect layout and furniture. (Do you need this room to be a family room where you can all interact? Or just a television room/ entertainment room?)
 |
| Best Furniture placement for maximum interaction |
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| Furniture facing wall leading to minimum interaction |
- Light: Also a very important point. How space is lit is very important for the overall ambiance. And of course, the best lighting source is the sun, the more natural light coming into the room the more you feel happy, and the less you feel anxious. To maximize your home’s natural light and keep your serotonin levels up, place mirrors next to or parallel to windows to bring in the sunlight to all the space.
Tip 5: Becareful what window cutains to choose. Always try to mix the curtains (blackout and translucent) to create different vibes in the room.
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| Mirror hack |
- Nature: This Is a point I add in all my blog posts because it is extremely important. Inducing plants in a space automatically changes your mood. (I will be writing a blog post soon about plant types and their effects).
- Clutter: As much as we hate this point, I cannot and will not skip it. If you feel stressed, depressed, or not in a good mood that means you should declutter the space you are in, Marie-Kondo style. I have some amazing decluttering and organizing tips I will be sharing with you on my Instagram page.
Touch
I bet you
have never thought of this, but everything that touches your skin impacts you. Whether
it is the chair or couch you are sitting in right now reading this blog, the
table in front of you, or even your clothes. Scary Joy! Yes I know so let me elaborate.
- Smooth and luxurious materials: They relate to pleasure and you will resort to them when you are feeling content and at ease (Example: velvets, silk, fur)
- Soft and comfortable: They are reassuring, relaxing and promote safety, calmness, and comfort (Example: cotton and linens)
- Rough and rugged: They are the most inviting and earthy and makes you feel at home and happy (Example: natural textures)
- Hard and strong: rough and uninviting in their regular form, but when smoothened and polished they give the feeling of elegance, durability, and coziness (Example: wooden or stone surfaces)
So that is why designers tend to mix and match
textures in their spaces. (Combination of all the above feelings).
Interesting Facts: Environments with wooden structures cause a drop in blood pressure and pulse, and have a calming effect. On the other hand, touching aluminum at room temperature, cool plastics or stainless steel caused a rise in blood pressure.
Smell:
I have
already mentioned in my previous blog post, how smell affects your productivity
(https://apartmentpalette.blogspot.com/2020/04/6-design-secrets-that-will-boost-your.html). Now it is time to list the different smells that can uplift your mood
wherever you are sitting. It is a simple hack but has a huge result.
- Minty smell of peppermint leaves: This smell elevates your mood. It is an energy booster and it stimulates clear thinking.
- Lemon: It has calming and clarifying properties that are helpful when feeling angry anxious or run down.
- Cinnamon: It helps in fighting mental fatigue and improving concentration and focus.
- Lavender: It has calming properties that help control emotional stress, soothing effect on nerves, and can relieve depression.
- Jasmine: It also used to calm nerves. Jasmine has uplifting capabilities that produce a feeling of confidence, optimism, and revitalized energy.
- Rosemary: It also has stimulating properties that fight physical exhaustion, headaches, and mental fatigue (perfect in the morning).
Taste:
The immune
system and your brain are connected. This point is obvious and most of you know
how certain foods change our moods. This is all based on research.
- Quinoa: Is considered an antidepressant.
- Salmon: Is known to improve mood.
- Mushrooms: Vitamin D source. it improves mood and is an anti-depressant as well
- Dark chocolate: Eases emotional stress (yes please?)
- Foods with probiotics: Probiotics are bacteria living in our stomach and known for aiding digestion. They have a calming effect on the body and helps with aggression (They can be found in yogurt and other fermented foods).
- Grapes: It is an antioxidant proven to boost your mood.
AND WE ARE
DONE! You now have the full checklist to design a healthier and happier space!
I hope you enjoyed this and don’t forget to share it if you did!
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Note that I don't take credit for any picture in this post!
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