Ways To Turn Your Home Workspace Into A Cozy Sanctuary
Suddenly, because of the pandemic, our homes have become one-stop shops. It’s where we work, teach our kids, and attend religious services. It’s where we sleep, eat, and relax (in theory).
Besides taking walks and running urgent errands, most of us are staying in. So, it’s helpful to make our homes into a place we actually want to be.
Currently, our homes need to replace a lot of the ‘feel-good’ emotions we are very much used to when we go out. For example, attending a yoga studio helps most of us to relax, while chic, romantic restaurants helped us to reconnect to our partners.
Creating a safe, serene space combats stress and hyper vigilance. The current pandemic is causing our brains and bodies to be in a constant state of fight, flight, freeze, as we are experiencing ongoing trauma, fears of scarcity, and feelings of helplessness on a personal, professional, and global level.
And it’s hard to de-stress in a chaotic, cluttered space.
It can feel empowering to take control of your own space and make something new and different out of the familiar. But this doesn’t have to be a complicated, involved process. Here are some simple tips for making your home into a sanctuary that supports your mental health.
Create a dedicated workspace.
This could be a separate room—or it could be a corner in your bedroom, a spot in the guest room, or the dining room table. To get you into a productive frame of mind, use this space or desk solely for your work.
Choose the perfect table - preferably a simple console, u-shaped or with a neutral aesthetic that will serve as the perfect blank canvas. If space is super limited, use a portable file box to contain your work materials and tools— when the box comes out, you know it’s time for work.
Create a story for your workspace.
Begin to create your very own story for the space. We love the beautiful dramatic but simple shapes of the different objects such as an aesthetic book or sculpture.
Create interest by positioning the items at different depths.
Keep in mind that negative space is meaningful - leave certain areas blank. Think of it this way — your desk design style is a compilation of every single element that you decide to include in the space, as well as every single element you decide to leave out.
Add meaningful touches.
Furniture, accessories and art are a great way to add the finishing touch to your space.
Whether it’s filling up an unloved corner, adding a pop of colour to a blank wall or making your space more personal, adding meaningful touches can create that final flourish you desire.
Repeated shapes are pleasing to the eye and a great way to balance the proportions of a space.
Repeat similar items in several scales is an easy way to create a beautiful scene. Create visual groupings by putting objects that compliment each other to provide a greater impact and add weight.
It’s important to be sensitive to the scales of the objects to the scale of the room. Fresh fruits or plants are always a gorgeous addition to make a space come to life and to bring in a touch of nature.
They bring plenty of advantages with them as decor accessories, including the range of colours and textures that they can be counted on to add.
But one of the best things about plants and fruits is the versatility that they offer in terms of scale. So take a look around your space, if you notice that you have an empty section, and the space just doesn’t feel complete, you might just need to add a plant to freshness up the decor.
Play with scale.
Above is a vignette that explores layering. A vignette is a small, pleasing picture formed by grouping several objects – think of it as a pocket-sized table arrangement that tells a story about you and your space.
Play with unexpected scale like the tiny elephant figurine. Don't forget about verticality too; create interest with varying heights and a similar colour palette.
Tell you story…
What is it about a space that makes us feel at home?
On the most fundamental level, human beings have a need for shelter, but beyond that we also want comfort, beauty, and connection with those around us and with the world outside.
The subtleties of interior design can have huge impacts on our mental health, in ways we often don’t fully understand.
Now more than ever, people are relying on their home environments to boost their moods and overall sense of well-being.
Use this opportunity to express the narrative of your space and your well-being. Don't be afraid to explore new pairings and elements of design, from colour to the presence of nature, to truly make yourself feel more at home.
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