What a world we are currently living in, quarantined by law to our homes by a global pandemic. All this time in our houses really highlights the meaning of ‘home’ . Whether you live in a studio apartment or a 4-bedroomed house, home should be a place of refuge, a shelter from stress and chaos – now more than ever. Today I will be kicking off my #lockdownhometips blog series with some tips on how to turn your home into a haven – your sanctuary.
‘Hygge’ (pronounced ‘hue-gah’ in case you were wondering) is a Danish and Norwegian name for a mood of coziness, the idea of warmth. Adding cosy touches to your home so that you feel more serene in your environment is ‘hygge’. And below are just a few ideas I want to share with you on how to achieve the feeling of ‘hygge’ or tranquility in the home.
(if you want to read more on Hygge, check out http://hyggehouse.com/hygge – there are lots of actions one can do to achieve this feeling.
- De-clutter
We are 14 days into our lockdown, so I am sure you have already watched Marie Kondo on Netflix and have had a good clean out. First things first is to de-clutter your space, as when your home is overflowing with stuff, it feels more like a storage unit than sanctuary. An ordered home always seems relaxing, and even a space filled with the most on-trend pieces won’t feel like a refuge if it’s cluttered and messy.
2. Move your furniture around
When I was a little girl I loved nothing more than changing my bedroom layout around; (space planning started young!) waking up with my bed in a new place was like a fresh start.
I know not everyone is a big fan of change, but if you are open to it, changing the furniture layout in a room really switches things up and creates a brand new experience of the space. Sure, some rooms are pretty locked in to their ‘ideal’ floor plans ( like a kitchen and dining room) but for bedrooms, living rooms, outdoor rooms and family rooms the options are endless and so transformative. Set aside an hour or so and move some items around, I guarantee not only a change in obviously how your room looks or potentially functions but mostly how uplifting and fresh it feels.
3. Bring plants indoors
Some well-placed greenery can not only brighten a space but also purify the air and they’re also helpful in creating a more relaxing, restful ambiance in any room. We know that spending time in nature is linked to reduced stress level and tension relief. Whats more, in 2008, Dutch researchers found that hospital patients with indoor plants in their rooms reported lower stress levels than patients without them. I know a trip to the local nursery is not a possibility right now, but if you have a garden, see what plants you can pot and move indoors? Fill vases with fresh flowers and foliage.
4. Conceal Work
Some of us are working from home, and for some that means your dining room table. As someone who has worked on and off from home for the last 5 years whilst raising my little girls, I really understand the difficulties that comes with working from home and will do a whole blog post in the next few weeks on creating home work spaces. But the best tip I could give you if your desk is part of a large open plan room, is to be sure to hide your computer at the end of the day to give yourself a mental rest. The same goes for any paperwork you haven’t addressed yet. When working hours are over, put it away so your home switches to being a calming haven instead.
5. Introduce Some Scent
Turning your home into a space that soothes and nurtures can be as much about how it smells as how it looks. Scent can help us unwind and may carry associations of places we love and bring back fond memories. My absolute fav is to burn scented candles ( Jo Malone obsessed!) and essential oil. My favourite essential oil has to be the Weylandts Classic Blend. Cant get enough of it and highly recommend you pre-order it so you can get some when lockdown is over.
6. Get the Lighting Right
Good lighting can lift the mood of a room and help it function better. Get it right, and any space can feel like a welcoming oasis. ( I am so passionate about good lighting, read more about it here) Add floor lamps and table lamps (a mix of sources) for a layered effect and be sure to add plenty of soft mood lighting like candles and fairy lights. It will soften your mood and help you feel more relaxed.
7. Comfort Is key
As we transition into Autumn and the evenings are chillier, now is the perfect time to bring out all your blankets and throws. Blankets and throws can’t help but appear inviting. They transform a sofa from somewhere to sit into a wonderful place to snuggle. Invite children, dogs or your partner under your blanket too, then forget about everything else as you cozy up together. Lots of scatters adds to the coziness. I will be sharing more more about how to style your cushions and give them a bit of an update later this week so stay tuned!
Please follow the hashtag on Instagram (find us at Styleast_01) or keep checking back here on my blog for new posts. It has been a good 2 years since I last wrote a blog post, (feeling a bit rusty!) but I really hope to share some valuable advice and transformative ideas while we are all sitting in our homes wondering what we can do to them with all this time on our hands.
Please also comment on this post of DM me any topics you would love to read more about.