How to Use Interior Design to Brighten your Mood

People may undertake an interior design project for any number of reasons, but there is often a psychological and emotional undercurrent to it; changing the environment in which you will spend each day will generally affect your mood quite directly. Wise decorators always take the relationship between design and mood into account when organizing a new space, never forgetting that even the most subtle detail – like the color of a wall, or the distance between a table and a chair – can impact how we feel. One such mood that you can try to create in your home is a bright, happy one that will help lift your spirits. The following hints are just some of the ways you can create this positive vibe with the décor in your house.

The Project Itself

The first thing to realize is that the project itself will probably brighten your mood just by its creative and engaging nature. Decorating or redecorating your living space is a lot of fun and is an artistic and constructive activity that will in all probability put you in an activated and inspired state. Scientific research has shown that taking on challenging tasks and completing them successfully releases endorphins – otherwise known as “happy feelings” – in the brain. So, before you are even finished this task, you should already have brightened your mood! You can use this feeling of elation and accomplishment as a reference point for the creative and happy moods you would like your new interior design to inspire.

Furniture

One of the primary areas people pay attention to when they do interior decoration is the furniture. You will likely want to get rid of some of your old furniture, either because of its worn-out appearance or its massive collection of dust on the inside (which can cause allergies and, in turn, negative moods). Pick up some modern furniture instead; this type of decor implies sophistication, finesse, and a forward-looking mentality. It might be overtly bright-colored and happy seeming in regards to its style, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. A dark colored couch or coffee table can brighten your mood as much as bright colored ones, provided that you find it interesting and inspiring to look at and use. This factor is important; “happy” spaces aren’t just aesthetically defined by brightness and airy layouts, but by calmness, satisfaction, and practical simplicity as well. If you shop with a high emotional tone in mind, you will no doubt be able to find furniture pieces that match this.

Floor Coverings

Floor coverings are another area which have a significant impact on the mood elicited by an interior space. It is common for people to replace rugs when they remodel or put area rugs over the carpeting that may already be in place, but you can update your flooring in better ways than this. Again, find rugs that are not just comfortable to stand on, but which are ideal for you or your children to lie on; sheepskin rugs are ideal for this in that they are hypoallergenic. This may sound a bit generalized, but you will find that if you actually pay attention to how various floor covering make you feel, you can detect real differences in the moods that they each create. Just consider eclectic combinations of rugs that you enjoy; you might, for instance, find that one rug makes you feel cozy and safe, while another rug comes off a “ratty” and makes you sneeze if you get too close. Obviously, these are all tell-tale signs of good or bad rugs, respectively. Similarly, swapping out old carpeting for classic hardwood flooring is an increasingly popular choice for home-owners because it makes cleaning easier, reduces the amount of allergens in the house, and provides a simple yet classy appearance. This lack of stress will immediately make itself apparent in heightened moods throughout the day.

Colors

Colors are well known to affect our emotions, and this can be used to your advantage when trying to create mood-lifting décor in your home. An obvious association to make is between bright colors – reds, oranges, yellows, and brighter blues and greens – and happy, bright moods. This can surely work if that is the association you have with these colors, but as noted above it is also important to pay attention to your own personal reaction to the furnishings you buy, and in this case the colors they employ. In general though, colorful environments tend to suggest joyous moods and often echo natural environments that have a lot of color, such as fields of flowers and autumnal forests. Most people feel happy in these environments just by virtue of the beauty of the color, so if this is the case with you, employ a lot of bright and varied color to help bring about a bright emotional tone where you live.

In conclusion, if you set out to decorate with the express purpose of creating joy and happiness in your indoor environment, chances are you will succeed in doing just that. This intention, the interior design process itself, and the end result represent one continuum which, when infused with the right mood, will result in a wonderful new kind of décor for your house or apartment, and better moods for all who live there.