Robert Urich has rightly said that “A healthy outside starts from the inside”. For one to achieve true state of good health and overall positivity in life, there needs to be a balance and peace in one’s mind. How we feel and our state of mind have an effect on what we do and how we do it.

Not only does it take a toll on our physical well being but also on our ability to navigate through life effectively. Over the past few decades, it has been noted that the stress level amongst people across the globe seems to be rising. 

Deteriorating mental health is becoming more of  a concern than ever, especially since the pandemic set in. One of the biggest influences on one’s mind is the environment that they are in. What we surround ourselves with affects our mind and dives deeply.

The connection between our environment and wellness is what has been duly noted by several designers and architects around the world, making them shift gears towards wellness focused interiors. 

Here’s all you need to know about wellness focused interiors: 

UNDERSTANDING THE LINK OF WELLNESS AND INTERIOR DESIGN 

While at a glance, it is hard to believe that a topic such as wellness would have anything to do with interior design, the two are actually intricately linked. While one calls for since, the other for design, both of them do indeed have an interdependent relationship. The point is that whether we are working in our offices or simply lounging at home, where we spend our time and how that place feels to us makes a huge difference. 

If you are in an environment that makes you anxious, be it a certain bright color or a mess all around, one can begin to feel anxious. This not only interferes with your mental wellness but can also interfere with your time to relax or your concentration  if you keep feeling tense in your home/work environment. 

This is why interior designers have been shifting focus to wellness focused interior design for such spaces. The basic principle is to create a harmonic space that one can feel at peace in to boost their mental and physical wellbeing. While the principle of wellness has been utilized in healthcare design for quite some time, its venture into commercial and residential design is relatively new but rather important. 

Here’s how you too can channel positivity and wellness in your space through it’s design:

COLOR ME CALM 

The first step to achieving a good interior begins with the color scheme you pick. When planning interiors to boost wellness, it is important to look at colors from a different viewpoint i.e. with the use of color psychology.

Color psychology is a science that inspects each color and the impact that it leaves on the human mind in order to gauge what effect it has on one’s mind. The principles of color psychology have clear bifurcations of colors into different categories depending on their effect.

Keeping those principles in mind can help you narrow down your color options. For instance, blue and green colors and their variations are known to create a soothing effect on the mind through association with nature. Similarly bright colors like orange or yellow are known to boost positivity by creating a feeling of happiness and vibrance in one’s mind.

Working with the principles of color psychology, one can create a balanced and harmonious surrounding for themselves to be able to attain peace in. 

GO SEAMLESS 

In terms of the overall architecture, having an open and arid layout is rather helpful. The idea behind being seamless is to try to stick to a format in which barriers and partitions are kept to a minimum .

Different portions of  a house or office can be designed in a way that they blend into each without obstructions. Instead one can zone with the use of colors, architecture, lighting and design to create the definition between different spots. Having an open layout is known to promote a positive airflow and make one feel like they have a lot more space to move around in which can have a positive effect on one’s mind.

Such a layout is also better for ventilation and overall internal climate regulation making it the right choice. 

BIOPHILIA FOR THE WIN 

Next and one of the most important features of wellness central design is the inclusion of biophilia or in simpler terms greenery. It is well known through research that the presence of plants, shrubs, trees, or flowers around has a positive effect on one’s psyche.

Biophilic elements not only boost one’s mood but are also known to help improve productivity and concentration. Not to forget, the presence of indoor plants also creates a more breathable environment amidst the polluted outdoors. Picking the right greenery is key to ace the wellness quotient of it.

It is suggested to try to include more indoor plants, or ones that have an all year yield. This is because a plant or shrub wilting away can have a negative effect on one’s mind through association of the process with an ending or something going bad.

Try to give biophilia a big presence overall while also ensuring that its visibility and presence reaches every corner of a space to channel its energy the best. 

BE NATURAL 

Another important factor to achieving a good environment is to try to go natural. Going natural literally means trying to utilize materials and objects that are organic over man made materials. This is because a lot of man made materials used in design and construction are often made with synthetic fibers, chemicals or toxins.

While one may not feel any impact immediately, such materials run the risk of off gassing or outgassing which is simply the release of trapped chemical ro toxins in vapor form which can affect the air quality of your space, and ultimately your health and well being. Instead utilizing natural materials like wood, cork, jute, bamboo, wicker, rattan etc.

You can also apply this approach to the insulation of your space by trying to use natural or plant based materials over toxic foams to maintain a better environment in the long run. Utilizing organic materials will not only help insinuate the presence of nature but also help you get a beautiful and chemical free home. 

TECH FREE ZONES    

Technology has become a huge part of human life nowadays. We find ourselves always surrounded by a gadget which isn’t right from a wellness point of view. Constantly being surrounded by radiation and technology is harmful to both physical and mental health.

It is thus important to set boundaries for where technology can step into your life. For true wellness, spending items off the grid is rather helpful as one gets to take their mind off everything and relax. You can thus designate certain zones of the house as tech free.

Not only must this space be kept free of mobile gadgets but also of things like the television as that too can interfere with your quiet or peaceful time ultimately pushing you back into the cycle of consuming digital media and content.

You can dedicate certain portions of a house to a tech free zone, including your sleeping spaces to ensure you get adequate rest without the interference of technology. 

LET THE SUN SHINE 

Natural light is one of the most important things in wellness focused design. To begin with, the presence of sunlight is known to release serotonin in one’s brain, uplifting a person’s mood. 

Simultaneously, seeing the sun rise or shine around you can make one feel a lot more positive and fresh. Not to forget, sunlight is physically beneficial as well as it helps get rid of bacterias, and give the human body the vitamin d it needs for strength.

Ensuring natural light reaches every corner of a house is thus important. You could facilitate thai with the use of windows or install a skylight to ensure that plenty of sunlight flows into the house. Further adding a layer of sheer curtains to your setup can help bring in the natural light to some extent even as you maintain your privacy. 

The wellness focused discipline of interior design looks like it is here to stay and for all the right reasons. In the hustle bustle of our lives, the places we work or rest in need to be made in such a way that they help one retain their peace of mind. Try out the above tips to create a surrounding that helps you stay at your mental and physical best.