7 easy home updates to improve your mental wellbeing

You’ll likely have considered, at one point or another, how your online environment affects your mental wellbeing – how you feel after spending the day in front of a screen, and the kinds of social media posts that leave you uplifted, as opposed to anxious. But, have you thought about how your physical environment impacts your mental wellbeing?

Our homes are intended to be the spaces we feel safest and most at ease in. However, if they aren’t set up to suit our very personal needs, they can end up becoming a stressor. So, to help you style your very own sanctuary, here are 7 interior tweaks that require little effort but provide a big mental boost.

1. Refresh the colour palette

Colour can have a huge impact on your state of mind, so if you’re finding it hard to relax in certain areas of your home, consider opting for a new hue. Interior Stylist and Art Director Pippa Jameson recommends checking in with yourself during day-to-day activities to observe how you feel in certain environments. ‘Whether you are out and about visiting exhibitions or walking in the countryside, make a mental note of how the colours around you make you feel. Which shades make you feel calm, and which have the opposite effect?’

Neutral tones and those found in nature, such as blues and greens, are associated with feelings of calm and tranquility – ideal for bedrooms and living spaces, whilst bright and bold tones are more stimulating.

‘Paint your ceiling in either a light blue or light pink,’ says Tash Bradley, our Director of Interior Design. ‘Light blue is mentally soothing and can improve sleep quality. Whilst light pink is gentle and nurturing, making you feel safe.’

2. Declutter

‘A clean house is a happy house.’ says Sam Bramley, our Lead Colour Consultant. ‘When you’ve decluttered your home and done a spring clean, this can really help you feel calm and rested. It’s one of the most rewarding tasks you can do in your home.’

Clutter causes distraction and serves as constant, visual reminders of our to-do lists, so if you can keep on top of it (easier said than done, we know) you’ll find it easier to unwind at home. Take this opportunity to invest in nifty storage solutions too, so it’s easy to keep belongings out of sight.

3. Style a sociable space

‘Use furniture to create areas of connection and conversation,’ advises Tash. ‘It's all too easy to come home from work and plonk yourself in front of the TV, but it’s really important for wellness that you create a space that invites moments of connection with others. When you're looking at the placement of your furniture, for example in a living room, ensure it is not all facing the TV. Instead, try investing in seating that’s lower to the ground, round, curved, or facing each other – all of these factors work together to encourage conversation and help create a welcoming feel in any room.’

5. Create a tech-free zone

‘Create a space in your home that encourages you to be away from technology – a retreat space that’s just for you,’ says Charlotte. ‘It could be a reading corner, a space for yoga or meditation, or it might just be a seat with a view outside.’ Regardless, try to keep this space totally free from tech to allow yourself to be present, and calm.

4. Bring the outside in

Exposure to nature has been linked with decreases in stress and anxiety (just ask Dr. Daniel Maughan), so consider how you might be able to incorporate elements of the great outdoors in your home. ‘Introduce natural materials, textures and colours – rough exposed materials like stone or clay, natural textiles like linen or cotton, and colours that remind you of the outdoors, such as greens, blues, earthy neutrals, and warm clays,’ says Charlotte Cropper, our International Colour Consultant.

Open windows and window dressings throughout the day to get as much natural light and fresh air as possible into your home and, if you’re green-fingered, fill your pad with plants too.

6. Relocate your workspace

With many of us working from home since the pandemic kicked off in 2020, our homes and their purposes have evolved. It’s really important for your mental wellbeing that you separate work from rest, and by ensuring there’s a physical barrier between your work and rest spaces, it’ll make it easier for you to mentally switch off from the day’s tasks, too.

If you don’t have the luxury of an office, begin a ritual of packing away your work items at the end of every shift and tucking them out of sight so you aren’t at risk of being distracted by them and, consequently, reminded of work to-dos when you’re supposed to be resting.

7. Style an ideal sleep environment

Quality sleep (or sleep hygiene) is imperative for good mental health, so to ensure you’re getting the best kip possible, pay attention to your bedroom environment. Try investing in black-out curtains and a white noise machine to block light and sound pollution, and make the room a strictly tech-free zone. Dress your bed with natural fabrics – linen, cotton, or bamboo, for example – for comfort, and pop some lavender essential oil in a diffuser for a soothing and calming aroma to aid sleep.

Speaking of sleep hygiene, why not check out our 5 top tips for a better night’s sleep? And now that you’ve got some easy home update ideas to help you create your very own sanctuary, check out these 10 self-care tips to try at home.