4 Design Tips for Your Indoor Kingdom

From a studio flat to a rambling estate, your home is your castle. If your living quarters aren’t giving you the royal treatment, they may be lacking some commonly overlooked design elements. These are the small touches that can’t be seen but are often what transform a space from feeling pedestrian to posh.  

Empty Space. A room may have everything in its place, but the use of too many things can quickly overburden a space with patterns, colors, and knickknacks. Too much décor can intrude on your mental space, feel burdensome and generate chaos. 

Find Your Happy Place. When you filter out what you don’t want, you’ll have room to feature a special item that is filled with loving memories or emotional inspiration. Plus, without the excess surrounding your unique treasure, it is more likely to be noticed. This makes its positive influence on you even more impactful! 

Make Scents. When certain scent molecules travel to the brain via a person’s olfactory nerves, they can impact emotions. Think of pine’s invigorating twang, lavender’s soothing perfume, or the rejuvenating zest of citrus. Ditch the synthetic fragrances and wax warmers, whose ingredients can cause headaches and overwhelm the senses. Go natural and remember that less is more. One option: a passive, ceramic diffuser instead of powered versions that use heat or electricity. 

Take Note. Ever been caught up in the moment of hearing a great song? Researchers at John Hopkins Medicine say that music can stimulate the brain. From a pick-me-up to a slow-me-down, turn on the tunes to enhance a mood. And think outside the stereo box. Try playing background white noise or soothe your space with low-tone, primordial sound wind chimes hung outside an open window.