Guest Blogger: Beautiful Home Decor That Can Improve Your Mood

 Guest Blogger #418, Entry #1032, March 17, 2012

When you come home after a hard day of dealing with the harsh outside world, the last thing you want is to enter a house that makes you feel anxious, angry, or depressed. For some people this means slapping a bright coat of paint on the walls or making sure that clutter doesn’t creep in to overwhelm a small space. But did you know that your décor can actually play a huge role in how your home affects your mood? Feng shui experts have long espoused the principles of picking the perfect colors and arranging your furnishings just so for maximum comfort and flow. But you don’t have to work that hard to create a space that makes you feel good. If you want your house to improve your mood every time you walk in the door, here are a few décor tips that can make it happen.

Create a mood that is inviting and warm in your interiors

Image via: Freshome Design & Architecture

Mood lighting

There are many ways that lighting can be used to make you feel happy, content, or relaxed. The first trick is to nix fluorescent overhead lights, which cast a sickly pallor and give most people a headache. If you need bright lights in, say, the kitchen, simply replace fluorescents with interior LED or halogen options, which are bright but not glaring. And for every other room go with plenty of lamps or ceiling lights on a dimmer switch so you can adjust the amount of light depending on your mood. You may even want to opt for soft yellow or pink bulbs to create a warm glow that makes your whole space look appealing.

Photo wall

Most people only have to glance at photos of family, friends, and fun events and they get a smile on their face. If you want to give yourself that warm, fuzzy feeling in every room in your house, splurge on some frames (or hit up yard sales to find them on the cheap) and pepper your walls with photos to constantly remind you of a life filled with love. You can also add some inspirational artwork as well as a mirror or two to bounce light and make your space seem bigger.

Plush accessories

Nothing says comfort like some cushy throw pillows and a few fuzzy blankets dotting the furnishings. Okay, so this is not something you’d generally find in a bachelor pad, but there are manlier options for pillows (colors, patterns, and textures that are less feminine) and you can always hide extra throw blankets in storage furniture (ottomans) to pull out when you watch a movie with your lady and stuff away during bro night.
Pops of color.

What color makes you feel wonderful?

Image via: Southern Living

Most people have a favorite color that they are drawn to

So if your palette is pretty monochromatic or mostly neutral, give your mood a boost with a few pops of color here and there to cheer you up. Include colorful pillows or candles, a patterned rug, or even a special chair in fabric and hue that you find appealing.

Plants

Studies have shown that being in nature helps people to relax and often cheers them up (not to mention the boost you get from an abundant source of oxygen). So fill your space with vibrant plants or hit up your favorite florist in London, Lisbon, Los Angeles, or Lima to schedule regular deliveries of fresh-cut blooms that will add some uplifting color and scent to your space.

For more home decor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.