Interior Design for Happy and Healthy Homes
Living in Berry on the gorgeous South Coast of NSW, I am blessed with fresh air and open spaces. It’s easy to let the fresh air in and let the interior breathe. However, there is much we can do when we are designing a space that will keep wellness a priority.
Check out the post below for some ideas:
Consider ventilation
Great airflow is a necessity for any healthy space. It cuts down allergens in the air, cools the environment and eliminates any lingering toxins. Ensure in a home design that windows are positioned to catch breezes and enhance cross-flow. Make sure that windows and doors are opened regularly and are kept in good working order. Use flyscreens to keep the bugs at bay and stop dust and dirt from flying into your home.
2. Control water use and water quality
I know it has been raining for the past few months and just when I think it is going to stop for good, it just…doesn’t. However, it wasn’t until so long ago that we were in drought, and it will be like that again so let’s plan for it. In country homes the water pressure just isn’t has good as town pressure as water comes from tanks that may be situated a distance from the home. If a pressured shower is important to you, make sure that you get the most powerful pump that you can. Do your due diligence and check out a few models. Choose bathroom fixtures that have good water saving ratings. Finally, make sure that you put good filters on your water. Water filters are available at any hardware store and can be easily fitted by plumber. The more advanced ones use a UV filter on top of the physical filtering properties. In our home, we have a filter outside our house that treats the tank water that comes from our roof and then we feed it through a ZipTap system that filters our water again and spits it out into hot, cold and sparkling water. This was a very expensive choice , but I’m glad I did it. I’m not sure that it makes huge economic sense, the maintenance is very high and something seems to go wrong with it at least once per year. However, it does save on all the carbon of shipping San Pellegrino bottles across the world. A ridiculous idea if you think about it hard.
3. Let the light in
Access to light improves your mood, controls our sleep cycles and our general well being. When designing a home make sure to take advantage of as much natural light as possible. However, we want access to light when we need it. Too much light can interfere with our circadian rythmns . Make sure you have layers of window coverings that you can use to shield as much light as you wish. Deep verandahs can also help with this. Pay attention to artificial light as well. The colour temperature of light ( its warmth or coolness) can also create mood. Too warm and it can make you feel sleepy. Too cold and it can seem harsh.
4. Control temperature
The choice of fixtures and fittings as well as the materials you choose can help you maximise your thermal comfort. In our home we used concrete as the primary flooring choice. We chose not to put in underfloor heating. Concrete does not retain heat so it helps to keep the house cool in warmer months. We have minimised this effect in winter where we have covered living areas with thick Beni Ourain rugs. We have used thick curtains in the bedrooms as needed and use our fireplaces in the living areas to make things cosy.
5. Choose environmentally friendly materials
It is good practice to check if sustainability is a focus for any design project. If it is, then it may have an impact on the cost and longevity of the materials chosen. Timber floors could be sourced from suppliers that use renewable resources and have non-toxic sealants. Fire-retardant fabrics and some types of paint may contain chemicals harmful to humans in certain doses. It is important to balance a desire for sustainability with that of cost.
6. Become a part of the community
One of the great pleasures of becoming part of living in a small town is that of feeling as if you are part of a community. I like to design my spaces to encourage socialising. Though you may feel like you are not the greatest entertainer, a shared grazing table with good friends can be a great night out! Encourage positive interactions. Though Covid has made this difficult, think about joining a local yoga club, church group or craft group. It can be fun!
7. Enjoy the quiet spaces.
I’ve just extolled the virtues of getting out there, but there’s also a space for quiet contemplation. Design your home with a couple of quiet spaces for contemplation and reflection. It’s important to unwind while looking at an amazing view.
8. Grow some greenery
Photo by Véronique Trudel on Unsplash
There is always space for some plants in your home- both inside and out. Adding plants inside your home is away of cleaning the air and getting rid of toxins as well as adding a sculptural feature to your home. It is by far the cheapest and most beautiful way of adding colour and texture. They can last a long time if you take care of them and don’t try to kill them. Gardening is a whole different ballgame but can be a fulfilling pastime as you can create something beautiful. Unlike a few plants within your home, creating a garden is a lot more expensive, especially if you are thinking about landscaping. If you do have a lot of space, you could think about creating a kitchen garden. It could be fulfilling to grow your own food. Wait for a blog post just about this!
