Our home is our refuge. This is where we can relax when life gets overwhelming.

Hence, it only makes sense that we spruce it up to have a place where we can relax when life gets overwhelming.

Luckily, there are home decor tips that enable us to achieve a stress-free zone. It can be a spare room, a corner in your bedroom, or a vertical garden on your balcony.

Wherever you can find your zen, here are eight creative home decor tips to have a stress-free home:

Start With Decluttering

If you want to have a space where you can chill and unwind, the most cost-effective way you can do is get rid of clutter.

For one, chaos breeds anxiety. That’s why at Maid Sailors Maid Service Chicago, we tell our clients to start organizing one corner of a room after another. Doing so enables you to slowly calm your mind while creating a stress-free space.

Other than that, you are also freeing up some space in your house to use for something better. You can turn it into a workspace, a nook where you can do your art, or a corner where you can meditate peacefully.

Go for Neutral, Calming Palette

Compared to bright and bold colors, muted colors are easier for the eyes. Thus, they have calming effects.

The neutral palette includes white, taupe, and cream. However, we suggest that you use texture to add interest to a space. That’s because a plain white wall can be boring.

Instead, add shades of gold, pale tan, or faded yellow to give your space a sense of warmth.

If you have flat, white walls, what you can do is layer various fabrics and patterns. Consider hanging a gallery wall, place a navy blue sofa, or hang gold-plated light scones.

Create a Gallery Wall

Another way to spruce up a wall is to hang some artworks and photos.

What you can do is hang framed photos of your family, pet, or landscape. The key here is to surround yourself with familiar faces and happy memories. When you do so, you are creating an inviting space.

Here are some quick tips on how you can build an attractive and cozy gallery wall:

  1. Layout the frames on the floor before hanging them
  2. Combine new and vintage prints
  3. Ensure that your frames are of the same color
  4. Use uniformed spacing
  5. Start at the bottom

When done correctly, gallery walls can transform a wall and make it look interesting.

Implement Color Clustering

You can make a space cozy and inviting through color clustering.

Say you placed a pot of plant in one corner of the room. You can hang a green artwork or photograph in a green frame on the wall above it.

A cluster of colors attracts the eye, allowing you to focus your sight in one place.

This is ideal if you spend hours staring at your computer. You can divert your gaze to your plants and green artworks for twenty seconds to relax your eyes.

Light Some Candles

Another way to add warmth to a space is to light some candles. Bonus point if they are scented.

That’s because the soft glow of a lighted candle creates a soothing ambiance. Hence, have an ample supply of different kinds of candles (e.g., votives, tapers, and pillars).

Just do not forget to blow them out before leaving the house or going to bed.

Let Natural Light In

Often, our primary light sources are compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). Sure, this kind of light source is considered safe. But overexposure could lead to elevated stress response for some people.

This can be due to the CFL’s light quality and color temperature. In addition, the effects of CFL exposure are due to light signals that stimulate non-visual pathways. This can impact your biological clock.

CFLs also increase the risk of migraine and eye strain. As a result, it can hinder your productivity. Moreover, broken CFLs emit mercury, which can be hazardous.

That said, open your windows and let the natural light in. The more time you spend under natural light, the less time you spend exposed to CFLs. It also helps increase the brain’s production of endorphins and serotonin, which boosts energy and lets you sleep well at night.

Add Indoor Plants

Other than natural light, you should also bring some indoor plants. That’s because indoor plants can help reduce stress levels.

According to a study published in the Journal of Psychological Anthropology, indoor plants give a sense of comfort. Mind you, something as simple as repotting a plant lowers heart rate and blood pressure.

No wonder indoor gardening is also used to help people with dementia, anxiety, and depression. This is called horticultural therapy.

Add Fragrance in the Air

If you want to feel relaxed as soon as you enter a space, ensure that it smells good.

There are many ways you do that. You can light a candle, have an oil diffuser, or make a stovetop potpourri.

Depending on the vibe you want to achieve, you can add some citrus fruits (e.g., lemon or orange), cinnamon sticks, fragrant herbs, and spices in 4 – 6 cups of water. Bring it to a simmer over low heat and let the scent emanate your room.

Are You Ready to Have a Stress-free Home?

The key to having a stress-free home is to designate areas where you can work and can relax. Once you do that, the next step is to keep it clean and organized. And then spruce them up if you like.

Use the home decorating ideas listed above so you can tailor the space based on your preferred relaxing activity. That way, you can set boundaries between the hustle and bustle of life and your zen.