If you are among the countless individuals who have been working from home since 2020’s quarantine—and continue to do so—we understand how the lines between work and life may have begun to blur. For families with children undergoing distance learning these overlapping of boundaries have been further pronounced.

Home interior design can play a role in reinforcing these boundaries and helping you reclaim your space. In fact, it has measurable effects on well-being.

In addition to following expert tips on caring for your self and your family during the pandemic, here are ways to use thoughtful design to make your home conducive once again to relaxation.

Use the power of color

Colors are instrumental in creating mood. There is a reason why fast food restaurants are typically finished in warm colors like red and orange. They complement the dynamic energy of a space and more importantly, encourage appetite. For designated spots where study, work, and brainstorming takes place, try incorporating red, orange, or even yellow, which is associated with creativity.

Key spots for relaxation like your bedroom can benefit from greens and blues. Incorporate these into your bedroom design by:

·  ​Using bed sheets and pillow cases in a cool palette.

·  ​Adding an accent wall or choosing wallpaper in a refreshing flora and fauna print.

·  ​Choosing a few accent pieces like a lampshade, a piece of artwork, or a statement chair done in green or blue.

Remember you do not need to do entire rooms in large swaths of color. Balance is key. Ground these colors in neutrals like black, charcoal, wheat, or ivory.

Achieve a sense of symmetry

Researchers have found that symmetry can affect feelings of positivity. Use balance to encourage feel-good vibes with these easy tweaks:

·  ​Surround your sofa with a pair of matching chairs on either side.

·  ​Create a gallery wall of artworks.

·  ​Distribute elements in your room. Separate visually lighter pieces, say a side table, from heavier furniture like a bookshelf.

·  ​Use sconces to flank a central piece like your bed frame or a bathroom mirror.

Incorporate indoor plants

Amid the pandemic, more and more people have begun tending to indoor plants. By virtue of their color, plants naturally encourage a sense of calm. Other than helping you feel good, plants can boost your productivity by 15 percent. This is great news if you work or study for home. Choose plants that are well-adapted to the indoors and does double duty by purifying the air in addition to making your space more visually refreshing. Here are some varieties to incorporate into your home’s interior design.

·  ​Philodendrons

·  ​Spider plants

·  ​Rubber plants

·  ​Bamboo palms

·  ​Gerbera daisies

·  ​Dragon tree

Make your indoor garden stand out by displaying plants in pots and shelves that complement your interiors. For example, if your home sports a Scandinavian aesthetic with a neutral palette, look for stands or racks done in unfinished wood or even brushed metal.

Choose the right lighting 

Light, like color, can set the mood in your home. It also complements the functions of different spaces. Furthermore, by using light to define these spaces, you can create clear demarcations between areas you use for work and study and rest and relaxation.

For example, spaces where the household gathers to relax such as a media room, dining room, or living room benefit from ambient lighting. Some ways to achieve this is though cove lighting, valance lighting, or even upward facing lamps that wash walls and ceilings in soft light. Adding dimmers to your dining area also provides flexibility so you can shift the mood from say, Saturday morning breakfast with the kids to Sunday evening cocktail nights for the adults.

The bedroom is a particularly good candidate for ambient lighting at a recommended 2,000 to 4,000 lumens. If you like to read in bed, make sure to have a good bedside lamp that you can turn on as needed. In line with the tip on symmetry, having a pair of bedside lamps on either side achieves a nice visual balance.

Accent lighting may also be used in the living room, specifically to highlight the pièce de résistance, whether it’s a bookcase, artwork, or other statement piece. Track lights are one way to do this.

Finally, for your home office, it may seem practical to have direct lighting, but you might want to consider incorporating indirect lighting. Combine this with task light on study and work areas. As much as possible, try to position work desks close to sources of natural light. Natural light helps you focus better on your work, and more importantly, encourages feelings of happiness even as you are busy with tasks for office or school.

The pandemic may have made it challenging to balance work and personal life within the confines of our homes, but design can play a role in reclaiming our spaces.

By making tweaks to your home’s interior design, you can create a calm and peaceful abode that you can live, work, and relax in.

Need professional help with your home? Inquire with us at www.jasanchetainteriors.com