" White is calming and promotes clarity and harmony ."
DESIGN SIMPLIFIED :
HOW TO DESIGN A MEANINGFUL AND HAPPY HOME WITH KELLY ANDERSON
Trendy , modern , beautiful . Above all , perfect . If you look through any home décor magazine , or surf through Houzz or Pinterest , it appears as if that is what makes for a happy home . But take a closer look , and you ’ ll see that perfection works only on camera , not in real life .
Your home doesn ' t have to be perfect , just meaningful to you and your family . It should be your personal sanctuary that nourishes and rejuvenates you , and it should enable meaningful living . I define meaningful living as enjoying the experiences and people that make life wonderful , like time with family , entertaining friends , creating , giving , contributing , and , of course , curling up in my favorite chair and being still .
Figure out what makes you happy and then make your space uniquely meaningful to you . Design needn ’ t be complicated or costly . The secret to creating “ the perfect home ” is to keep it simple , practical , and a reflection of you .
Here are ten simple ideas to design a meaningful and happy home :
1 . DESIGN FOR YOUR BEST LIFE Your home should functionally make your life better and make it easier to be your best . So design your home to support good habits and make meaningful activities easier . Arrange the furniture in your living room for conversations , and hide the TV in a cabinet or low on a bench instead of front and centre . Set up a writing desk or a workout room in a rarely used spare bedroom . Organise your kitchen cupboards and counters in a way that encourages healthy eating . Keep electronics and the TV out of the bedroom . Carve out a dedicated meditation corner . Design for real life , not for perfect looks .
2 . MAKE IT CALM Colors that are soothing to you may not necessarily be the latest trend that you see in magazines and blogs . In general , neutral and muted colors that mimic nature are the most relaxing and soothing to our eyes and mind . I ’ m a big fan of white or
off-white for walls . White is calming and promotes clarity and harmony . It also provides a clean , fresh backdrop for the interesting and meaningful things in your life like artwork , books , and collections . A happy home is one that shines the spotlight on the people and stories in it , not the walls !
3 . PURGE , PURGE AND PURGE SOME MORE You don ’ t have to become a hard-core minimalist , but decluttering your home of things that have no meaning to you will free up space for the things that do . Donate anything that you do not use regularly or that is not , in your eyes , absolutely beautiful or meaningful . Then put simple systems in place to keep these treasured items organized and functional so that your home life is never frustrating .
4 . BRING SPECIAL ITEMS OUT IN THE OPEN Just as important as ridding your space of clutter is designing it to include the things that will make you happy . Prominently display your favorite piece of art , whether it ’ s the kids ' drawings , a famous print , or a crazy flea market find that makes you smile . Put photos on display of those you love . Use mementos from trips or special occasions as functional items . For example , use a special bowl in the entryway for holding keys . Stack up your favorite books by the couch as a side table . Bring the antique trunk that grandpa made out from the storage room and actually use it . Frame those worn T-shirts or sports jerseys from days gone by to create a hallway display ( and free up closet space at the same time ). Don ' t make your space a slave to design rules or trends .
5 . GROUP YOUR COLLECTIONS TOGETHER Grouping similar things together makes a bigger impact than dispersing them , and it also helps reduce the clutter in your house . Dedicate only one shelf for your antique bottle collection . Display your vacation shells or sea glass in vintage jars grouped together on the mantel . Arrange your antique postcards on a desk or tabletop with a piece of glass over them . Remove the door of an upper kitchen cabinet to display your beautiful bowls . Lean
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