4 Essential Home Design Tips to Beat the Winter Blues

Living through the endless gloomy days and icy temperatures of winter takes a toll on your mental health. If you’re one of many who can’t remember the last time they saw the sun, bring the sunshine indoors instead! Mood-boosting home decor is a great way to fight seasonal depression. The right paint colors, lighting, and even decorative accessories can help elevate your spirits when the view outside is less than inspiring.

We spoke to both an interior designer and a creative wellness expert to offer decorating tips that will brighten your home and your mood through these long winter months.

How Home Décor Impacts Your Mood

Our surroundings have a big impact on our mood, even when we don’t realize it. “When visual input hits the eye, the signal splits into two paths,” says wellness expert Dr. Eleni Nicolaou. “One path heads to the visual cortex, which is the area of the brain that helps us see the room. The second path heads directly to the amygdala, which is the area of the brain that manages our emotional responses and threat detection.”

This means that an uninviting room with harsh lighting and clutter will heighten our sense of alertness and can make us feel anxious. Whereas a warm and cozy room has the opposite effect. “Your heart rate will slow down, and your cortisol (stress hormone) levels will decrease,” says Nicolaou. “Since you are indoors more during the winter months, these subtle cues add up each day.”

Best Lighting for Beating Winter Gloom

So how can you make your home a cheerful escape from the cold outdoors? Start with the right lighting. “Softer lamps with warmer tones can create a safe and more relaxing environment to burrow into during these darker months,” says interior designer Claire Summer-Jones. “That harsh, overhead ceiling fixture can be too bright, causing eye strain, headaches and even overstimulation.”

Use multiple sources of light, including table lamps, floor lamps, and wall lighting, to create dimension and an inviting atmosphere. Control the light with a dimmer switch so you can create soft lighting at night and brighter light during the day.

Choosing Mood-Boosting Colors

Color definitely has an effect on your emotions and behavior; so paint colors that boost mood, increase energy, and encourage optimism can help fight seasonal depression. “The colors that are going to actually improve your mood are those that remind your body of warmth and daylight,” says Nicolaou. “Terracotta, soft yellows, and peachy hues simulate the color temperature of sunrise and sunset that produces serotonin in your brain.”

If repainting isn’t an option, use cheerful colors generously with big pieces of art, peel-and-stick wallpaper, or in your textiles like bedding and pillow covers.

Adding Natural Elements

When the view out your windows is nothing but gray skies, bare branches, and icy roads, it’s important to add touches of nature to your interior. That way, you can have the hope of spring right inside your living room. A vase full of faux greenery, or a real plant if you have a green thumb, can do wonders for your mental health. Incorporating natural materials like wood and stone also helps ground the space and reminds you of the beautiful outdoors.

Create Cozy Spaces

The bottom line is, you should think of your home as a cozy cocoon that protects you from the dreary weather outside. When you look around at your decor, you should feel a burst of happiness—which can help keep seasonal depression at bay. “Surround yourself with colors and pieces that bring you joy! Bright and bold colors, art that shows a sense of humor—accompanied by some seriously cozy blankets and throws—will bring that happy-sunshine feel in the depths of this cold!” says Summer-Jones.

FAQ

Should I avoid dark colors completely?

Not necessarily. “Dark colors could be oppressive or cozy—it depends on the color temperature itself,” says Summer-Jones. “A rich, dark green can be cool and soft with more blue mixed in, or can be warmer and vibrant with more red. The undertone of the color makes a huge difference, more so than if the color is simply dark or light.”

Can clutter make seasonal depression worse?

“Yes, and the reason for this is because your brain is continuously scanning your environment for potential threats or items that require your attention,” says Nicolaou. “Clutter causes your visual cortex to process multiple objects at once. As a result, your stress levels increase because your brain interprets the clutter as uncompleted tasks.”

About the Experts

• Dr. Eleni Nicolaou is an Art Therapist and Creative Wellness Coach. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a research background in the impact of environmental aspects on mood regulation and stress response.
• Claire Summers-Jones is an interior-focused maker, DIY educator, and owner and founder of Beech Tree Studio. A big part of her work with clients centers around how spaces in your home affect mood, focus and mental health.

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The post 4 Essential Home Design Tips to Beat the Winter Blues appeared first on Family Handyman.

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