It’s estimated that urban populations spend 90% of their time indoors. Therefore, some professionals use this knowledge to improve the emotional impact of our spaces. Bored Panda reached out to interior designer Katie Cardew, who kindly agreed to give us some advice on how to create an environment that leaves a positive effect on our mental health. 

She told us that the most important thing we can do to create a room that makes us feel good is to decorate it with things we love.

“While a neutral, minimalist room might make one person feel zen and happy, to another person it could make them feel like they can’t put their feet up and relax, always worried about making a mess. Decorating your living space is very personal, and whenever I work with clients, I spend a long time picking over their day-to-day routine and working through magazine photos, trying to pinpoint how they need a room to function and then how best to decorate to make them feel most at home.”

Something else she sees as majorly significant in a room is color and texture. “One thing I see over and over again is clients coming to me because they have somehow managed to always pick grey paint and grey furniture, and that’s ultimately making them feel drab and down. 

Greys and beiges can be colors people default to because they feel comfortable using them, but they don't always work to create rooms that lift people’s spirits. Color doesn’t have to be scary - pick two or three colors from a paint chart and base your walls, furniture, and accessories around them.”

She also suggests mixing two to three patterns with the already chosen colors. "When using patterns, a really easy, fail-safe tip is to pick one stripe, one large-scale pattern, and one smaller-scale pattern. Pair these with one or two plain fabrics, and you have just created a scheme! Work out where you want to use each fabric (curtains/headboard/cushions/armchair) and if you love the colors and patterns, you will invariably love the room you are creating.”

If you find painting walls too daunting, another great tip is to play around with more interesting shades on the skirting boards, architrave, and window woodwork instead. It will still add a pop of joy to the room, but it’s much easier to paint over if the person is temporarily renting.

Something that might interfere with the attempt to create a relaxing environment is following aesthetics and purchasing things that are popular at that moment. 

Katie warns against buying items or choosing colors just because they are trendy. “Ultimately, you could end up with a space that does not make you happy because you followed a trend rather than thinking about what it is in a room that makes you feel happy and relaxed. You may love florals, you may love stripes, or you may love whites, but whatever it is that makes you feel most at home, lean into that and base your room around it.”

That said, a feature that can help infuse tranquility into your home is lighting. “I personally have never walked into a room with one main light hanging from the ceiling and felt relaxed. My home is filled with wall lights, lamps, and candles, and using low-level ambient lighting works wonders to create a calm environment. If you are putting in new lighting, remember to make sure you can dim it. This way, you can turn the lights up for activities and down for relaxing!”

However, planning your own space requires a lot of creativity, which doesn’t always flow as freely as we would hope. When asked what a person should do when they feel stuck in their process, Katie’s first recommendation was to reach out to an interior designer. “It doesn't have to cost the earth, and actually, they can save you money - they can help you avoid mistakes and create a room that you will love for years,” she added.

In cases where that isn’t possible, she advises breaking it down into small chunks. Begin by finding a piece of art that’s dear to your heart and finding a paint color that goes with it. She further suggests heading to the local fabric shop with the already-purchased items and finding textiles that go together.

Lastly, she emphasizes the importance of storage. “The small details, like accessories, can wait. Make sure you include enough storage (the basic rule is that 80% of your stuff should be away and 20% on display). My go-to for storage is antique shops or Vinterior/eBay - it's amazing to me that you can pick up an item with a history for less than something new. Plus, if a piece of furniture has already lasted 100 years, it will likely last a lot longer than something cheaply made from Ikea!”