Your home is not just a place where you eat and sleep, it’s where you spend most of your time (especially if you’re still working from home). The design of your home can have a significant impact on your physical and mental well-being. A well-designed home can promote a healthy lifestyle, increase productivity, and reduce stress. If I may, allow me to prove why the last two sentences are indeed facts. Let’s dig a little deeper by discussing six aspects of how a well designed home affects your health.

1. Promotes a healthy lifestyle.

A well-designed home can promote a healthy lifestyle by encouraging physical activity and healthy eating habits. For instance, a spacious and well-lit kitchen can inspire you to cook healthy meals at home, while a dedicated space for exercise can motivate you to stay active. A home with a well-designed outdoor space such as a garden or a swimming pool may encourage individuals to engage in physical activities such as gardening, swimming or even walking around the yard. An open floor plan can also encourage movement and provide opportunities for indoor activities. This is especially critical for those of us who continue to work from home. It’s easy to become sedentary in the comfort of our pajamas; however, when you collaborate with a professional interior designer, we can create a functional space that encourages and increases your desire to live healthy.

2. Enhances mental health.

The design of your home can absolutely impact your mental health, for better or worse. A cluttered and disorganized space can increase stress levels and decrease productivity. I’ve often heard that clutter in a home is indicative of the homeowner’s mindset. If your mind is flustered, disorganized, and all over the place, it’s highly likely that your stuff will be all over the place and in disorder. In contrast, a well-organized and visually appealing home can reduce stress and promote a sense of calm. Biophilic design is one of the best ways to achieve this type of living space! An environment where everything has its place, provides lots of natural light (which has been shown to improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression), greenery, and open spaces have been shown to have a positive impact on mental health (creating a more natural, calming surrounding reducing stress levels) which in turn, ultimately affects your physical health as well.

3. Improves Sleep.

The design of your home can also affect the quality of your sleep. I can’t tell you how crucial quality, restful sleep is. This. Is. Gold! If you’re not getting good sleep, nothing else will function properly in your life. Sleep affects our cognitive functions, mood, eating habits, and so much more. Homes with good insulation (that keeps your space at the right temperatures conducive for quality sleep) and soundproofing can reduce noise levels, which is important for a good night's sleep. Additionally, the use of calming colors such as blue or green and comfortable, temperature-controlled bedding can also improve the quality of sleep.

4. Improves air quality.

Indoor air quality can have a significant impact on your health! Often times the paint, flooring, and cabinetry used in a home contain a significant amount of off-gassing. What people don’t understand is that they’re breathing these toxic gases in each and every day while in their homes! It’s unfortunate (and scary) because many homeowners will opt to do their home remodeling on their own, not thinking about those details. They select what’s “pretty” and looks good while not considering how those choices will affect the health of everyone in the home. A well-designed home can incorporate features such as proper ventilation, air filtration systems, and non-toxic building materials to improve indoor air quality. Good air quality can reduce the risk of long-term respiratory problems, allergies, or even some diseases.

5. Increases productivity.

A well-designed home can increase productivity by providing a dedicated space for work or study. A well-lit and comfortable workspace can improve focus and motivation, while minimizing distractions. For instance, color (or the lack thereof) can have a huge impact on the level of productivity you have. Select a dark, moody color and you may have a hard time concentrating on work because it feels so comfy and cozy that you want to take a nap. Select a color that’s too bright and jarring, and you may be so wired you won’t need that cup of coffee! Choosing the wrong color for your space can actually be a distraction. A quiet and private space can also enhance productivity by reducing interruptions and improving concentration. Layout and functionality is imperative for a productive workspace and is often overlooked by homeowners.

6. Enhances safety.

Who doesn’t want their home to be safe? A well-designed home can enhance safety by incorporating features such as non-slip flooring, handrails, and adequate lighting (especially if you have aging parents or someone with a disability that live with you). These features can reduce the risk of accidents and injuries, especially for seniors and children. This also includes having the right technology incorporated into the overall design that provides safety features regarding alarm systems, carbon monoxide detection, and ease of controlling the right amount of lighting or sound for specific areas of the home. There is so much that goes into creating a safe home environment for you and your loved ones. It’s paramount that you do it right.

So, let me ask you a couple of questions. How important is your well-being and your family’s well-being? Can you put a price on your health or is it priceless? I hope your answer was the latter. People are so busy being busy these days. It’s to the point that they’ve become so stressed out, anxious, and depressed. Our health and the way we live is an afterthought, if it’s even a thought at all.

This is why it’s so important to truly understand how our homes affect our mental and physical health. This is the place we spend most of our lifetime so we have to get it right. Invest in the design of your home! It’s not about just making it look beautiful, it’s about making sure the right materials are selected and the layout makes sense for how you live and what you need. It needs to flow properly and be cohesive throughout the home…not just one room.

By considering these factors when designing or renovating your home, you can create a space that not only is beautiful to look at it and spend time in, but supports your physical and mental well-being. Now that my friend, is priceless.

Need help creating a home that promotes healthy living and is designed with these factors in mind? We’ve got you! Complete our Contact Form today! We would love to chat with you about your design needs and show you what’s possible.