By, Kate Hamblet
Imagine walking into your home after a long day and feeling a sense of ease wash over you. You’re able to leave any outside stress behind and feel rejuvenated as you move throughout the house. Your home is your retreat, intentionally designed to promote peace and tranquility. Everything from the ease of staying organized to the relaxing glimpses of nature has been included to create a calm environment. Here are some tips on creating a floor plan that helps support mental and emotional well-being when designing a new home or renovation.
Connection To Nature
One of the easiest ways to bring happiness and calm energy into your home is to bring nature in. Don’t let your home be a barrier from the outdoors. Instead, let it be an extension of nature. This can be done with strategic window placement so you always have a view outdoors. When I design homes, I like to make sure there’s a view outside from the moment I walk through the front door. And as I move throughout the home, there are glimpses of the outdoors from every room. Views to the exterior are just one of many design strategies that create a connection to nature. Explore these biophilic design strategies to go even further in creating a happy and calm home through nature.
Natural Light
Dark spaces can be a drag. If you have a dark room in your home that doesn’t get much natural light, you probably aren’t drawn to being in that room. Optimize natural light in your home by placing living spaces like the living room, dining and kitchen, offices, and reading spaces on the south side of the house to bring in the most light throughout the day. However, it’s very important to shade your south-facing windows with exterior overhangs so you don’t overheat your house in the summer.
Controlling Noise
Noisy spaces are irritating and stressful. If you’re trying to concentrate on something while your child is watching TV, you might feel your calm vibes evaporating from your body. There are a few easy ways to protect your house from being overly noisy when designing the layout:
Don’t design an open-concept floor plan. I know this has been a very popular design trend for a while, but now that it's been around long enough, it’s become clear that it’s noisy and not private enough. One big room that houses your kitchen, dining, and living spaces means that there is no way to control the noise from one space to the next. If one person is clanging around in the kitchen, another person trying to watch TV in the living area is going to keep turning the volume up higher and higher (I know from experience!).
Semi-open plans are a great compromise. Try combining the kitchen and dining in one space while separating the living area with a wall or something similar.
Avoid two-story spaces. I know two-story rooms are dramatic and look very cool. But they are so noisy! The acoustics are pretty bad, and you’ll find that your voice carries all over the place. High ceilings (9’-10’ high) are a better alternative. And they create more usable space in your house since you don’t have a two-story volume of wasted space.
Figure out your loud rooms before you build. Take your time in the early phases of the design process to determine all the different rooms in your house and which rooms are the noisy ones. For example, if someone in your home listens to loud music when they workout in the middle of the day, you probably don’t want that workout room to be near an office space. Or if you typically run your laundry at night, avoid putting the laundry next to bedrooms. Thinking about all the noisy and quiet zones in your home before you even begin designing the floor plan will help you create a wonderfully calm and quiet home.
Mindful Kitchen Design
Creating a mindful kitchen is an obsession of mine. If you’ve ever lived in a home with a poorly functioning kitchen, you know how irritating it is. But a kitchen designed for health and well-being can turn your life around! (slightly dramatic, but it is a game changer!) A wellness kitchen makes it easier to eat healthy food and makes meal prep go quicker. It brings your family and friends together. And it teaches the younger generation a healthy and happy approach to eating. Start creating your wellness kitchen with tips here.
Calm Entryway
Remember imagining that first step into your home, and how calm you felt? It’s because of the calm entryway you created. The design of your entryway will help define the mood you’ll be in when arriving home. The objective is to make it feel spacious, organized, well-lit, and connected to nature. Here are some tips:
Make sure all of your belongings have a place to go with ample closet space and bins for small loose items like hats and mittens. The key to eliminating clutter in the entryway is to hide it! Closets and bins are the best way to hide outdoor clothing clutter.
Create a drop zone with a drawer for mail and keys.
Have entry mats to collect dirt.
Include a bench so people can sit on the bench to take off their shoes rather than the floor.
Create your connection to nature either with views to the outside or by bringing nature into the space.
Install soft lighting so it doesn’t feel harsh and blinding when you arrive at night.
Bring personal items into the entryway like family pictures or art that’s special to you.
While layout design is only one aspect of creating a mindful home, it’s a critical element that sets the foundation for a serene and tranquil environment. By incorporating these strategies during the design phase of a new home or renovation, you can create a space that feels like a restful sanctuary. Use these tips to ensure your home supports your mental and emotional well-being, making it a true retreat from the stresses of everyday life.
By, Kate Hamblet
The Wellness Architect Balanced Architecture
Kate helps health-conscious families create homes that support and promote health, happiness, and longevity. You'll find her at www.balancedarchitecture.com
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