If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that we turn to our homes first to heal before we bounce back to face the music. Wellness design focuses on health and wellbeing as its primary factor. They are built around whole, humanitarian lifestyles and spaces lived in harmony with nature.
Read on to know how wellbeing interior design can benefit you as you grab onto some tips and tricks to bring it home.
LIFE-ENRICHING SPACES
The core of wellness design is crafting interiors that connect with you and fill you with a deep sense of delight and oneness with the space.
It’s tailor-made to the user’s lifestyle, functions, and taste; increasing the ease of living and improving its functionality.
Through well-planned spaces, biophilic and ergonomic design, it balances and disciplines the body, and mind, to uproot anxiety and stress.
The idea is to shape a home, office or classroom environment where one feels supported and revitalized to pursue your passions and dreams.
For instance, through our 501(c) 3 Non Profit, Design With Purpose, We have established a symbiotic relationship with Children’s Hospital of Orange County and The Orange County Department of Education— and are collectively creating “WellSpaces” for children and families in need.
A WellSpace is a safe and welcoming school-based oasis where all students can connect to support, resources and information on a variety of physical and mental health topics, promoting whole-person wellness. Creating WellSpaces on campuses increases access to critical resources children and youth need to thrive in all dimensions of their lives—and enables us to reach a larger population BEFORE any physical or mental health issues escalate.
We recently revealed numerous WellSpaces at several middle schools and high schools throughout Orange County. Take a look at how we brought to life a cozy nook.
A few comfortable poufs and chairs later, we decided a jute rug could hold the place together nicely while also quickly bearing the brunt of the enthusiastic shenanigans! The room became the perfect space for the kids to brainstorm and unwind.
Wellness design is the map to mental and physical healing and development.
It also resonates with Danish principles such as “Hygge” and “Lagom.” Or as the Swedish say “Mysigt” – or “cozy”. They demand spaces that pamper your senses and instill a sense of cozy and luxury.
Start by furnishing the space with comfortable, ergonomic furniture that also looks sleek and chic. Add to these ample ambient and accent lighting to soak the room in welcoming pools of soft light. The rule is to keep the space indulgent and comforting.
SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS
What better way to promote healthy living than starting with safe and clean building materials?
Carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide from leaking chimneys and unvented gas heaters and fireplaces, and toxic run-offs from homes and factories that enter water sources untreated are the biggest causes of collapsed air quality and marine life.
Wellness design promotes sustainable materials and practices that care for human life and ecosystems, leading to a holistically healthy life for all.
Revolutionary materials such as PureBond, a safe, economical ply substitute, and VOC-free paints options help retain cleaner and healthier air.
We have most recently partnered with The Purified Home team to provide purified home testing, planning and certified home purification for all of our clients. To learn more, please contact us at Duffek Design.
ENERGY CONSERVATION
Wellness interior design also ensures practices such as Energy-efficient gadgets, water recycling for gardening and restrooms, solar paneling, improved ventilation systems, and LEED certification, if planned and executed in advance.
BIOPHILIC DESIGN
Biophilic design is a concept used within the building industry to increase occupant connectivity to the natural environment through the use of direct nature, indirect nature, and space and place conditions. Used at both the building and city-scale, it is argued that this idea has health, environmental, and economic benefits for building occupants and urban environments, with few drawbacks. Although its name was coined in recent history, indicators of biophilic design have been seen in architecture from as far back as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Biophilic Designs with their natural robustness are the core of wellness design. It advocates nature in its tactics, thus increasing energy efficiency.
Strategically placed windows and doors will ensure proper ventilation and passive heating. Naturally, well-lit rooms are known to boost moods and increase productivity.
While you can elementarily add potted plants or trees to the interiors of your homes, letting spaces intermingle with nature at every opportunity is optimum.
A touch of rocks, sand, pebbles, bamboo, etc., around creates a reflection of nature.
Finally, you can also opt for organic patterns, shapes, geometrics, etc., to mimic the outer beauty.
ORGANIC MATERIALS
Wellness design draws from a healthy ecosystem because nature heals and nurtures. Therefore, abundantly using natural materials and finishes is a foolproof trick of inviting wellness into your home.
Natural wood finishes such as rustic table tops, hardwood floors, rattan, and jute weave for wall-hangings, rugs and throws, linen bedding, cushions, and even clothes, are excellent pathways to wellness design.
You can also add an extra touch of oomph with polished lime finish wall or marble countertops or tabletops.
COLOR THERAPY
Wellness design arouses self-awareness in living spaces.
While popping colors bring in high energy and vibrancy, softer pastels and muted neutrals lend a relaxing aura to the interiors when picked attentively according to the room’s functionality.
It may also emphasize color palettes closer to nature, such as shades of greens, browns, and whites, etc., that also blend charmingly well with natural materials like wood and stones.
FENG SHUI
While ancient Chinese practices such as Feng Shui and Wabi-Sabi and crystal healing met with uncertainty, they are experiencing an upward trend in these troubled times and with good results.
They explore our connection to our homes. For example, Feng Shui dictates a high-energy position for every object in the house, thus stimulating productivity and a clutter-free environment.
A balance between five elements of nature-fire, Earth, water, wood, and metal again has its bases in logic, where a hot-headed person may benefit from installing a cooling water element at home. The gentle, rhythmic flow or trickle of water can bring tranquil vibes and calm energy into the house.
Such mindful designs with mental and psychological benefits are a happy and motivated disposition, leading to profoundly holistic living. So while some concepts may be tricky to understand, we’d be delighted to help you carve out a space that sings tales of hearty bodies and improved moods.
