How to Design a Relaxing Space in Your Home

Several years back, I had a house in the country outside of Knoxville. It was my safe haven from a stressful world. I carefully designed each room to whisper comfort. Once I walked through the door, I shut off the noise and stress from the day. I created a stress relief getaway over a period of time; a peaceful sanctuary to call my own.

We are exposed to so many environmental stressors every day. Honking horns, screaming people, ringing phones and beeping fax machines are just a few sounds that grind our gears daily. Designing a relaxing space in your home can be relatively easy and inexpensive. Here are some tips to create a tranquil space to escape every day stress.

Color– Color has a powerful effect over our moods. Calming, soothing colors include blue-based tones. Green, however, helps to balance your mood. The color yellow is reported to create anxiety. Bright colors, such as red or orange tend to energize your mood. Go to a home building store and look at paint chips.  You will feel relaxed when you find the colors that soothe you the most.

Light-Use natural light as much as possible in your home. Reduce the glare of bright, fluorescent lights and note if you have reduced eye tension. Do keep your bedroom as dark as possible for the best sleep. I adore black out curtains to block the light in my room.

Sound- Music can be a potent stress reliever. Choose music that leaves you feeling balanced and relaxed. Some find Bach relaxing while others adore new age music. Avoid music that gets your juices jangling. Save that clip for the gym.

Scents-Certain essential oils can be helpful in relaxation. Use a diffuser  in your home to disperse the essential oil scent for a calm, relaxing environment. My favorite is lavender.

Atmosphere- Try candlelight to create a relaxing environment in your home.  This is a quick, inexpensive way to design a stress-free spot. You can even find water features for under $25 at your local home decoration store. I actually took a free local feng shui class to learn a different approach for stress-free design. Finally, combine all of the above elements for your design a relaxing space in your home.

For over 25 years in the health care profession, Lisa Birnesser has studied stress relief techniques and have helped hundreds of people reduce stress in their lives.Lisa specializes stress management coaching by helping people do what matters most every day.