4 Ways To Create Your Sanctuary
Creating a zen interior is all about relaxed spaces with calming colour combinations, that induce mental clarity and a sense of calm.
using colour in your home
Colour is the ultimate mood enhancer so never underestimate the power of soothing paint hues, or tonal soft homewares. Used for a millennia to shift our emotions, lift our mood and bring a sense of calm, the use of colour in the home has never been more important.
Think about the colours that draw you in. Often it can help to think about the places you love around the world. Are you drawn to cool calm Scandi style, the warm earth-based pigments of the Mediterranean, colour pops of the Caribbean or desert tones from our homeland?
- Adding a mix of warm and cool neutrals to your living space evokes a sense of calm and peace. Often used in wellness centres and yoga studios, a warm toasty beige or cool, grey antique white can instantly make your space feel open and light. Mixing warm and cool-toned neutrals brings a passive reaction to the brain, making you feel content, relaxed and even subdued.
- Muted Pastels are, by their very nature, softer and subtler than their saturated counterparts, adding depth and sophistication to your tranquil home. Beige pinks and soft browns represent reliability, security and responsibility and create a feeling of warmth and comfort.
- Suited to any room in the house, green is the great balancer. The colour of nature, this deeply reassuring hue encourages unwinding and togetherness, easing stress and managing anxiety.
- Blue is used in therapy to calm the central nervous system and, like green, relieve stress. Think of adding shades of blue and its counterparts, soft indigo and gentle tones of violet to bedrooms and living spaces to create a feeling of serenity and depth.
Image: Domenica Cinnamon, Donnatella Earth, Francesca Copper, and Vinnie Terracotta.
create a quiet corner
In our chaotic lives, a responsibility-free afternoon or even five minutes is a luxury. If we dedicate spaces in our homes to peaceful activities, such as reading, working our way through a stack of magazines or even putting on a mud mask and meditating, it serves as a reminder to slow down and find time for self-care amid hectic schedules.
Knowing you have a calming spot where you can sit, relax or read a book will get you in the zone when you want to enhance your mood and improve mental clarity. Adding velvet cushions and a 100% cotton throw is a perfect way to add softness and comfort to your relaxation spot, forcing you to luxuriate in cosiness.
Image: Dante Midnight, Alberto Nougat, Ravello Shell and Franco Clay.
cocoon in your bedroom
Your bedroom can be more than just a place to sleep. It can also be your inner sanctum, where you begin and end the day by reading, relaxing and unwinding. Try to incorporate a variety of different textures to feed not only your sense of touch, but also your eyes.
Lay down a floor rug, pile on a soft throw, and don't shy away from mixing patterned cushions. Combine large prints with small ones, stripes with embroidered patterns. Mix soft, cosy fabrications, such as chunky knits, soft weaves and plush velvets with smooth materials like natural wood, ceramic and marble. The contrast between hard and soft, cool and warm, will bring balance and calm to your beautiful home through tactile euphoria.
Image: Solano Amber.
bring the outdoor, in
Cold winter days mean that we spend less time in the great outdoors and more time huddled under a soft throw on the couch. House plants are the perfect way to bring the outside in and provide a myriad of health benefits, making them an essential part of your tranquil home.
Not only do plants make a stunning addition to your living space, studies have also proven that indoor plants improve concentration and productivity by up to 15 percent, reduce stress levels and boost your mood. Bringing calming, feel-good greenery into your home blurs the distinctions between us and the outside world, putting you in touch with nature and the pull of the planet.
Image: Vito Cushions.
A sanctuary can mean something different to everyone, but the team at Weave hope that the turn of the season brings you some much-needed stress relief and clarity.
If you are on a mission to reevaluate your space and decorate your room, take inspiration from our Instagram to help inspire, with all our new cushions, warm throws and wool rugs. It's never been more important to stay well-rested, stress-free and well-fed, so make sure you look after yourself.