BRING THE OUTSIDE IN

KEEPING plants in your home may boost your mental well-being, a study has found. | RACHEL CLAIRE Pexels

IF YOU love having plants at home, then there is good news for you as a new study suggests that plants at home can keep you mentally healthy.

The findings, published in the journal Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, indicated that having plants at home had a positive influence on the psychological well-being of the dwelling's inhabitants during Covid-19 lockdown.

The researchers from the University of Genoa in Italy, evaluated the role played by the plants at home during the first Covid-19 lockdown and the study involved 4 200 respondents.

The situation between the months of March and June deprived the public of the chance to enjoy open spaces and nature, and forced them to spend extended periods of time indoors.

The team found 74% of the respondents agreed that having plants at home had a positive influence on emotional well-being during lockdown, the researchers said.

In fact, more than half of them (55.8%) stated that they would have preferred to have more plants in their house during that difficult period.

The frequency with which study participants experienced negative emotions was higher in those who stated they had no indoor plants.

Those living in small or poorly lit dwellings and those who did not visit green spaces frequently before lockdown also experienced more negative emotions. | IANS

MEGAN MCDONOUGH

PICTURE an escape. The first image that came to mind is probably a sandy beach or an exotic location. It is unlikely it was your master bathroom or bedroom.

That is slowly changing, says interior designer and author Nate Berkus. “With everything going on in the world, I think all of us want and have always wanted, our home to be our sanctuary.” Berkus has made a career of transforming living spaces into private oases.

But as millennials join the ranks of home buyers, with their obsessive interest in self-care, mindfulness and the internet, the idea of design as escapism is expanding.

Your best shot at creating a home that feels “safe and warm,” Berkus says, is to do homework and figure out what design style best suits you.

Turn your space into a SANCTUARY

Create inside peace

When you’re embarking on a renovation or redesign, ask yourself: “What choices can I make to promote a feeling of sanctity? What natural elements, time-worn finishes and architectural elements salvaged from old buildings can I incorporate to add layers of depth and character?”

Bathroom as sanctity

Master bathrooms have also become a commonplace of respite, with trends toward personalisation and spainspired amenities. “Bathrooms have become even more sumptuous,” Berkus says.

For homeowners on a budget, an easy way to create bathroom serenity is with candles, fresh flowers, relaxing music and recessed lighting. Berkus also notes a growing trend toward upholstered bathroom furniture such as quilted chaises and tufted settees next to the bathtub, to add another tier of warmth and relaxation.

Use social networks

Visual social networks such as Instagram and Pinterest can help homeowners curate their interests, hone their design aesthetic and create a home environment that reflects their personality and tastes. “Our design consciousness has been elevated based on our access to information,” Berkus says.

Websites have also served as tools to help clients communicate to interior designers what they want, “whether it’s something that reflects who they are as a person, their cultural heritage or time in their lives that was meaningful”. | The Washington Post