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Creating a mindful space is not about what it looks like, but how it makes you feel – and there are simple steps you can take to improve your home ’ s wellbeing, as Jennifer Morgan discovers

indful, mindfulness, living more mindfully… all words and phrases that have secured a firm footing

Min our vocabulary during the turmoil and chaos of the past 18 months. And while we have an idea of what they mean – the act of being present in our lives and our actions, not overwhelmed by what’s going on around us – we are also increasingly looking for ways to bring this notion of mindfulness into our homes, too. Of course, it makes sense, as stylist and author of The New Mindful Home and How to Make it Yours, Joanna Thornhill, explains: ‘A mindful home is a space that’s designed to support our own wellbeing and helps make it easy to practice self care (in whatever form that make take), or indulge in creative hobbies – but one that’s equally aware of the impact that decorating mindfully entails to the environment. ’ Who wouldn’t want this kind of home? ‘The experience of the pandemic and losing so much access to the outside world has, unsurprisingly, made us focus a lot more on our homes, ’ says Joanna. ‘They became the centre of our world. Add to this the way that mental health and environmental concerns relating to our throwaway culture have become more mainstream and you can see why we’re looking at how we design our homes mindfully – it’s a natural progression. ’ Creative business coach Nicola Wilkes (seriouslystylishbusiness.co.uk) believes a mindful home reflects us and not our neighbours, friends, or followers. ‘A mindful home is authentic, ’ she says. ‘You don’t have to prove yourself or your style/likes/ dislikes to anyone: it’s about you and your happiness, and essentially who you are at the end of the day. It’s about a space you create purposefully to make life better. ’

All sounding good so far… but what actions do we need to take? Stylist and author of Home for the Soul, Sara Bird, says to start by thinking: ‘Really think about how you use a space and how areas and rooms make you feel when you’re in them. ’ Begin with a home audit of sorts: if your hallway is a place of chaos, then what can you do to calm it down? If your bathroom isn’t the sanctuary you dream of, then perhaps it needs a makeover? Does your bedroom aid that golden eight hours of sleep each night?

‘I don’t think many people realise how much we’re influenced by the way we display, store and keep things in our homes, ’ says Nicola. ‘It can make the difference between holding onto lots of mental clutter versus feeling free to think clearly, take action and move forward in our lives. When my home is messy, cluttered or needs decorating, it creates endless distractions for me. I like everything to have its place and for it to feel streamlined – this makes those mundane tasks, such as homework, washing, ironing, and tidying kids’ rooms, so much easier. ’

So, on your mindful home journey, find time for a good declutter – though don’t go overboard, as Sara cautions. ‘While clutter can make us feel stressed, objects and finds do lend personality to a room and fill a home with memories, ’ she says. ‘The secret is to regularly monitor what you do have and then organise what remains into zones and areas, using boxes, baskets, cupboards and shelving, for an orderly way of having things in your home. ’

‘We need to tune into our gut – or that intuitive voice – to get clear on what will truly enhance our happiness at home, ’ says Joanna. ‘Does that look like improving storage (or decluttering), so it’s not always a battle to put the coats or kids’ toys away? Or is it ensuring you’ve carved out a corner of calm where you can escape the stresses of everyday life? Really focus on the elements that are causing you stress and how you can rectify this. ’

What if it’s the décor that’s causing you angst? ‘Decorating mindfully encompasses a

number of different elements, ’ Joanna adds,

‘but it comes back to how you want to feel in your home. If you want to encourage sociability among your family or household in communal areas, consider relaxed seating layouts and bold, vibrant colours and patterns to help support this. For a spa-like bathroom, opt for a limited palette of earthy, natural tones and bring in soft texture. ’

Don’t underestimate the importance of natural light in a mindful home. ‘It connects us to nature and brings health-enhancing benefits, ’ says Sara. ‘It is a balance, though, so where we open up areas to daylight to set a positive mood in a scheme, we need to balance with shade and privacy. Make sure you include lots of tactile surfaces – think of furnishings to sink into, brush against or to help dampen noise. ’

Joanna, Sara and Nicola all champion considered purchases. ‘Can a piece of furniture be repurposed elsewhere around the home or upcycled?’ asks Sara. ‘If you’re buying new, try to choose something for longevity. ’ Being eco-aware belongs very much in the mindful home – it’s that sense of being mindful about our planet, too. ‘Make it a project to explore the many eco options for decorating and research the benefits of health-enhancing materials, ’ Sara adds.

‘Items bought for the sake of it because they’re a fashion fad, in a high street home store or were reduced is not my style, ’ says Nicola. design classic I’ll have for the rest of my life, such as my dining table, which is the Saturn by Swedish brand Lammhults, or my dining chairs by Kartell, which I saved up for and bought one at a time 20 years ago as a single mother. I still have both. ’

‘To be truly mindful, it’s important to consider the sustainability credentials of the pieces we bring into our home, and who made them, just as much as their aesthetic appeal, ’ says Joanna. ‘It acknowledges the psychological triggers and associations we subconsciously make all the time in relation to what we surround ourselves with and brings this into our forethoughts as a key consideration within the design process. ’

Joanna also looks at personality types in her book and how we can use this to inform our decorative decisions. ‘If you understand how your intro/extroversion can dictate the sort of spaces that resonate with you most, then you’ll get a much better

idea of what works for you personally, ’ she says.

‘Although I’m very organised and find clutter stressful, conversely, I like to surround myself with ornaments, books, art and design pieces in quite a maximalist way as visual stimulation is very comforting to me: I have a busy mind, so without anything to look at, my thoughts can race. Other people might find this overwhelming. ’

Colour – and your colour personality, as identified by Angela Wright – also has mindful implications: ‘This goes far deeper than aesthetics and relates to the tonal palettes, which naturally support us best. Since discovering my own colour personality, I’ve been making tweaks around my home and repainted rooms to create a space that speaks to my subconscious and just “feels” right. ’

‘During the second lockdown, I repainted my living room from dark grey to a rich, verdant green, ’ says Joanna. ‘I’d always loved the “blank canvas” the grey walls gave, almost like a palette cleanser to escape from my busy life to. But with extended lockdowns, I began to crave something more stimulating that would enhance my feelings of connecting to nature. As well as the green refresh, I switched out a few pieces to more natural elements, increasing my biophilic connection to nature. The space now feels much more cocooning and welcoming, even though the change hasn’t been that dramatic. ’ Sara agrees, and her final words sum it up to perfection: ‘It’s the small things that matter in a mindful home. ’

‘ T U N E I N T O Y O U R G U T , T H A T I N T U I T I V E V O I C E , T O G E T C L E A R O N W H A T W I L L E N H A N C E Y O U R H A P P I N E S S A T H O M E ’ 5

mindful home ideas

Up your home ’ s zen this weekend with these tips

1

Decluer a small space, be it a corner of the room or a drawer, and feel the benefits of geing rid of what no longer serves you – and gaining extra room.

2

Clean your windows. Okay, this one ’ s a bit of an ask, but sparkling windows make all the difference to a space and help to maximise the amount of light geing into your room.

3

Up your plant quota with some new, responsiblysourced green friends. Opt for air-purifying ones like devil’ s ivy, peace lily or philodendron.

4

Have a tech-free evening. Try geing the whole family involved (we know, easier said than done) and ditch the screens for a good old-fashioned games night.

5

Light a candle. The gentle flicker of a small flame is an instant mood-enhancer and will make you pause, even just for a moment. Any excuse to treat ourselves to a new one.