Do you want to feel more relaxed and centered in your home? Do you feel like your living space is too chaotic? Are you often tired and stressed when you look around your living room or bedroom? Well, if you answered “Yes!” to those questions, then I have good news and bad news.
The bad news is that your environment is out of whack with your needs. The good news is that you can fix it! Creating a Zen home can give you a sense of peace and calm. Your living space will become an oasis from the stresses of the outside world. Sound good? Then let’s get started!
First things first. Open those curtains and let some sunlight into your life. Natural light helps your body feel more in tune with its natural circadian rhythms—the process that lets you know when it’s time to sleep or to wake up. Leaving your drapes closed all the time and relying on artificial lights can make you feel out of sync.
Swap out any bright white light bulbs for soft white, which is easier on your eyes. Place a few candles in every room while you’re at it. The flickering glow of candles can be very soothing in the evenings. And unlike artificial blue-white lights, such as those from a phone screen, candlelight won’t trick your body into staying up past your bedtime.
Get some houseplants to improve the air quality inside your home. Nature’s carbon dioxide filters are also beautiful and, in some cases, practical. Every home should have a potted basil in the kitchen. You can pinch off a few leaves of basil to add flavor to your cooking—much tastier than dried leaves! Aloe is another wonderful houseplant. Snip off one of the spikes and use the gel inside to treat bug bites and sunburns.
A Zen home decorating scheme should be based on natural fabrics, fibers, and other materials. Look for cotton and linen fabrics—or, if you like a more luxe texture, raw silk. Wool is great for rugs and throw blankets.
Natural woods are both beautiful and durable, unlike the pre-made particle board furniture you get from big box retailers these days. Stone, ceramic, glass, and other earth-based materials are better choices than man-made plastics and resins.
When you think about a soothing color palette, what comes to mind? For some people, it’s the soft beige, brown, white, and blue of an isolated beach. Other folks might prefer deep greens, blues, and browns of the forest.
The idea is not to paint everything white and call it a day. Think about the places in nature that call to you, then choose 2-3 colors that represent them. A Zen home typically uses a neutral palette with a few natural accent colors.
