Decorating Might Be the Stress Relief You Need

While stuck at home trying to weather the current COVID-19 pandemic chances are, you and your family are likely looking for ways to keep busy until things are safe once again. Whether you’re a high-risk candidate staying indoors or working from home indefinitely, this year now is the perfect time to tackle home projects and start creating spaces that spark joy and relieve stress. 

From simple projects to total room makeovers, here are some useful decorating ideas to help get you started:

Grab a Paintbrush

When having to stay at home for extended periods of time, the right lighting can make all the difference. Light in our spaces can help uplight our moods and even increase cognitive performance. Unfortunately, not all of us have the kind of windows that allow natural light to pour in. Luckily, even when working with limited light, there are still ways to brighten your home.

Paint, for example, is a simple, yet effective way to brighten a room that otherwise gets low light. Some of the best colors for low light rooms include lavender, pale yellow, and beige. If none of those seem like a right fit though, generally, a good rule of thumb when deciding on a new paint color is to stick with shades that have warm undertones. Painting can also be a great stress-relieving activity that anyone in the family can do. Turn on your favorite tunes and let your mind forget all the bad news, chaos, and worries over the future as you paint the walls of your home.   

If you happen to be renting a place where painting isn’t allowed, you can still brighten up those dark rooms with a few tricks. If a room is cluttered with a lot of decor, furniture, or anything else, it can make the room seem cramped and gloomy. Try switching up the layout and see if anything can be put into storage or donated to allow for more space. Another simple trick is to try adding a mirror to the room. Mirrors are a favorite trick amongst interior designers as they help redirect the light in a room, making it feel brighter and wider. 

Get Your Kids Involved

Sitting at home more often, your teens have likely found a dozen things they want to change about their room. Additionally, as more and more kids begin the new school year online, changing up their space can help bring a little joy to an otherwise difficult time away from friends and classmates, as well as missing out on activities like school dances and sporting events. 

To get started, try utilizing some bedroom designs ideas for teenagers, such as:

• Include Multipurpose Furniture: Remember when we discussed how clutter can make a room feel dim and crowded? The same rule applies to your teen’s room so look for multipurpose furniture pieces that serve your teen’s needs without taking up valuable space. Think desks that also work as a vanity, bed frames with trundles, and ottomans that work as extra seating and have built-in storage space. 

• Incorporate Interests: Teenagers value their uniqueness when it comes to their interests and hobbies so it’s likely they want their room to reflect these. Whether it’s music, sports, books, or something else, there are plenty of ways to incorporate elements that reflect your teen’s personality and interests. You can add additional shelving to display their favorite books or a cork board to hang up concert ticket stubs, pictures, or inspirational song lyrics.

• Decorate with Style: Selecting an age-appropriate concept for your teen’s room is important for longevity. If you lean towards more juvenile styles, your teen will likely want another makeover in another few months. However, too mature styling can make their room feel boring and one-note. Instead, invite your teen to sit down and peruse a variety of concepts and themes to help them decide on the right look for them.

Invest in Cleanliness 

If there’s one thing that the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us, it’s the importance of hygiene and general cleanliness. Of course, that is to say, it wasn’t already a priority but these days you might find yourself regretting the areas of your home that are hard to clean and sanitize. Furthermore, you might also now recognize the value of certain technological advancements such as no-touch appliances. 

One way to reduce the stress of spreading germs and getting sick, while also revamping your place, is by replacing surfaces with easy-to-clean updates such as glazed ceramic tile. Now is also the perfect excuse to replace that old kitchen or bathroom faucet with a touchless one for easy hand washing. It’s also worth thinking about replacing your doorknobs with more antibacterial copper ones. Functionality oftentimes is just as important as style, especially in the midst of a pandemic, so look for ways to combine the two where you can.

Decorating isn’t just a therapeutic way to get your mind off of life’s many stressors, it can also improve the overall look and feel of your home, which is great for your mental health in the long run. Updating and re-styling your home doesn’t need to be complicated either. With simple, yet effective changes you can reap the benefits of decorating without having to add additional stress to your life.