5 Ways a Well-Designed Home Supports Well-Being

Shabby is as shabby does.

Listen. We know this. Look good, feel good, do good. It’s a thing. Studies show our performance is linked to how we feel, and how we feel is linked to the physical and mental environments we exist in.

We prioritize our appearance for the job interview on par with coming prepared with knowledge of the company and industry we’re applying to.

We do our hair for the exam.

We’ve noticed that getting dressed and made-up during Covid-lockdowns helps to improve our mood, even though we have no one but ourselves to get dolled up for!

But, sometimes, and for some reason, we often don’t connect the dots to our home. Where the same rule applies, arguably exponentially more, as our homes not only affect our moods through their esthetics, but support, or, *tear*, fail to support, the many daily functions we perform.

 
 
 

Look good, feel good, do good has never held more weight than in our present world, where we are asking A LOT of ourselves and our homes – from a sensible layout and flow for the bustle of morning routines, to the place we cook and dine, work from, escape work from, store things, require easy access to said stored things, perform endless chores in, support our kids play and study, some place to lift some weights, 8 hours of shut eye, and for gosh sake, don’t forget that cozy nook to Netflix the night away!

When one or more of these needs are neglected, we feel it! As if cleaning the bathrooms could be MORE of a chore, but when your supplies are stored across multiple closets because you lack storage…it is! When your living room is where you have to work your 9 to 5, but also where you need to refuel and turn your mind off at the end of the day, it slowly wears on us mentally and emotionally. Parents, do we need to mention the military takeover of our living rooms when a working playroom doesn’t exist? We do not.

The cost is significant, and we at Juxta exist so that you don’t have to keep paying it, like overpriced rent, like mainstream cell service providers…just no! Let’s take back control of our homes so that they pay us dividends, rather than drain our resources – energy, efficiency, time, mindset, money spent on bandaid approaches, money spent on escaping our frustrations at home.

So let’s get into it! 5 ways a well-designed home supports your well-being:

  • Experience flow. If you have ever felt completely absorbed in something, you might have been experiencing a mental state that psychologists refer to as flow. Achieving this state can help people feel greater enjoyment, energy, and involvement. One of the main hindrances to flow is distractions. Homes that aren’t conducive to the functions we are required to perform in them interrupt our flow and cause frustration and lack of efficiency. Think: inefficient layout, lack of space, disharmonious decor styles, clutter, even poor lighting or draftiness. Research suggests there’s an increase in dopamine activity during states of flow. Dopamine is dope. Say yes to flow.

  • Feel inspired. Close your eyes and think of a time in your life you had ideas flowing, and you felt empowered? For me, the first things that come to mind are places I’ve traveled to. The Catlins in New Zealand, this random Australian mountain I biked to with a flat tire that looked a loooooot closer when I set out then it actually was by way of said bike-with-flat-tire. I had the most amazing day just journalling a top that mountain, gazing at the views, avoiding the ride home…you know, the usual, 19 year old travel stuff…….The city square in Bordeaux, France, just me, my husband, a baguette, cheap wine…we didn’t need much to feel inspired in those surroundings. My point? Our environments have the *potential* to inspire us. Is it life or death? No. Is it advantageous to live life feeling inspired and empowered? Hard yes. I’m literally a nicer human when I feel this way. Aka, this point is husband-verified 😉

  • Save time. What if your kitchen layout made sense for the way YOU like to operate. What if you could find a way to add another shower so family members weren’t forming a line out the door in the mornings. Or a proper home office fitted with an actual desk and not just (literally) LAP-topping it up on the couch, juggling the contracts signed by your 2-year old in crayon instead of the client in ballpoint. It’s a wild world out there. Sometimes, a door (with a lock) is a real game-changer for opening up calendar availability. Efficiency leads to reclaiming time, and time is a limited resource. I feel strongly about protecting my clients time because I believe it is our most precious asset.

  • Save money. I see you escaping to your local indie coffee shop for their cool vibes, delicious sips, and couches that are not positioned smack dab in enemy occupied territory (see point above on being a parent). Or maybe you spend money on more and more decor but you get home and it’s just not looking like the pin. Or bandaid approaches to sorta/kinda solve the storage dilemmas but it’s not truly helping. A well-designed home will save you oodles of money on these common pitfalls and more.

  • Improve relationships. Ok, ok, right now we’re on lockdown. But how good would it be if your house was company-ready when the restrictions lift? I know I don’t want to miss a moment with the people I love as we move forward. And we’ve come to realize how important being able to physically gather is to supporting our relationships. To have a space that is welcoming and comfortable, one we’re proud of, that reflects our personality, and is a conducive environment for nurturing the relationships we’ve come to realize are acutely integral to us…you know what, let’s move this up to #1. This is a invaluable aspect of a human’s well-being.

Design for me is two-fold. I love pretty things! But I love pretty things even more so for the ripple effect on my well-being…cohesion, clarity, confidence, creativity, inspiration, a safe haven I’m able to truly rest in, to feel aligned internally and externally. You’ll be living “in your element” everyday…and that is a priceless state to exist in, for yourself, and for the world around you.

If you need help with creating a more cohesive, inviting home, book in with us for a FREE 15 minute discovery call. We have packages for everyone, and I would love to hear how you’d love your home to better support your well-being and needs! After-all, when people feel good in the place they dwell, they come alive.
 
 
 

Live well my friends!

Meghan

Juxta Interior Design

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