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It’s true what they say, there really is no place like home. At the end of a stressful day your home is your sanctuary, the place where you seek refuge and serenity.
A study conducted by the Mayo Clinic revealed that one of the best ways to reduce stress is to inhabit a clutter-free, tranquil living space. So if you'd like to make your home feel more spacious try out some of these simple design hacks that will make any room feel like a palace.
Natural light is your friend
Having natural light in your workspace has been shown to increase productivity, according to Health and Safety Executive.
A great way to take advantage of windows is to use mirrors to help reflect the light they let in. Simply position mirrors adjacent to the windows and watch how sunlight floods into your room. Mirrors can also make any room feel more spacious by adding depth.
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Color coordinate your decorative furniture
Mismatched decorative furniture can make a room feel much more cluttered. Coordinating your cushions, rugs, and throws can create a sense of calm and control in your living space.
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Strip back your flooring
In the latter half of the 20th century, linoleum and wall-to-wall carpeting was popular. But recent design trends opt for removing these coverings to reveal the beauty of natural wood flooring. According to Psychology Today even just gazing at natural materials like wood can lower your blood pressure. Creating a calmer, more natural flooring design will automatically make the room feel a little bigger.
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One accent wall is plenty
When you live in a small space, wall art can be a challenge: you want to personalize your home, but having too many paintings and wall hangings can make a room feel chaotic. According to the design blog Thou Swell, experts have a suggestion: choose one wall to paint in a captivating color as an accent wall. Debunking the common theory that dark walls make a room feel smaller, interior designer Kevin Francis O’Gara is a strong advocate for adding an accent wall in a dark color.
“Instead of reflecting more light, it reflects less, and though this difference may seem misleading, the depth of its color and shadows — and the fact that it’s not so clearly defined by the light — blurs the edges of the room. By absorbing the light, the walls of the room are less clearly marked and can give an illusion of more space,” wrote O’Gara on Thou Swell.
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Choose your colors wisely
Now that you know all about how to color coordinate your home, there’s one important thing to keep in mind - colors can have a huge impact on your mood, so choose wisely. The Washingtonian reported that sage green is the trendiest color for interior design for the third year running as it conjures up the aesthetic beauty and harmony of nature.
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When you take care to incorporate these design tips, your living space will start to feel more spacious and roomy, helping you to transform your house into a home.
