Home is more important to us now than it’s ever been before, and with remote working rising over the last few years – studies from 2020 found that on average, Brits are spending 8 hours longer in their houses than they were pre-pandemic. So, with your home being such an important part of your everyday life, you want to make it a haven for you, right? Your home and the way it looks can elevate your mood. On the flip side, during difficult mental health times – its upkeep can be one of the first things to slip. At Miller Homes, we’re dedicated to creating your “place to be”, so the journey doesn’t just end when we hand over your keys. Today we wanted to look at changes you can make in your home to improve your mental health and keep your house a happy place for all your years that’ll be spent there.

6 Home Improvements For Mental Health

Get back to nature

Houseplants are scientifically proven to have a positive impact on your mental health, and biophilic design is renowned for its calming yet charming way of bringing the outside in, in such a beautiful way. If you’re working with a blank canvas and decorating a new build home, a trip to the garden centre is a good idea. Start to fill your home with plants that can help cleanse the air, keep you happy – and all whilst looking lovely. They really are a power interior design move!

Make upkeep easy

Keeping your home spick and span shouldn’t feel like a chore, but it often does! Help keep your home happy by making cleaning and tidying easier for everyone in the house who helps out with it. You can do this by utilising clever storage solutions to make putting things away easier, as well as adopting the ‘little and often’ method when it comes to cleaning – as opposed to putting everything off so you have to do it all in one big go! Ready to get going? Read our top 5 tips on decluttering your home.

Creating space to be together and apart

Interior design can and does improve your mental health, it’s a fact. Not all of this is visually driven though. Making the most of your space can also come into play. Designers and phycologists alike have attested to the benefits of creating spaces in your home to be both together with, and apart from the people you live with. It’s important to be in company, but also to have time alone when you need it too. So, some simple changes you can make in your home to improve your mental health can include:

• Picking furniture that allows you to be close, such as cuddle chairs not armchairs
• Arranging your seats so you’re sitting opposite one another, and not far apart
• Using open plan design to ensure you don’t feel segregated in different rooms
• Allocating spaces to design and make your own such as a bedroom or office
• Having quiet corners for alone time for things such as reading, gaming or watching TV

Let there be light

Exposure to sunlight increases the happy hormone, serotonin, in our brain, so it’s a ‘no-brainer’ (pardon the pun!) that we want as much of it as we can get. Letting the light in is a great mood booster and is a change that can be made almost instantly if you’re now feeling inspired to get up and go. Open up blinds or curtains, and if it’s a particularly sunny day, swing a window or two open as well. Thinking more long-term, lighter colours on walls reflect sunlight instead of absorbing it, and keeping your space nice and open plan is a great way to lock in a constant good mood.

Use colour psychology

Finally, colour and its psychological impact on our emotions has long been studied. We know plenty about it now to make some informed decisions, so why not choose this as one of the changes you make in your home to improve your mental health? Grab the paintbrush and begin jazzing up your walls. Or if you’re not feeling so brave, opt for a change in décor instead. Here’s a little guide to colours with help from99Designs that should help to boost your mood:

• Yellow – known for encouraging you to feel happy and spontaneous
• Orange – said to make you feel energised and enthusiastic
• Pink – introduces playful and romantic tendencies
• Red – great for evoking passion and energy
• Purple – sparks creativity, so great for studies and studios

Are you going to make some of these changes in your home? Or do you have any others to share with our customers and readers? We’d love to hear suggestions over on our Twitter or Facebook. Or, for more home and interior inspiration, head to our blog page.