Designing a Home with Happiness and Joy
Designing happiness and joy into your home is more than just making it look nice. It’s about creating an environment that will make you feel good physically, mentally, and emotionally. Happiness is not really a goal but is the result of external influences. When you enter a room filled with colors that lift your spirits, you feel an emotion you can identify as happiness.
What makes you smile?
For me colors from nature make me smile. Add a touch of bright blue sky with an accent of sunflower yellow and I instantly feel happy. When I am greeted with soft inviting fabrics on brightly colored pillows or accessories I have collected, I feel happy. It’s important to have a space where you can be happy and feel joy, so it’s time to start designing your own home with happiness and joy in mind.
Bring some happiness to your walls.
Choosing the right paint color for your home can have a big impact on how you feel in your space. For example, rooms with bright colors such as yellow, orange, or red can make people feel more energetic and enthusiastic. However, a room painted blue may help someone feel more relaxed and calm. In a post last year, I explored how you can use colors to elicit certain feelings and emotions in your home Click here to enjoy that post. Happiness and joy are two of those feelings. Bright paint colors shown below, enliven an otherwise dark breakfast space. The colors you surround yourself with always impact your mood.
Bright colors will instantly lift your mood.
Bright and happy colors inspire creativity.
I also love to use wallcovering to uplift energy in a room. In my own office space, I selected a bright and whimsical garden scene to adorn my workspace walls. The colors and patterns make my office a joyful place to be. That feeling adds to my creative juices as I design spaces for my clients. That is a win for everyone.
Whimsical wallcovering brightens any mood. Design by Thyme & Place Design
Designing happiness and joy into your home: Make your favorite things the centerpiece.
The key is in creating a focal point for your space, which will be the detail that draws the eye and anchors all other items in the room. You can do this by choosing one or two favorite things, such as a painting or a piece of furniture, and making those objects a centerpiece of your space.
Textures and colors create a happy place. Thyme & Place Design
Surround yourself with things you love. That will design happiness and joy in any room. Carefully select pieces. It can be hard to know how to decorate your space so that everything looks good and doesn’t feel cluttered. Always think of creative storage to keep your rooms organized. Definitely change up the accessories as you feel the need. Changing the environment will change the mood. Rather than buying things, curate a collection that has meaning.
Display cherished collections in bright colors to create a happy corner.
Big things can come in small packages.
Making yourself happy is not as hard as you think. In fact, it’s quite simple. It all starts with a few small changes that you can make yourself. Those changes can be a small corner or an entire room.
A comfortable chair in a bright orange fabric for a work-from-home space. Thyme & Place Design
Some more ideas for designing happiness and joy in your home.
Happiness is an essential part of the home. It is one of the key elements that make up a beautiful and comfortable home. No matter how big or small your home is, you should always aim to make it a space that brings happiness to your life. The more time you spend at home, the more important it becomes for your living space to be comfortable and happy.
- Light an aromatherapy candle made with essential oils. The fragrance can stimulate your senses or calm and relax your body and mind.
- Try journaling. Buy a beautiful notebook and play some music. Release your thoughts and see what your hand puts on the paper.
- Add some fresh flowers to a room. They bring beauty, fragrance, and color to any space.
- Wrap yourself in a luxurious throw and enjoy the feeling of warmth and comfort.
I hope these images have sparked some creative ideas for your home. If you need help with any design solutions for your home, I offer several design service packages where I can help you quickly solve a design dilemma and find the best solution for your home. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sharon L. Sherman, ASID, NCIDQ, CID, CKD
ABOUT SHARON
Sharon is the founder of Thyme and Place Design, headquartered in Wyckoff, New Jersey. She’s been practicing kitchen and bath design for the past 40 years and is a Past President of the American Society of Interior Designers – New Jersey chapter. She is a current member of the editorial board of KB&B Magazine, the official magazine of the National Kitchen and Bath Association. Sharon has also received a Kitchen Bath Design News 2022 Innovator of the Year Award.
Her award-winning designs and editorial comments have been featured in Forbes, The New York Times, Design Milk, Bergen NJ magazine, Kitchen & Bath Design News, Woman’s Day, Country Decorating, Design NJ, New Jersey Home Magazine, 201 Magazine, The Best of Bergen, Savvy Living, The Vue, The Record, The Star-Ledger, and Aspire as well as several books.
Her blog “Tips from the Trade” appears in digital form on DesignNJ.com and KBBonline.com. She has also appeared on HGTV’s My Big Amazing Renovation and episodes of House Smarts with Lou Manfredini. In 2022, she was a featured *Voices From The Industry* speaker at the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s international convention and is available for further speaking engagements nationwide on all topics related to running a successful kitchen and bath design business.
