24 Days of Art
What a year 2020 has been, and it certainly doesn’t seem as if it’s ending quietly – in the UK at least. For now I have spent the last week in quarantine in a portacabin in a muddy field on my sister’s farm in Ireland. I am doing this so that I can spend Christmas […]
How Can We Design Our Homes to Nurture Our Mental Health?
The latest report from the Happiness Research Institute was released earlier this year. Titled “Wellbeing Adjusted Life Years”, this report investigates how can we produce the greatest happiness return for humankind? Interesting reading, especially in light of COVID-19. In many countries around the world, including developed countries, average wellbeing levels have stagnated or even declined […]
Biophilia is Important, but Don’t Overlook Adding Joy!
In my last blog post I talked about the importance of Biophilic Design – adding that connection to nature to our interior spaces. But so often, when I see examples of biophilic spaces, it is a sea of natural wood and indoor plants. What is missing for me is those elements of joy. When I […]
Why is Biophilic Design so Important?
Since the beginning of human evolution, we have been connected to the natural world, observing the changing seasons, learning what foods grow when, and when we can celebrate earth’s bounty, or when we need to build up reserves for the leaner seasons. The term Biophilia refers to our innate biological connection with nature. It helps […]
How to Mix Styles Whilst Still Creating a Cohesive Whole
Homes that layer in pieces from different eras or cultures are dynamic and interesting. However, it’s important to follow a few simple rules to ensure you end up with a cohesive scheme, and not something where your eye doesn’t know where to land, and winds up confused and unhappy. Here are seven ways to successfully […]
How to Maximise your Space
Not all of us have the luxury of a large house with plenty of space to spread out in, meaning that we have to be clever with the space that we do have. Here are some design tricks you can try to get the most out of your space: LOOK AT A FLOORPLAN I always […]
Is Your Home a Happy Home?
My front door is yellow. I chose this colour because it’s a colour that says happy and optimistic and that’s the vibe that I want for my home so why not start with the front door! If this COVID-19 outbreak has taught us one thing, it is the importance of home! Last year The Happiness […]
Finding sanctuary in our homes
Finding sanctuary in our homes has never been so important. A global pandemic can do that. Our homes are our safe places – where we are isolating and social distancing with our loved ones. They should be somewhere where we enjoy spending time, and should help us to feel relaxed, calm and safe in these […]
Choosing Colour for how you Want your Home to Make you FEEL and BEHAVE
How does your home make you feel? Is it a supportive, comfortable haven that expresses and reflects who you are, nurturing your wellness and encouraging positive behaviours? Or is it leaving you feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, or bored and lifeless? How we choose to decorate our homes, or more specifically, the colours that we surround […]
The Five Images That Have Brought Me Joy This Week
As we enter week 6 of lockdown in the UK, I thought I’d share with you the five Instagram posts that have brought me joy over the past week. I think you’ll find they share a common theme! First up is this image from one of Kit Kemp’s designs, a collaboration in the loft space […]