How To Create A Truly Relaxing Ambiance in Your Home

In today’s post, I’m talking about how you can create the right ambiance in your home, so that you can really enjoy the space and feel truly at ease. From the decorative accents you add to the type of lighting you go for, all of these little details have a big impact upon the mood, character and overall atmosphere. The Danish Hygge trend is still a firm favourite of mine as it exudes a charm which is inviting and cosy, which exactly what I want my home to feel like, as it evokes feelings of calm and happiness!

Texture
Textures around the home need not be uniform. In fact, if you’re looking to achieve an informal, cosy setting then steer clear of a regimented list of restricted textures and you’ll find textures that fit well irrespective of their feel or material. Mirrors and glass objects are a good accent to any texture if you want to add a modern artistic edge. For a softer touch, incorporate silk upholstery, velvet floor length curtains and hints of rose gold in the form of candle holders, tea coasters and pastel tones of soft blue or blush pink in the fabrics. This would be especially nice for a bedroom design. With the addition of some strategically placed fairy lights or traditional woven hampers as freestanding storage, the look would be perfect!

 

Fairy lights add that magic touch and the hampers have that country chic vibe which is a timeless classic!

Colour
Colour has long been associated with our feelings and can easily influence our mood. The first thing to consider when introducing colour is the size of the room. If your kitchen is small, you’ll want the space to be bright and airy so you might opt for predominately lighter shades for the walls. A muted pale palette also makes for a sleek aesthetic that can be personalised with splashes of colour in the form of vases, flowers (bringing the outside in!) or mugs and tea towels which are easily changed and can actually completely transform the look of a room.

 

A pop of bright yellow on the windowsill from some seasonal flowers like tulips is a perfect way to make your kitchen instantly feel more inviting and homely!

Large and open plan kitchen diners lend themselves to darker hues as they can take a stronger palette without the room feeling too dark. If you’ve just moved house and are looking to fit a shiny new kitchen, Harvey Jones have an amazing selection of modern kitchens which you can browse online. There are endless possibilities when it comes to the colour schemes of kitchens, so the personal palette will naturally vary for different people. Some may prefer a light and open plan look and others a more cosy, country-style kitchen. All are unique and all are stunning.

 

Displaying a baking or cookbook and having some baked goods or a fruit bowl is also a great way of adding a touch of homely-'ness' to a kitchen

Using Pinterest, or creating a physical mood board, is a great place for you to start collecting ideas and visualising colour schemes without committing to buying the paint pots or putting any brushes to the wall. When pulling together ideas, keep a few questions in mind such as 'How do I want to use this space?', 'What impact will lighting have on these colours?', or 'What is the psychology of this colour?' - The kitchen or living room (usually whichever is the biggest room in the home) is the best place to start as these are likely to be your most centrally located rooms and all other palettes branch off from here. Paint this larger room in a bold colour, and work around the home either complimenting the first shade, contrasting it or matching with a soft, neutral hue.

With each colour, comes a different mood as it helps create a particular feeling:

· Pink: connotations of love and peace – suited to a restful space in the home, such as the bedroom.

· Red: connotations of passion and danger – suited to a warm, sociable environment such as the dining room.

· Orange: connotations of stability – suited to a lively space in the home such as the living or dining room.

· Yellow: a warm and positive colour – suited to a bright and lively space such as the kitchen or dining room.

· Green: a calming colour resembling nature – suited to a restful space such as the bedroom or living room.

· Blue: a calm, soothing colour – suited to a cool and relaxing space such as the kitchen, bedroom or bathroom.

· White: a bright colour opening up a space – suited to a light and airy environment such as kitchen, bedroom or bathroom.

Lighting

Don’t underestimate the impact of lighting. Different rooms around the home require different styles of lighting due to the nature of tasks and activities that go on in each space. Even within a room, it is vital that you use more than one type of lighting if you are to achieve any sort of ambiance. My bedroom for example has overhead lighting, but also a lamp on a dressing table and fairy lights around my mirror, and each kind of light adds a completely different vibe. Warm lighting is definitely the best choice for bedrooms and any room which is made for relaxing. Adding candles to rooms like the living room, bathroom or bedrooms are also a great way of adding ambiance as they engage the senses and can evoke memories. Changing up the scents and layering different aromas, changing colours, textures and lighting are all simple, inexpensive ways of changing how a room ultimately feels and it’ll ensure it always feels like you’re living in a show home and somewhere you love coming back to! How do you add ambiance to your home? Bilgi  x

This post contains sponsored content from Harvey Jones. All views and opinions remain honest and my own.