Creating a Healing Space By Combining Principles of Psychology and Interior Design Techniques
Most people today are in a constant tug of war when managing their personal and professional responsibilities. It doesn’t take long for this back and forth to add heavy amounts of stress on individuals that can lead to both physical and mental consequences.
The toll that this cycle can have on many people often leads many to look for a quiet and peaceful place where they’re able to recharge their batteries and achieve more balance in their lives. Healing spaces are a great example of this.
A healing space is a unique location and environment that’s purposefully designed to help promote mental or physical recovery. However, designing these spaces effectively requires both an understanding of interior design technologies as well as certain psychological principles.
What Exactly is a Healing Space?
Healing spaces can be created in areas within a home office that are specifically designed with the purpose of promoting more relaxation or mentally unwinding after a demanding day. The great thing about these types of spaces is that there is no dedicated format that you need to have, and it could simply be a cozy nook in a quiet corner of a room, an isolated den, or even a secluded place outdoors.
These carefully designed environments help to stimulate various senses, incorporating soothing sounds, calming lighting, and even pleasant smells that all work together to create a sense of tranquility. The combined effect of these elements can help to lower blood pressure and can leave the individual much more relaxed.
Healing spaces also play an important role in therapeutic settings like couples counseling or clinical environments. They create a neutral and calming atmosphere that encourages open communication and emotional healing.
How Can Psychology Be Used in Interior Design?
Although creating a healing space might just seem as straightforward as picking a quiet room and adding some calming aesthetics, it actually involves a careful application of psychological principles that can lead to certain emotional responses.
Understanding how our minds interact with our surroundings allows designers to strategically select elements that support more relaxation and help individuals turn off distractions in their minds.
Here are some key psychological considerations in healing space design:
- Impact of Color Decisions: Colors can have a profound impact on our moods and emotions, whether we realize it or not. Soft hues like green and blue can help individuals relax, while vibrant colors like red and orange can be better suited for helping to stimulate more energy. Thoughtful color choices can set the desired emotional tone for a space.
- Biophilic Design Principles: Connecting with nature, even indoors, can also create a sense of calm and well-being. Incorporating natural elements like plants, water features, or ample natural light has actually been proven to reduce stress and improve cognitive function, and these biophilic design principles are commonly used when designing a healing space.
- Stimulating All Sense Equally: Engaging multiple senses can be highly effective at promoting increased levels of relaxation. Using natural colors and furniture fabrics, diffusing scents like lavender in the air, and playing calming sounds like flowing water or gentle music all contribute to creating an environment designed to help reduce anxiety.
Helpful Strategies for Designing Effective Healing Spaces
Creating transformative healing spaces requires that you take certain actions commonly used by interior design teams TO create the perfect balance of functionality and pleasing aesthetics. Below are some of the strategies you can follow to make sure you’re creating the perfect healing space:
Choose an Ideal Location
The location you select for your healing space is a very important decision. Since this space will play a critical role in helping you to improve your mood and give you a sense of self-renewal, it’s important not to rush this process.
Make sure you’re choosing a spot where you feel safe and can have the privacy you need. The space should be free from distractions, and you should be able to set certain “do not disturb” ground rules for the location to give you the time you need to reset.
Keep Your Space Clutter-Free
When you start designing a healing space, you’ll want to make sure the area you’ve designated is always inviting. However, this can be negatively impacted if there is too much clutter on walls, floors, or desks.
Be sure to clear all surfaces or incorporate some hidden storage features to create a sense of calm and spaciousness. This will help you avoid distractions when you’re using the space and allow you to focus on what’s most important – finding your inner peace.
Find Ways to Incorporate Natural Elements
In many different cultures, nature is closely associated with helping individuals to center themselves and surrounding energies. Nature also has an important purpose when designing a healing space.
You can introduce elements of the outdoors into your space by adding potted plants or fresh flowers. You could also think about using natural materials like wood or stone in your furniture or flooring. Making this subtle but effective design choice helps you to maintain a connection with nature and infuses your healing space with the grounding you need to improve your physical and emotional state.
Use Optimal Lighting
Making the right lighting choices can help you set the right mood for your healing space and promote more relaxation and focus. Whenever possible, try to use natural lighting in your space as opposed to artificial.
If your access to natural light is limited, think about using smart LED lighting options that allow you to adjust the color temperature or intensity of the lighting.
Create The Optimal Healing Space
Healing spaces can be invaluable tools to help individuals get back the physical and emotional grounding they need to reduce their anxiety levels while creating a safe place for self-reflection and care. By following the strategies discussed, you can incorporate the right design approaches to make your healing space truly effective.
Author Information
Author Name:
Dr. Hannah Yang
Author Bio:
Visionary and healthcare entrepreneur by passion, Licensed Psychologist by training, Dr. Hannah Yang loves creating new possibilities in the world of mental health and wellness. Dr. Yang established Balanced Awakening in 2015 as a niche psychotherapy practice for women. As Balanced Awakening flourishes in Chicago, and soon Miami, she also loves to tap into her passion for design and Feng Shui to create fabulous environments for herself, her team, and clients.
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