Designing Your Apartment With Mental Health in Mind
SUBMITTED BY Highline Residential on April 25, 2022
Your home should be a haven, but finding peace and serenity in the midst of an urban jungle can be incredibly challenging. After all, New York City may, indeed, be the greatest city in the world, but the city that never sleeps can sometimes be, well, exhausting.
The good news, though, is that you can still reap the rewards of NYC-living and come home at the end of the day to a tranquil oasis in the metropolis. The key is to know how to design your apartment with your mental health in mind. We'll show you how!
Go Minimalist
If you've ever shopped for an apartment in a metropolis then you know that living space in the city is at a premium - to put it mildly. Even if your apartment feels like it has the square footage of the average postage stamp, though, there are still things you can do to help your home feel less claustrophobic and more comforting.
The first thing to do is to embrace the minimalist ethos. Instead of stuffing your apartment with furniture, mementos, and whatnots, focus only on the most important elements. Incorporate only the furnishings you absolutely must have to feel comfortable in your home. Likewise, get rid of any art, knick-knacks, decor, or collectibles that you don't truly love.
This way, everything in your home will be something you either need or cherish. That will inevitably boost your mood by surrounding you only with items that are meaningful or useful while nixing any useless thing that will only clutter your home and contribute to your stress.
Use Lighting and Color for Spaciousness
You're not going to feel comfortable and happy in your home if you feel like the walls are closing in. So, in addition to decluttering and embracing minimalism, you'll want to use some tried-and-true decorating tips to help make your apartment feel more spacious.
For example, using a light color palette, such as soft gray paint on the walls, can help the space feel larger and airier. In addition, letting in as much natural light as possible and using mirrors to reflect sunlight and lamplight will also eradicate dark corners and open up the room.
Create a Space for Sound Sleep
It's impossible to enjoy good mental health if you're not getting consistent, quality sleep, Unfortunately, though, a good night's sleep can seem nearly impossible amid the bright lights and incessant noise of the big city.
That reality has never been more obvious, or more challenging, than today, however. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are finding it more difficult than perhaps ever before to sleep soundly and consistently. There's even a term for this: coronasomnia. Coronasomnia refers to the epidemic of sleep deprivation brought about by pandemic-related factors, including increased stress and anxiety, disrupted schedules, and prolonged periods of time at home.
The good news, though, is that your home can be designed to support healthy living rather than prevent it. For instance, installing light-blocking and noise-reducing drapes in your bedroom can help you shut out the busy urban world when it's time for sleep. Ideally, you should keep your bedroom cool, generally below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, for deep, uninterrupted sleep.
You can also adjust your apartment's Wi-fFi to ensure that you aren't able to connect to your blue light-emitting devices in the hours before you settle down to sleep. These devices can significantly impede your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep, so disconnecting at least three hours before bed can help your mind and body settle down for sleep.
The Takeaway
Your home should be your sanctuary, but when you have an apartment in one of the largest and most dynamic cities in the world, home can feel less than serene. The good news is that it's possible to design an apartment that helps to support your mental well-being, even in the middle of the chaotic city. It simply takes a bit of strategy, effort, and commitment.
The good news, though, is that you can still reap the rewards of NYC-living and come home at the end of the day to a tranquil oasis in the metropolis. The key is to know how to design your apartment with your mental health in mind. We'll show you how!
Go Minimalist
If you've ever shopped for an apartment in a metropolis then you know that living space in the city is at a premium - to put it mildly. Even if your apartment feels like it has the square footage of the average postage stamp, though, there are still things you can do to help your home feel less claustrophobic and more comforting.
The first thing to do is to embrace the minimalist ethos. Instead of stuffing your apartment with furniture, mementos, and whatnots, focus only on the most important elements. Incorporate only the furnishings you absolutely must have to feel comfortable in your home. Likewise, get rid of any art, knick-knacks, decor, or collectibles that you don't truly love.
This way, everything in your home will be something you either need or cherish. That will inevitably boost your mood by surrounding you only with items that are meaningful or useful while nixing any useless thing that will only clutter your home and contribute to your stress.
Use Lighting and Color for Spaciousness
You're not going to feel comfortable and happy in your home if you feel like the walls are closing in. So, in addition to decluttering and embracing minimalism, you'll want to use some tried-and-true decorating tips to help make your apartment feel more spacious.
For example, using a light color palette, such as soft gray paint on the walls, can help the space feel larger and airier. In addition, letting in as much natural light as possible and using mirrors to reflect sunlight and lamplight will also eradicate dark corners and open up the room.
Create a Space for Sound Sleep
It's impossible to enjoy good mental health if you're not getting consistent, quality sleep, Unfortunately, though, a good night's sleep can seem nearly impossible amid the bright lights and incessant noise of the big city.
That reality has never been more obvious, or more challenging, than today, however. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, people are finding it more difficult than perhaps ever before to sleep soundly and consistently. There's even a term for this: coronasomnia. Coronasomnia refers to the epidemic of sleep deprivation brought about by pandemic-related factors, including increased stress and anxiety, disrupted schedules, and prolonged periods of time at home.
The good news, though, is that your home can be designed to support healthy living rather than prevent it. For instance, installing light-blocking and noise-reducing drapes in your bedroom can help you shut out the busy urban world when it's time for sleep. Ideally, you should keep your bedroom cool, generally below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, for deep, uninterrupted sleep.
You can also adjust your apartment's Wi-fFi to ensure that you aren't able to connect to your blue light-emitting devices in the hours before you settle down to sleep. These devices can significantly impede your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep, so disconnecting at least three hours before bed can help your mind and body settle down for sleep.
The Takeaway
Your home should be your sanctuary, but when you have an apartment in one of the largest and most dynamic cities in the world, home can feel less than serene. The good news is that it's possible to design an apartment that helps to support your mental well-being, even in the middle of the chaotic city. It simply takes a bit of strategy, effort, and commitment.