Monday Market Update: Calming & Comforting Home Designs

December is here and with that often comes the excitement of the holidays, the rush of closing out all the year-end to-dos and planning for the new year. While this is often a remarkable time of year for making memories, it can also be a daunting time of trying to fit everything in and meeting all the expectations. That’s why today’s blog is dedicated to creating calm and comfort in your home, to carry you through the December chaos and into 2024 with peace. 

HGTV has identified ‘20 Ways to Bring Anxiety-Reducing Elements Into Your Home Design’ and we have listed our five favorites below. We encourage you to read the article in full here. 

#1: More matte, matte finish that is! Jill Croka, a Tulsa designer with a psychotherapy background, shares that wood and stone finishes that do not glare or reflect light actually lower blood pressure. She also prioritizes materials in wood and stone that sooth and take cues from the natural world. 

#2: Feel blue. It’s true, an Italian study analyzed student living in residence galls and found that those living in blue spaces “…had an easier time orienting themselves, studying and maintaining calm moods.” 

#3: Less is more. Too much clutter can take up too much mental and visual space; HGTV advises to pare down décor and rotate it every few months. Shelves and surfaces should offer meaningful accents framed by blank space. 

#4: Think round. Researchers have found that rounded rather than linear furnishings elicit higher levels of relaxation, peace and calm. Look for rounded lines on armchairs, consider oval and circular coffee tables and avoid having everything square and rectangular shaped. 

#5: Be intentional with texture. Sometimes we focus so much on color and style that we forget how something feels. What you perceive with touch is just as important as what you see or hear in your home. Opt for soft and smooth, even silky – such as a tufted velvet bench at the end of your bed, a faux fur throw on the sofa and smooth vases vs. bristly baskets in your décor. 

Are there any of these ideas that you already have in place? That you could implement before the end of the year? That you could infuse in a friend’s home who could use some love and light? We’d love to hear about it! 

All my best,

Bobbi 

Bobbi Decker
DRE#00607999

Broker Associate, Bobbi Decker & Associates
650.346.5352 cell
650.577.3127 efax
www.bobbidecker.com
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Bobbi Decker & Associates fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. For more information, please visit: http://portal.hud.gov/