Blue Monday be gone!

Doesn’t January often feel like a dull and bleak month? The excitement and magic of Christmas has passed and your home can feel a little flat or lacking now that the tree has gone, decorations are down, and fairy lights are packed away (ready to untangle next year!). It is no secret that our surroundings have an immediate effect on our mood, and so to beat those January blues, our interior designers have come up with six tips to bring joy to your home this winter.

1. Be proactive

Over the last couple of years, I think we can speak for most when we say that we have spent rather a lot of time at home. As a result, those interior niggles, which we all have, may have become more noticeable and more bothersome. But, with a new year we are given a chance to refresh and make a change, to look at our homes with fresh eyes and finally make a start at tackling those design woes. Whether you are struggling with a lack of space, insufficient lighting or outdated furniture, now’s the time to make a change. Being proactive and having a home project to work on is a sure way to beat those January blues. Not sure where to start? Perhaps an interior designer can help. With years of experience and a wealth of product knowledge, we may be able to come up with a solution you haven’t even considered. Or it may just be that a simple declutter is all that is required. Research shows that decluttering can have a positive impact on our mental health. For some this may be a mammoth task, but by allocating time each week the job will become much more manageable, and you’ll have an organised and tidy home in no time.

Treku – Lauki Sideboard

2. Lighting

When it comes to lighting your home, it is important to remember that the weather plays a huge role in determining how much light we need and what atmosphere is created. For example, if say it is a gorgeous, sunny day, your home will take on a bright and fresh tone due to the high abundance of natural light and this can lead us to feeling energised and uplifted. But on a wet winter’s day, and let’s face it, January has quite a few of those (particularly here in Scotland!), our homes will often emit a rather grey and dreary feeling, due to the absence of natural light. This can often have us feeling deflated and uninspired. In these instances, it is vital to introduce warm lighting to the home to counteract that gloomy feeling. To do this successfully, we recommend using lots of light sources at different heights as this will help spread lighting across the whole room, rather than a single area. Floor lights, table lights and wall lights can thus be used together and will create a really cosy atmosphere – even if a blizzard is forecast!

Louis Poulsen – Artichoke Pendant, PH Snowball Pendant and AJ Floor Light

3. Introducing colour

Colours have a direct impact on our emotions and behaviours – even if we aren’t aware of them doing so. Different colours evoke different emotions. For example, yellow can be associated with happiness, laughter and energy, but it can also stimulate anxiety. Similarly, red can be associated with passion and love but at the other end of the scale, it can symbolise anger or tragedy. Blue is the colour of calm and can inspire a feeling of safety, but it is also associated with a feeling of sadness as the expression goes “feeling blue”. As we can see, with each colour there is a positive and a negative reaction, which is why they must be considered so carefully, especially in our homes. Take your time when choosing colours – consider how they make you feel and always think about how the room will be used (particularly when making big changes such as painting walls). You wouldn’t, for example, paint a bedroom neon yellow as this would be detrimental to a good night’s sleep, instead a more subdued yellow such as straw or vanilla could be used to evoke tranquillity and restfulness.

Bla Station – Dundra Chair and Superstraw Chair

Changing the colour palate in your home can be a daunting process, but remember you can also interject colour through the smaller items such as accessories, cushions, throws, artwork, lighting and even furniture. Adding splashes of colour in this way will help add character and personality to the space, creating a feel-good factor on those grey days.

STUA – Libera Lounge Chair & Marset – Dipping Table Light

4. Create a cosy escape

There’s nothing better on a wet winters day then to snuggle up in a cosy corner with a good book or the latest box set. For days when there is little else to do, create a sanctuary in your home from the chill outside. This could be in the form of an embracing armchair or squishy sofa (below are a few of our favourites). Don’t forget to include plenty of cushions and soft throws to create the ultimate winter nook.

Ligne Roset – Togo

Gubi – Pacha Lounge Chair & Fritz Hansen Let Lounge Chair

5. Greenery

Biophilic design is an expression that is brandished around a lot these days, especially with Spring on the horizon. This refers to bringing the outside in and using nature as design inspiration to improve health and wellbeing. You can achieve this though the use of natural materials, patterns/colours that have a reference to nature or simply the addition of plants in your home.

Swedese – Drum Table & USM – World of Plants for Haller

Greenery can have a huge effect on our mood and will instantly uplift a room, and at a relatively low cost. (Pssst if you’re looking to add some botanical goodies to your own home, we would recommend Grown Urban in Edinburgh, they have a beautiful range of houseplants!)

6. Shopping from home

Finally let’s discuss “shopping from home”, another expression we are beginning to hear a lot of. Shopping from home simply means to spruce up your home with the possessions you already own. Examples of this could be switching furniture around, swapping artwork or putting your bedroom trinkets in your living room. The aim is to create a fresh scene using what you’ve got. Easy to do and at no cost, shopping from home is an easy way to give your home a new look for 2022.

Vitra – various accessories including Cork Stool, Eames Bird and Eames Elephant

We hope you have enjoyed our six tips for adding joy to your home. If you would like any design advice or product information, please feel free to get in touch – we would love to hear from you!

0131 556 6551 / [email protected]