
10 interior design tips to improve wellbeing in your home.
November
Interior wellness is at the forefront of what we do here at IRORI. We believe in creating a home that is reflective of you as a person but also looks to improve health and wellbeing - your environment can play an important role in your overall happiness and mental health, and not always for the better. Today we’re sharing ten ways to improve the wellbeing in your home via your interior decor.

1. Maximise your layout.
Your layout needs to work for you. There’s not a one size fits all approach here. How do you use your home? Do you spend all your time in the kitchen? Does your office space double up as a guest bedroom? Interior design is all about making your space work for you and a great starting point is to consider how you operate in your own environment. Plan your room schemes for both convenience and impact, and get rid of any obstacles that have the potential to cause stress.

Credit: Felix Fores
2. Make the most of natural light.
Natural light is a natural mood booster. Research has proven that natural lighting, and the presence of Vitamin D, helps people to be more productive, happier, healthier and calmer. Ensure that you’re making the most of natural light by placing chairs near windows, mirrors to reflect light and plenty of glass vases and accessories such as Iittala’s Aalto Vase to stop light from being blocked.

Credit: Studio Alpa
3. But don't forget about artificial lighting either.
A well thought-out artificial lighting scheme can also help to improve your wellbeing, working to different moods and times of the day. To create a well-balanced scheme, incorporate ambient, task and decorative lighting by adding in ceiling lights, floor lamps, wall lights and decorative pieces. The combination of the above will satisfy the different requirements between practicality, ambience, light and shadow.

4. Find what sparks joy.
At IRORI, we believe in leading a simple life, refraining from holding on to things that don’t serve any purpose. That doesn’t mean to say purely functional items, but instead only the items that bring us a sense of joy. Eliminating the things that take unnecessary space in life will cleanse your mind and reduce subconscious levels of stress. The Marie Kondo method works for both minimalists and maximalists alike, so take decluttering as one of the first steps to improving your wellbeing in your home.

Credit: Little Green
5. Choose colours you love.
Colour can play an important role in your mental health and while there are plenty of psychological associations with every hue, this can be a very personal decision to make. Colours can make us all react differently. We recommend that you work with colours that make you feel a certain way, dependent on the room in question. Consider the function of the room and select a colour that fits with that use i.e if taupe makes you feel rested, use it in a bedroom. Colour can always be added via interior accessories at a later stage, so don’t rush into anything that might, quite literally, keep you awake at night.

6. Buy high-quality goods.
Higher-quality, breathable materials are proven to improve a number of things in our life. There is a reason for the higher price point of these textiles. Materials such as organic cotton and linen will improve the quality of your sleep (less waking up during the night) and in turn will improve your skin, hair and general momentum in the mornings. Pure wool throws such as our Samba Throw and Yakima Blanket will keep you warm and cosy, plus don’t contain any synthetics.

7. Treat yourself.
Moving on from buying high-quality textiles, don’t be afraid to treat yourself to something a little bit luxurious every now and again. Your home is a place to unwind, be comfortable and get away from a hectic lifestyle. Make it that haven and fill it with things that make you feel at home, from the tableware right down to the bathroom essentials.

8. Embrace nature.
Plants help to make you happy and are one of the easiest ways to add a boost of green to your home. Seeing greenery and nature in our daily lives help us to feel more relaxed but don’t stop at just the succulents. Invest in flowers on a weekly basis - our Hammershøi Vase will provide the perfect home - and also incorporate natural textures too.

9. Choose your signature scent.
Your signature scent should fill your home from top to bottom; there’s nothing better than coming home to a place that immediately makes you feel comforted. Smell is the most memory triggering sense and what better excuse is there to treat yourself to a beautifully scented candle? Burn your home fragrance on a daily basis to train your brain to associate this scent with relaxation and comfort. Our current pick is the Organic Aromatherapy Candle by Neal's Yard Remedies which can be dotted around rooms to bring a whiff of energising orange, cleansing grapefruit and refreshing garden mint.

10. Switch it up.
Last but by no means least, prevent your living space from becoming stagnant and regularly switch up and rearrange your interior spaces. One of the most cost-effective ways to add a new lease of life to your home is to simply re-style shelving, tables and mantles. We refer to this as a positive curation of your mental and physical space. Remember to revert back to decluttering at this point too!
IRORI is an online retail store centred around the home and as an extension, ones wellbeing. From bedroom to headroom we believe in surrounding oneself in timeless and inspirational goods and encourage this by bringing together brands that have the highest standards of quality both in design and craftsmanship. Shop our curation of goods here.