KIM COOK
Associated Press<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After an anxiety-filled 2020 and during the continuing pandemic, many of us are looking to our homes for nearly everything: a place to work, study, sleep, eat, exercise. And don\u2019t forget unwind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Homes these days can offer calm and relaxation, designers say. Whether that means a decor refresh or a few small additions, they suggest some easy ways to create a more restful home space for 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Think both big and small as you assess your rooms, says John Eason, an interior designer in New York.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe feeling of a soothing room comes not only from the overall effect and aesthetic, but from key details,\u2033 he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
THE NEW ‘COZY\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t be limited by conventional ideas of what makes a space cozy, Eason says: \u201cMetal and stone are as comforting for their sturdy dependability as wood is for its flex and give. Deep, rich colors can be as relaxing as cheerful, bright ones.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sustainably produced textiles and environmentally friendly paints with velvety finishes can lend a healthy and comfortable vibe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Find apps that play calming music and relaxing stories, or YouTube videos of crackling fireplaces or lapping waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Aromatherapy candles and diffusers wafting scents of nature, or baked goodies, are easy additions, as are soft toss pillows where you\u2019ll be binge-watching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In recent years, the Danish word \u201chygge\u201d came to describe the concept of coziness. The Welsh have their own apt term: \u201ccwtch.\u201d Pronounced \u201ckutch,\u201d it loosely references both cozy nooks and extra warm hugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FOLLOW YOUR OWN TASTES<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Create your easy-living vibe based on your own sense of balance, harmony and good energy, says Leigh Spicher, national design director for Atlanta-based home builder Ashton Woods. That\u2019s especially true now when guests are discouraged because of safety concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe best way to design a restful, relaxing home is to make it about you and the people you live with,\u201d she advises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Choose colors you love, not necessarily what\u2019s trendy. Frame travel pictures and personal photos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UNPLUGGED SPACES<\/p>\n\n\nDiagnostic test buy levitra viagra<\/a> can define the hormone problems of erectile dysfunction. Do not hesitate if you are facing any sexual dysfunction, then it’s a must to consult a bone spebuy levitra online icks.org<\/a>t that can best assess their condition and provide the best solution. You can view now<\/a> buy viagra in canada see many people just using this medicine for getting erection. viagra price<\/a> This means that it has been used for a long time, and between China and foreign countries and some others “with husband for sex in the middle of pattern” and “intercourse high libido theory”. <\/span>\n We all need more screens if we\u2019re working and spending more time at home, but allow yourself to escape them too, Spicher says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMake sure there\u2019s a space in your home without tech, including TV,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Real plants, and a mix of elements like wood, stone, metal \u2014 perhaps even a water feature, like a table fountain \u2014 can create a soothing, authentic living space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n DEFINING THE SPACE<\/p>\n\n\n\n It can be stressful when too much is going on in a space. Get creative with delineating spaces and their functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor children, I love to create a designated play area by overlapping a fun, patterned area rug with woven poufs and storage ottomans,\u201d says Amanda Amato, a designer in Caldwell, New Jersey, and style expert for HomeGoods. She also suggests creating a reading nook in a forgotten corner of a room, and reducing clutter in a small bedroom by multi-purposing a writing desk as a nightstand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n SEE THINGS IN A GOOD LIGHT<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chip Wade, a designer and architect in Cumming, Georgia, uses light to define different parts of a room and to create a laid-back atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLighting is a key component to personalizing my space. Controlling my entire lighting setup remotely on my phone makes it easy to dim and create scenes,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can swap out regular bulbs for color-changing ones that offer sunrise, sunset and other mood-enhancing hues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Eason likes to play with the way light works on various surfaces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAn upholstered wall lends a peaceful air to a room for its sound-absorbing qualities, but also for how it affects the play of light,\u201d he says. \u201cCreating pools of light in a variety of intensities, rather than an overall brightness, and having that light emit from fixtures that are focal points, can create a sense of focus and calm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n ___<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kim Cook writes frequently about homes and design for The Associated Press. She blogs at www.kimcookhome.com<\/p>\n\n\n\nngg_shortcode_0_placeholder\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n