Your home should feel like your sanctuary, the perfect place to escape and unwind after a long day. Creating a zen-inspired home can help you find some calm amid the chaos, encouraging a more comfortable and relaxing atmosphere for you and your loved ones.
While everyone’s idea of zen will look a little different, your space should promote tranquillity and mindfulness and help to improve your physical and emotional well-being.
Any home can be made more zen-like, no matter how big or small. Whether it’s through foundational elements like the flooring of your home, textures or lighting, there’s plenty you can do. Let’s take a look.
Ground Your Home with Earthy Elements
Embracing earthy elements is a great way to add warmth to your space, making it feel more grounded and relaxing.
Materials like wood, clay, and stone add charm and create a natural warmth. Combine functionality with style by adding wooden shelves, a coffee table or a stylish bookcase to display your favourite reads. Use a clay jug as an elegant accent piece or a large stone sculpture to make a sleek and bold statement.
Your floor can also add earthiness and warmth to a home, making it feel as cosy or as spacious as you want it to be. A durable choice is hybrid flooring. With a range of colours and styles available, these can add richness and depth to your zen-inspired space.
Finding Your Zen Focus
Zen-inspired homes are all about calm and being present in the moment. Having a peaceful focal point in each room is a great way to bring this into your space.
This could be a comfy chair by a window overlooking the garden or a cosy reading nook. Or, a lush ficus or monstera plant in the corner of the room. You could even echo the sound of a bubbling stream with an indoor water feature.
Just make sure your focal point complements your existing decor so that it doesn’t end up overwhelming your space. For a home with a clean and contemporary design scheme, place plants in a sleek ceramic pot or in a terracotta pot if it has a more rustic or bohemian feel. Or match the colours of your wall art with other elements in the room, such as a sofa, a vase or a patterned rug.
Add Lighting for a Peaceful Atmosphere
Good lighting is vital when it comes to creating a zen-inspired home. Not only can it add visual appeal, but it can also be the ultimate mood booster.
Bring in natural light for a fresher feel. Mirrors and other reflective materials should be used to maximise light, positioned directly opposite windows. Go for sheer, lightweight curtains or blinds to allow more light to enter the room, creating the perfect place to sit back and relax.
After a more cosy vibe? Create a soft, tranquil glow with lamps or candles. Place them around the room, on shelves behind furniture, and at varying heights to create greater warmth and ambience.
You can also layer your lighting to add depth. Mix in ambient lighting for relaxation, task lighting for functionality and accent lighting to brighten up any dark corners. Dimmer switches can also give you greater control in setting the mood.
Creating a Sensory Haven with Texture
Texture can not only add dimension to a zen-inspired space but also influence the mood in a room.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Throw pillows made from natural cotton, or velvety throw blankets add comfort and warmth.
- A large stone vase, a coffee table made from reclaimed wood or woven baskets add an organic touch.
- Handcrafted jute rugs and tatami mats can ground your space in an earthy, minimalist style, combining durability with natural beauty.
A Mindful Approach to Decluttering
The most zen-inspired thing you can do for your home is to clear out any items you don’t need, creating a more harmonious environment. But where do you begin?
Start off small by choosing a single space to tackle. Keep things that have a practical purpose, starting with more disposable items, and working your way up to the sentimental. Set out three different boxes for sorting – one for trash, one for items to be donated and one for items to sell.
When you’re happy with your declutter, it’s time to think about how to store what you’ve kept. Put up shelves and use drawer organisers to compartmentalise space and reduce clutter. Place hooks or a coat rack in the entryway and put out a small basket for those go-to items, like wallets, phones and keys. Tidy up your pantry with clear, airtight containers with labels to make things easy to find.
Certain types of furniture can also double as storage, such as sideboards, entertainment units and bed frames with drawers and shelves, so think creatively.
Bringing it All Together
The aim when creating a more zen-inspired home is to promote a strong sense of balance and calm and to create a space where you can comfortably be yourself.
With a few small changes, you can create the perfect retreat. Start by getting rid of the old and happily embracing the new, and experiment with earthier elements, warmer lighting and tranquil tones that will help soothe the senses. Remember, it’s all about finding things that make you feel happy and will resonate with your own definition of peace and harmony.
Now breathe in, breathe out and let your journey of transformation begin…
