Ten tips for creating a calm space
People often describe Winterwares as a tranquil place; one they want to linger in and stay for a cup of tea. Creating a relaxing and beautiful space is easy; it only takes a few intentional adjustments to completely transform how you feel, work, and live. Here are 10 ideas we use for creating a calm space to recharge in:
Greenery
Indoor plants have been found to benefit our emotional and physical life. They lower blood pressure, removing toxins from the air and improve our general feeling of wellbeing. Succulents are a low maintenance option and look beautiful in any space from the bathroom, bedroom, courtyard, or studio.
Natural light
Introducing natural light into the room improves our mood and reduces energy consumption. It looks beautiful, as the sun pours in from the skylight at Winterwares. If you don’t have a skylight, swapping heavy fabrics for sheer white curtains lets the perfect amount of light in.
The five elements
In Fung Shui philosophy, the universe is made up of five elements: fire, earth, metal, water, and wood. Incorporating organic materials into a space has a calming effect, especially when compared to clinical and man-made interiors. Candles, wooden furniture, a vase of flowers, pot plants, and metal ornaments, are all examples of this concept that help to balance and improve any space.
Aromatherapy
Diffusers with a gentle mist or a candle scented with oils, do more than simply smell good. Lavender and rose geranium are two scents that are proven to calm the nervous system. The smell of eucalyptus from our Woodland Trail Candle nearly always burns in the studio. It helps to clear the air and add to the calming atmosphere.
Minimalism
While there’s a place for collecting cherished items — too much hoarding can create a feeling of chaos. Keeping a space minimal, helps to keep the atmosphere easy-going. Minimalism can be achieved in a space with clean lines and a consistent colour palette, but be careful to incorporate warm light, warm neutrals and cosy textures to avoid it looking too clinical.
Neutral colours
In the same vein as above, the Winterwares studio was designed intentionally with neutral tones, to give the space a relaxed feeling. We intentionally leave out colours that are over stimulating like bright reds or yellows. Sometimes, it’s what we leave out that has the greatest impact. The colours at Winterwares mostly white and grey, with the exception of some pastels and greenery. Light blue, white, and cream are examples of colours that are proven to calm the mind.
A clean space
It’s that age-old cliché that stands true; a clean space equals a clear mind. The popular book ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up’ is a great manifesto for this.
Create hygge
The Danish word ‘hygge’ describes the quality of cosiness and wellbeing that can be intentionally created in a space, or occur spontaneously. There’s many ways to create hygge. Our favourite is with cups of hot tea throughout the day and a candle burning. For our workshop, we create hygge with beautiful textures; like linen napkins during lunch. We also find it spontaneously with the feeling of clay between our hands. This wonderful book by Meik Wiking describes the word beautifully and includes endless suggestions for creating more ‘hygge’ moments in everyday life.
Relaxing music
Music is a powerful tool and it can create chaos or calm. Choosing music deliberately is a wonderful way to set the pace and mood in the studio. If we’re lagging a little energy, upbeat instrumental music from classical to contemporary is a great mood booster. The long-standing staple though has got to be old-world jazz like Ella Fitzgerald and a little bit of blues.
Slow down
No matter how calm a space is, it’s useless unless we’re peaceful on the inside too. During workshops or workdays, we encourage the practice of slowing down and bringing mindful awareness to the moment. On days where thoughts won’t stop racing, a few deep breaths, some music and a conversation are usually enough to come back to the moment.
