When your house is a busy hub for your family, it is easy for each room to become filled with activity, noise and the inevitable clutter of life. If that describes your home, we’d like to help you to create a pocket of calm amidst the chaos.
A bedroom is a natural starting point for a place of serenity, but a bathroom could work just as well, or, if you haven’t got a room that you can dedicate, it could be a corner or alcove that you claim for the purpose.
Bedrooms
With the focus being on rest and relaxation, a bedroom might feel like an obvious choice for your designated calm space.
While neutral or soft colours are a solid choice in a bedroom because they keep it light and gentle, additionally lighting also has a big impact on how a room feels. Harsh overhead lights can be a hindrance to a calm atmosphere, so layered lighting works much better. A reading lamp provides brightness when needed, while table lamps or wall lights create a softer, more relaxed ambience.
Comfort and calm often go hand in hand, and bedrooms are the perfect place to introduce a sense of quiet luxury. High-quality bed linen, comforting throws, plush rugs and textured cushions can all add warmth and softness, helping the room feel inviting and restorative.
The addition of the Kyra Cream White & Natural Boucle Fringed Lumbar Cushion from daals is a comforting texture to add to a bed, chair or a window seat.
For more ideas, click here to read our blog all about designing a bedroom oasis.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are often one of the few places where we can step away from the activity of life. However, they are frequently designed with functionality as the main priority. With a few thoughtful touches, we can change this.
As with bedrooms, colour is key and gentle greens and muted blues can create a spa-like feel. Keeping the palette and base tones of the scheme consistent across tiles, paints and accessories allows the space to feel cohesive not busy.
Metallic accents, such as brushed brass or gold, can add a sense of luxury. These can be introduced to the room through towel rails, taps and drawer handles, as well as smaller accessories such as candle holders and containers.
The Rajura Hurricane Lantern from Nkuku is the perfect accessory for adding low light to the bathroom, and adds that touch of luxe with the brass base.
Storage is key to a calm space. If you have a pedestal basin rather than a vanity unit, you can add storage, such as the Valencia Under Sink Storage Cabinet from Next.
Creating a Quiet Corner
You don’t need to dedicate a whole room to calm, even a small corner in your home can become a place to unwind.
Unused alcoves, corners of living rooms, window seats or quiet areas of a bedroom can all work beautifully. The aim is to create a space that feels visually separate from the surrounding activity.
Open-plan zoning techniques work well here; you can make a corner feel separate by using a rug, a change of lighting or a different colour. Room dividers or shelving can also help create a subtle sense of separation without closing the space off completely.
Comfort should be the priority in these smaller areas. Soft textures, cushions and throws make the area inviting, encouraging you to actually use it rather than letting it blend into the rest of the room.
The Signature Room Divider Kit from Panelling Direct is a great option for zoning or diving the room, and it adds extra warmth with the wood.
Create Calm Anywhere
Whilst each room has its unique ways of being calm, there are some simple design principles that apply anywhere in the home.
- Keep the layout simple and uncluttered
- Reduce visual clutter by limiting the number of accessories and grouping decorative items together
- Choose colours that feel restful and cohesive
Finally, once you’ve created your calm space, try to protect it. In busy homes, it can be easy for every spare corner to become storage or workspace, but allowing one area to remain dedicated to rest can make a surprising difference.
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