Combat Depression – With Interior Decorating!

Many people experience depression in one form or another. As the number of people diagnosed with depression grows, so do the number of ideas how to help. One anti-depression aid is creativity.

Creativity forces your brain to work and gives you a sense of caring and creation. When you decorate your home or office, you experience one of the most productive forms of creativity. And, as it happens, interior decorating helps you continue to combat depression after the project’s done. We cover two of the main tactics in this blog.

Lighting

You may have heard of light therapy, especially when it comes to treating seasonal affective disorder. However, light therapy can help treat most versions of depression. And you don’t necessarily need to buy a light box.

Windows

Some homes just do not have a lot of windows, so you don’t get a whole lot of sunlight inside. Big, beautiful windows not only give you a lovely view; they also let in plenty of sun. Skylights are also excellent options that enhance the aesthetics of your home.

If installing new windows is not an option for you, consider rearranging your furniture. The areas you spend the most time in should be close to windows. Place seating so you face the windows and, by extension, the light. Do everything that you can to make sure that you are letting your eyes take in as much sunlight as possible.

Electric lighting

In addition to using light therapy boxes, you can make traditional electric lighting look and feel more like natural light. Choose light bulbs made specially to simulate sunlight, similar to what’s in a light box.

Above all, when it comes to lighting and depression, don’t just sit in the dark. Make your home feel open and beautiful through creative lighting design.

Colour Scheme

Ever notice how different colours make you feel certain ways? So have many interior designers, and using the colour of your home or office to encourage certain emotions is called colour therapy or colour psychology. In past blogs, we have talked about this concept before. Here, however, we want to discuss how it can help you combat depression.

Active areas

In areas where you need to be more active, such as the kitchen or your home office, paint the walls brighter colours. Warm colours may even help an area actually feel warmer. If you have anxiety in addition to depression, however, make sure not to go overboard with the bright colours as they could increase stress. Instead, have them be accents to a softer shade of paint or vice versa.

If you suffer from seasonal affective disorder, pay attention to what colours you see during the summer. Find paint that matches your favourite summer colours. Painting the walls a bright green may seem like a bold choice, but it could help you get through a dark and grey winter.

Relaxation areas

In your bedroom or bathroom, or anywhere else that serves as a relaxation room, paint the walls softer and cooler colours. Soothing colours may even help you sleep better. If you have a vacation spot or a park that you visit to help you de-stress, pay attention to the colours there that help inspire those feelings.

Just as with active areas and bright colours, you also don’t want to go overboard with the cool colours. Especially if this is a room you spend a lot of time in, these colours could get you to the point of lethargy.

For more ideas on how colour psychology works or help picking out a colour scheme, talk with an interior designer.