At Home: Homebase Life Improvements #2

Howdi campers! How are we all today?

I’ve been working with Homebase over the past month, who have partnered with design and well-being expert Oliver Heath, to see whether improving your home environment can also improve your life.

My Life Improvement challenge was to see whether adding colour to a space, as well as adding mood and atmosphere, helped to improve my life too. I’m always up for a challenge (and a kick up the derriere to get on with house work!) so I chose our home office, as it’s in much need of attention, and is where I work 3 days a week.

Oliver Heath explains the benefits of using colour here but also explains, “Colour is an important sensory route to improving our well-being as it can help to reduce stress levels and boost our mood, which are key factors in improving our lives. But how do we apply colour in the best way to improve spaces in the home?”

Bearing this in mind, and before choosing what to buy for the office I focused on three points. Firstly to chose colours that have a positive association. For me that’s blues and greens, both colours found in nature’s palette. Black is also a palette I’m naturally drawn to too. I like the dark side, my friends.

Secondly, to bring these colours together by adding a dramatic feature wall, rather than a neutral backdrop, to really help make the colours pop. And finally, to layer colours using different patterns and textures.

Feature Wall. Visual interest and focus can be added by creating a feature wall. It may also provide the visual clues for the other colours that you will want to use in the curtains, cushions, throws and furniture.

Positive Association. Colours found in nature’s palette tend to generate positive emotions, which can help to boost our mood and well-being. These images of calming and relaxing settings have the ability to soothe us.

Layer Patterns and Textures. Using colour in this way is much more flexible and easy to achieve allowing you to change soft furnishings more regularly when you feel that the room needs a fresh look.

Based on Oliver Heath’s advice I chose to paint the walls first. We already had a green feature wall opposite the window but unless you face towards it you don’t really notice it as you walk into the space. I wanted something more dramatic. So I chose Farrow and Ball’s Off-Black paint for a large feature wall where my desk is situated. I also chose some white paint for the wall surrounding the windows and opposite the black wall.

Whilst painting I realised the green wall on the other side of the room (opposite the window) worked well with the black too. So for now I’ve decided to keep it but it may be painted white once I’ve spent more time in there.

As well as the paint I bought indoor plants to add more green to the space. I chose two Ficus Gold King plants for either side of the bookcase. I’ve also added an Orchid on my desk, which works well against the black backdrop.

I then added blue accessories including my table lamp, Cable and Cotton lights and a hand drawn New York print by Jenni Sparks c/o Evermade to brighten the dramatic black, and to add layers of colour. I also changed a few things around in the rest of the house and brought my It’s a Wonderful Life print upstairs, swapping the frame so the black matches the feature wall.

Finally I’m waiting on two more items – a rug to add a little more texture and some rope which I’m planning on using to create hanging planters. I figured rather than adding more texture to the room, in the form of cushions etc, I’d choose to add more plants – the perfect way to add colour to a space.

As soon as the room was finished (nearly there!) I scooted off to Australia so on my return I’ll see whether it makes a difference. So far though, I love my new office space. Before, all I could see was clutter and now it feels like a much more organised and put together space. I’ll keep you posted!

♥

Disclosure: Collaborative Post