Interior designer Natalie Jahangiry is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on decorating a home to suit a busy family life while sticking to your aesthetic values, too. See the rest of her articles here.
Looking back, I’ve always had this restless urge to change my space. What began as shuffling furniture every other week in my teens evolved into redecorating every few months whilst at college, especially once I learned to drive and could get my hands on paint easily! I remember this constant need to create a sense of calm that suited me and my life at the time. It’s a habit and instinct that has stayed with me to this day, and quite possibly shaped the career I now have.
Clutter and The Mental Load
It's not a coincidence that a cluttered home could leave you feeling overwhelmed. Research shows that physical clutter can increase stress levels and cortisol production, affecting our ability to focus and relax. According to Michelle Ogundehin, interior expert and author of Happy Inside, “Clutter is the arch-enemy of the restful home… Physical clutter equates to emotional debris, stifling energy and dampening enthusiasm.” In other words, the mess around you often mirrors the mental chaos inside you.
Clutter has been shown to contribute to increased stress, anxiety, and a lower sense of well-being. Research into how our brains respond to chaotic environments suggests that a crowded or disordered space can overwhelm our mental capacity, making it harder to focus, relax, and feel in control. Keeping surroundings tidy and intentional may be one of the simplest ways to support emotional balance and make the most of our mental energy.
The Power of Colour
Another key element in home design that can significantly influence how you feel in a space is colour, one of the most powerful tools that shapes our emotional response to creativity and the environment around us.
Colour can trigger both emotional and physical responses: yellow evokes optimism, while green promotes balance. Blue has a calming effect, whereas brown provides a sense of grounding and stability. Pink, as a diluted version of red, can influence mood subtly, with various intensities acting to either stimulate or soothe you.
Warm shades like oranges, terracotta, ochres, peaches and blush tones can lift the spirit, creating lively, inviting spaces in kitchens and living areas. Cooler tones such as blues, greens, soft purples, and muted greys bring calm and clarity to bedrooms and bathrooms, while earthy greens restore balance and connection to nature. Neutrals act as a grounding backdrop, letting accent colours shine without overwhelming a room such as Farrow & Ball's School House White or Coat's Sunday Soul. Bright, intense shades can sometimes overstimulate in restful areas, whereas darker hues can feel cocooning adding depth and intimacy, however be careful with its use as occasionally these dark colours can feel cramped if natural light is limited.
These subtle shifts in tone matter when supporting emotional wellbeing. In children’s bedrooms, soft, muted colours such as pastel blues, gentle greens, warm pinks and lavenders help signal calm and rest, while brighter, more playful shades are better reserved for playrooms, sparking creativity without overwhelming the senses. For adults, deep, enveloping colours like plum or navy create sanctuary-like spaces to retreat from daily life, while warmer hues lift the spirit and invite comfort. A perfect example of these enveloping tones would be Graham & Brown's ‘2026 Colour of the Year’ Divine Damson.
With colour everyone has a different reaction. Personally I’m drawn to warm tones, creating cosy intimate spaces with colours such as Sulking Room Pink by Farrow & Ball, La Torre by Coat and Spiced Mulberry by Graham & Brown.
The right palette doesn’t just decorate a room; it shapes how I feel within it. Choosing shades that speak to your personal emotions allows your home to support rest, focus or evoke happiness in different spaces. In this way, design becomes more than aesthetic; it becomes a tool for creating balance, comfort and harmony in daily home life.
Layout, Greenery, and Personal Touches
Beyond colour, factors like lighting, texture, and layout play a key role in shaping my emotions. Soft fabrics and natural materials can create comfort and calm, while well-planned layouts encourage flow and reduce stress. Incorporating plants, natural light, and even soothing scents can foster relaxation and boost your mood. Personal touches, from meaningful artwork to sentimental keepsakes, help a space feel nurturing and restorative.
Whether it’s the natural balance of feng shui (arranging spaces to harmonise and promote the flow of positive energy) the health benefits of houseplants (fun fact: NASA found that one plant per 100 square metres can help filter toxins from the air), or the calming effect of maximising natural light, thoughtful room style and layout can have a significant effect on emotional wellbeing. Incorporating greenery, arranging furniture to encourage flow, and letting light move freely through a space can all contribute to a home that not only looks good but feels good too.
Making Home a Happy Place
Ultimately, the way we design and style our homes goes far beyond aesthetics. Colour, layout, lighting, textures, personal touches, and even plants all work together to influence how we feel, often on a subconscious level.
By carefully curating elements like colour, layout, lighting, textures, and personal touches. At Design and Refine I help my clients (and myself) create spaces that nurture emotional wellbeing, promote calm, spark creativity, and make daily life feel more balanced and harmonious. Because let’s face it… in today’s busy and often stressful lifestyle, creating a calming retreat is not only what we all need, but has become more important than ever.
A home designed with intention isn’t just a place to live, it’s a safe sanctuary that supports everyday wellbeing for you and your family.
