November 11th, 2006
Winter blues
Are you suffering from winter blues or SAD (Seasonal affective disorder)? If you are, with a little creativity, you could brighten up your environment.
If the seasons seriously affect your mood, you have to be careful as to how you decorate your home. Although moody, darkish décor is very trendy right now - this is really not suitable for you, as this sort of space looks good in the evening with artificial light, but during the day it looks rather gloomy. Instead choose a colour scheme that bounces light back to the space - such as bright but light colours, whites & off whites. Also, don’t use matt surfaces - instead go for shiny materials and glossy surfaces (these are very trendy now anyway - so try glass, mirror, perspex, metallic, silky, satin, or even pearly finishes.
Good lighting is very important too. Try using day-light bulbs in pendant lights, or invest in a SAD light-system. To brighten up your evenings, invest in colour-changing light systems or at least some coloured light-bulbs. This could help you a great deal when you feel a bit down.
Mess and disorder can make the mind feel restless and anxious, so make sure your home or office environment is clutter-free, organised and as spacious as possible. Although cosiness can make you feel comfortable during cold nights, spaces that are too busy can also make you feel hemmed in and miserable. Therefore don’t have too many furniture pieces and ornaments. Tidy up your rooms, store away your clutter & unnecessary furniture - the spaces around you will immediately feel lighter & brighter.
To make your surroundings more cosy, invest in a couple of luxurious blankets and throws made of warm textiles such as velvet, cashmere, faux fur etc - these can have dark colours if you really like that look. Wrap yourself around on cold evenings and enjoy their feel!
To cheer yourself up, start thinking about Christmas decoration - come up with a theme and start collecting or updating existing décor object. If you’re ready to put up your décor and can’t wait any longer, just put it up - use lots of sparkling, shiny and metallic décor objects - these might brighten up your mood!
Finally, don’t forget - in only 3 months time Spring light will be shining through your windows! Quite honestly I can’t wait!