Making your living space more comfortable and aesthetically pleasing can increase your property value and make your time at home a more enjoyable experience.  In addition, your interior design choices can help to reduce stress and to improve the quality of your indoor air, thus improving your health.

That’s very important to Sarah Nielsen, an interior designer who uses her talents to create more than just attractive rooms.  After her mother suffered a spinal cord injury, Sarah changed her approach to designing and now looks at it from a healing perspective.

“Design therapy is arranging your home to create a healthy, healing environment.  When your home is both functional and beautiful, you’re more likely to have a healthier, happier, more balanced life,” she explained. 

The five key elements of Sarah’s design therapy technique are:

• Select healing colors.  Color therapy is using color to transform a space into a healing environment.  We all are attracted to certain colors.  Being aware of our color preferences helps us to address what we need and what we’re missing in our lives.
• Dress your home for comfort.  Sarah recommends using “green” materials such as natural fibers.  She said, “Think about what you put on your body and then dress your home the same way.”
• Light your world.  Controlling lighting is essential—it sets the mood for your home.
• Clear the clutter, clear your mind.  Is your home well organized or is it cluttered with things you don’t use and don’t need?  Studies have shown that putting your living space in order can help to reduce stress and improve your mood.
• Breathe well, live well.  Remember to pay attention to the ingredients—the chemicals used to make paint, carpet, and home furnishings; and those used to adhere flooring, tile, etc.  There are many non-toxic options.  You just need to ask for them.

While Sarah uses design therapy to transform homes into healing spaces, a similar concept is gaining popularity in healthcare.  Architects across the country are using evidence-based design (EBD) to plan hospitals that improve patient outcomes by reducing infections, minimizing stress, relieving depression, and improving sleep.  In addition, EBD is helping to reduce staff turnover and to control costs.