13 Wellness Trends Popping Up in Home Design

Find out how the aesthetic and design philosophies of other cultures from Sweden to Japan are making their way into our living rooms and bedrooms.

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By: Felicia Feaster

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The Value of Wellness in Home Design

Our homes represent many things to us: security, comfort, solitude or a social space. More and more interior designers, architects and homeowners are seeing the connection between creating an ideal space and the effect that has on our happiness. Around the world other cultures from Japan to Sweden have already discovered the mind-body-design connection. Find out how you can bring more wellness to your own space.

From: Living Gardens Landscape Design

Wabi-Sabi

The Japanese concept of wabi-sabi celebrates the imperfect beauty of nature, with all of its flaws and blemishes and its natural cycle of birth and death. So instead of expending fretful mental energy trying to make your home perfect from top to bottom why not find the beauty in a lack of symmetry and odd numbers, in unique materials, handmade pottery, worn and aged items and nature?

From: Stefani Stein

Hygge

This Danish lifestyle trend celebrates values of home, hearth and family and the coziness and togetherness that bring us comfort and joy. How to achieve hygge? It's relatively easy: add candles to your home, spend time cuddled up with family, invite friends for dinner and get rid of distracting clutter. The surge in Scandi design and features like faux and real animal furs draped on chairs or couches is a definite hygge-influenced design trend. The Danes are considered the happiest people on the planet, so it's definitely worth taking a page from their hygge playbook. Click here to find out about more ways to bring hygge into your life.

Cwtch

This Welsh term translates to cuddle and you can see evidence of cwtch in the trend for sprawling comfy couches, throws, pillows and fireplaces which enhance the kind of cozy, cuddly vibe that gives us a sense of well-being. Read about more ways to bring cwtch into your home design scheme.

The KonMari Method

Americans seem to have a bottomless thirst for decluttering and storage. And much of that desire for order can be traced to the influence of Marie Kondo's mega-bestseller book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. And when it comes to wellness, saying goodbye to unnecessary objects, and streamlining your possessions can bring a sense of calm and renewal to your life as well as "sparking joy." Design can certainly be a way of influencing your state of mind Kondo teaches.

From: Stephanie Hatten

The 72-Hour Cabin

There is no denying that she-sheds, outbuildings, tiny houses and artist studios are popping up in backyards around the country. A need for a room of one's own, tranquility and a life cut-off from distractions and devices finds its ultimate expression in an innovative project called the 72-Hour Cabin project. In this 2017 study, five subjects with incredibly demanding jobs and high stress levels had their heart rate and other indications of well-being studied after they engaged in what are considered key components of the Swedish lifestyle: solitude, swimming and fishing and contemplating nature from a glass-walled cabin in the wilderness. After 72 hours, participants found a 70 percent decrease in their stress levels. How to bring this trend to your home? Large windows that face views of nature, a commitment to unplugging and reading instead of web surfing and finding opportuntities for exercise and self-care can alleviate stress when a trip to Sweden isn't in the cards.

From: Paige Morse

Lagom

Another Scandinavian design trend that many see as the Swedish spin on Danish hygge, lagom is rooted in the Swedish idea of "just right." Lagom is about focusing on needs rather than wants and knowing when you have enough. Rather than blind accumulation, lagom emphasizes buying only the items you need to live. Scientists have found a connection between acquisition and unhappiness and the Swedes are certainly proponents of quality of life over material accumulation and being present in the moment rather than obsessing about what to buy or do next. So create a soft, welcoming space for your family, and feather your nest with comfort, just don't go overboard and think that it is the things you buy rather than time spent with family that are primary. Part of lagom is decluttering, connecting to nature, whether by bringing plants indoors or capturing the view outside with enormous windows and connecting to those around you every day.

Niksen

The Dutch practice of Niksen is basically about doing nothing: unplugging, daydreaming, allowing yourself the opportunity to be still and even bored. What better way to do so than to have designated, private space in your home away from media, televisions, charging stations and distractions where you can look out a window or snuggle up and let your mind wander. The key is to truly allow yourself to simply "be" which researchers have said leads to more creativity and lower stress.

From: Landing Design

Feng Shui

The ancient Chinese practice of feng shui is meant to create balance between individuals and their enviornment and harmony with the natural world. Inviting positive energy or "chi" into your home is the goal. Feng shui can be achieved in numerous ways, some of which are used in other wellness traditions, like ridding your home of clutter which both literally and symbolically removes obstaces from your path. Keeping pathways clear, especially to the front door, invites energy into the home and a front door that opens inward invites energy in rather than one that opens outward to push it out. Creating areas to pause and reflect, like a bench or a piece of artwork also allow energy to flow in a calm and unhurried way through the home. Allowing light into our homes in drapeless windows or with mirrors that bounce light around can also enhance positive energy and good feelings for occupants. Another founding feng shui principle is checking the commanding position of items in three key spaces. Your bed represents you, your desk represents your career and your stove represents wealth. You should be able to see the door when you are in or at any of them but not be directly in line with the door. And your back should never be to the door when you at your desk or in your bed, which inhibits your ability to receive positive energy.

From: Amy Elbaum

Friluftsliv

This Norwegian word coined by playwright Henrik Ibsen describes the joy and contentment that comes from outdoor living and finding opportunities to socialize, exercise, play and dine outdoors. The term loosely translates to "free air life" or "open air living." We've seen this trend play out in the current obsession with design-savvy vans and campers to experience the great outdoors. And friluftsliv is also at play in our at-home outdoor spaces kitted out with firepits and kitchens used to expand our year-round living options and fight the stuck-at-home blues. Many wellness experts have testified to the increased contentment, decreased stress and soul-stirring satisfaction we get from spending time outdoors.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Fika

The Swedish concept of fika isn’t quite as well-known as Denmark’s hygge, but it’s just as delightful. It’s the practice of taking time to be relaxed, present and social — like sharing hot drinks and snacks with a friend at a cafe, on your front porch or over Zoom. You don’t need to drink hot cocoa out of anything fancy in order to enjoy this, but a handmade cup that’s a work of art worthy of permanent display on open shelving in your kitchen can be a smart splurge. Sure, you can get a $2 ceramic mug at Ikea, but if you can support a local artisan with a $20 mug that will make you smile every single day because it’s just so you, we say go for it.

Ikigai

This Japanese philosophy centers on people's need for purpose in life and the feeling of satisfaction in pursuing your passions. Ikigai is the reason you get up in the morning. It comes from "iki" meaning life and "gai" meaning value or worth, and ikigai is said to be the secret to the longevity and overall good health of the Japanese. In home design, ikigai is about surrounding yourself with objects that bring value and express your inner self. So if you are happiest when you are cooking, make your kitchen a space you love being in. And if plants are your thing, find happiness and fulfillment by surrounding yourself with them.

Mysa

This Swedish term that translates to "cozy" make sound a lot like the Danish term hygge. But this uniquely Swedish wellness trend focuses more on spending time with friends, being in the moment and de-stressing.

Fredagsmys

This popular concept in Sweden which translates to "cozy Friday" is all about the thrill of a Friday night inside: being with your family, cuddling on the couch watching a movie or sipping cocoa by the fire. It's about creating a space where you can decompress from the stresses of the work week instead of grabbing drinks with your office buddies or hitting the town and celebrates the comforts of home.

From: Tiffany Brooks