A gray sofa in a room with neutral toned pillows, wooden side table, and vase with pinecones in it

How to Use Interior Design Styles to Affect Your Mood

So many things can influence your state of mind and productivity. If you work from home, you’ve probably already noticed that noise, chaos, and a lack of privacy can contribute to an unproductive day. You might not be able to control all aspects of your surroundings, but you can make some positive changes by learning how interior design styles affect your mood.

How Design Styles Affect Your Mood

Every design style has a set of characteristics that gives a room personality. It usually incorporates a specific palette that can influence your frame of mind according to color theory.

The shape of your furniture can dictate how you experience the space. For instance, you’ll probably feel more relaxed on a couch with soft curves and overstuffed pillows, while a chair with sharp lines might make you want to sit up straight and stay alert.

If you have a small or overfilled room that makes you feel claustrophobic, you can improve the vibe using a concept called Perception of Space—visual tricks with elements like smaller furniture and larger mirrors.

Or, if you want to bring good energy to your home, you can try the precepts of Feng Shui to arrange your furniture. Depending on what you’re looking for, one of these styles might be right for you:

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Modern Decor

If you want to be more productive, a modern interior could help you focus more on your work. The motto behind this look is “form follows function,” so if an object doesn’t have a purpose, it’s not welcome in the room. Modern furniture has clean lines, lots of right angles, and is usually a solid neutral like white or black. While you can add an accent color, you don’t want too distracting to keep you from getting things done.

Coastal Decor

If you feel tense and uptight all the time, a coastal interior design style affects your mood by giving you space for a mental vacation. The dominant color is usually blue, which will evoke natural pleasures associated with the sea and sky and perpetuate feelings of calm. Those of us who have been going crazy cooped up for months might appreciate this beachy style. You won’t need travel restrictions to lift to feel like you can get away from it all. A vase of flowers on a table next to a basket with farmhouse magazine in from of light gray couch with neutral toned pillows and blankets

Farmhouse Decor

If you love a homey vibe and are looking for an inventive way to organize your house, the farmhouse interior design style offers endless possibilities. Creative storage ideas include wire baskets, vintage suitcases, wooden crates, and even mason jars. And the distressed wood finishes convey “well-loved” furniture that could have been in the family for generations provides an overall feeling of simple comfort. The surroundings you create say a lot about you—but are they influencing you? Which of these interior design styles affect your mood? Let us know in the comments below!

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