How to Turn Your Home Into a Peaceful Oasis

As a full time event planner, my days and evenings are packed with meetings, walkthroughs, client calls and running events. It’s my job to make sure the events I plan are enjoyable and relaxing for those who attend.

Given this hectic lifestyle, creating a peaceful space to come home to is crucial for regaining my own serenity at the end of the day. Taking the time to cultivate a beautiful, tranquil home yields an incredible return for mental and physical health.

Below are a few tips for making your own home a calming oasis.

1. Lighting is key.

I believe the most important element in creating a serene ambiance is lighting. Whether you are drawn to a flood of natural light with all blinds up and curtains open, or you prefer a more cave-like environment with overall low light and tableside lamps turned on, determine what level of lighting brings you peace and then work to achieve this. Turning overhead lights off is always a good idea! Light some candles for a natural warm glow in the evening. Try a subtly scented candle. 

2. Bring the outdoors inside.

There is nothing quite like fresh air and fresh flowers to make one’s home feel clean and serene. If weather permits, open your windows. Invest in some houseplants to remove toxins and circulate clean air. Finish it off by adding a bouquet to your kitchen table or nightstand.

If you have flowers you can cut from your yard or foliage you can forage from a park or the woods, then use it as an opportunity to express your creativity. If you don’t have access to snipping your own blooms, try your hand at buying single stems at a flower market so you can create your own arrangement. These simple, natural touches will fill your home with beauty and freshness.

3. Play with neutral tones.

Having a colorful home is fun and adventurous, but adding pops of neutral tones like white or cream will put a pure, calming aura into your space. Your eye will relax and rest on these colors, in contrast to bolder tones you may have in your home such as an energizing red or orange. Try adding a cream-colored throw in a chunky fisherman knit to your couch or neutral linen napkins on the dining room table. 

4. Create wide open spaces. 

Thanks to Miss Marie Kondo, we’ve all been reeducated on the importance of de-cluttering and organization. Try to determine what items might be superfluous in your home. Then, donate them to charity or a friend who is moving and needs some household items.

Arrange your furniture in such a way that allows for some breathing room between pieces. Have blank space on your wall to avoid an overly busy scene. Our minds are filled with to-do lists and responsibilities. Clear space in your home—and your mind may just find rest in the physical order you’ve created. 

5. Seek inspiration. 

We live in a world where little squares capture our attention every day. Why not take inspiration from your favorite Instagram or Pinterest account and apply it in your own home? Whether that be a color palette you are drawn to, textures that you like or the way someone organizes their life and home, study the principles you see reflected in these images.

Then, try to emulate them in your own space. Art is so often imitation, and good artists stand on the shoulders of giants. 

Making your home a place of retreat where you can restore your interior peace and tranquility is so important in today’s busy world. If your home is a beautiful and ordered space, then you will look forward to returning to it at the end of the day. Adding these small touches to your abode may be the key to balancing a life of duty and responsibility with an environment that daily reminds you to connect with serenity and stillness. 

How do you create a calming aesthetic at home? What tricks do you have for fostering tranquility in a space?

Images via Joe Schmelzer, Darling Issue No. 19