A modern approach to interior design focuses more on how our spaces make us feel, from promoting better sleep to fostering a friendly atmosphere, and less on visual trends. Daisy Woodward looks into the “feel-good home” phenomenon.

Our environment affects how we feel. From feng shui to the Scandinavian pursuit of hygge, the idea of altering the appearance and arrangement of your home to improve your sense of well-being has a long history. Environmental psychology, which is the study of how individuals interact with their environment, did not become an academic field, making it, even more, contemporary in terms of interior decorating, until the late 1960s. The concept of improving wellness through our internal environments is gaining traction. Originally prevalent in healthcare interiors, it is now permeating our homes as well as places of hospitality and leisure.

The pandemic has boosted our society’s concern for health. Surprisingly, during the lockdown, “indoors” came to signify “at home,” and as a result, many of us began to care more about how our homes made us feel than how they appeared, at least in terms of trends. As a result, a different, greener viewpoint on interior design has begun to take shape—one that places emphasis on individuality, awareness, and self-care.