Ralph Waldo Emerson said - Who you speak so loudly I can't hear what you're saying. Have you ever wondered what the silent message you’re projecting is? Sit on your sofa and take a look around. Sure, you may not be the only person living in your home but you are for sure, one of or the main character. Your home speaks volumes. The question is, is it the message you want to be projecting? And this conversation is not about what others perceive as much as it is about yourself and the messaging you’re sending to you every day. 

 

There’s a growing interest in the design space called neuro-architecture, it's the study of how the body and brain respond to the built environment. In an article titled, How Can Neuroscience Influence Architecture for Architect Magazine, Thomas Fischer, Assoc. AIA posed the question - how do we conceive of the ideas and cognitively marshal the information necessary to design buildings, and how does our built environment affect the neural activity inside our brains? 

 

Neuro-architecture is most often considered in the design of hospitals, schools, and the work environment. However, the same concept can be applied to our individual dwellings and can create an impact on the way we create and develop our habits, our state, our goals, and even our life at large.

 

For the sake of at-home use, neuro-architecture can be broken down into 3 key principles: 

 

In a recent article, Design Your Home to Achieve Your Dreams, we dive deeper into the idea that the layout of your home can have an impact on your habit-building. Seeing areas of your home on a daily basis can move you towards the habits you want to build in your life. For example, a meditation area right next to your bed can work as a daily reminder to meditate regularly. An herb garden grown indoors can lead to using fresh ingredients when you cook a meal. An exercise station with a bag packed and ready to go, next to your door can get you to the gym regularly. A chalkboard in the kitchen can keep your weekly tasks up to date as you check them off daily.

 

By taking the time to get clear about what we want to create and grow in our lives, we can add designated areas to our homes to propel us towards our goals.

 

In a recent article, Design Your Home to Achieve Your Dreams, we dive deeper into the idea that the layout of your home can have an impact on your habit-building. Seeing areas of your home on a daily basis can move you towards the habits you want to build in your life. For example, a meditation area right next to your bed can work as a daily reminder to meditate regularly. An herb garden grown indoors can lead to using fresh ingredients when you cook a meal. An exercise station with a bag packed and ready to go, next to your door can get you to the gym regularly. A chalkboard in the kitchen can keep your weekly tasks up to date as you check them off daily.

 

By taking the time to get clear about what we want to create and grow in our lives, we can add designated areas to our homes to propel us towards our goals.

 

Think about the last time you entered a home that had that wow factor. What was it? Why did it make you take a pause? Was it the lighting, the music, the mood of the space? I’d bet my favorite purse it wasn’t cluttered too. The lighting was probably pretty darn good as well. Why is lighting so essential? Because we need vitamin D to survive. It’s primal. There may have been soothing sounds like a pool waterfall or even music streaming throughout. That’s primal too. When we sit in nature and hear it sing, it tells us that we are in a place rich with life, sustenance. It tells our senses, we are safe. There’s food here. All is well.

 

Because we don’t live outside anymore, bringing these natural elements in can calm us and make us feel safe. Gosh, don’t we need that today in this crazy 800 mile an hour world? The practical solutions are playlists that we love, coming from multiple sources or speakers to mimic nature's surround sound. Warm, rather than cool bulbs replicate the sun’s rays. And symmetry soothes, which can really only be achieved when the clutter is missing. A home filled with cherished objects exudes a sense of story and romance. It ignites positive memories from times past and carries us forward with goodwill rather than a sense of overwhelming.

 

Marie Kondo seemingly became an overnight success with her book, Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up with this principle. Her timing was on point in our consumer-driven society where we stock up on items we truly don’t need. Yes, there’s the peak moment when we make the purchase but it’s often followed up, months and years later with a sense of inundation. Let it go. Give it to others in need. It will lighten your load and spirits.

 

My designer husband may roll his more practical eyes at this one but it’s about bringing new life into your space. This may show up by simply rearranging the furniture, seasonal pillows for the sofa, a new wreath on the door to highlight the coming season, or fresh flowers placed on the table to brighten a room. Again, it has a primal effect. As with coming seasons bearing new fruits, a home with a touch of the novel brings in new energy and tells us good things are to come. There’s plenty. We are abundant.

 

Why is that a new car, dress or home gives us a sense of hope? Could it be that it feels clean, untainted, and alive with possibility? We can invoke this state with a little time and effort. The results create space in our homes and our minds and allow us to flourish with fresh, bright ideas, a home we take pride in, and a true sense of accomplishment in knowing that we play a part in the creation of our lives and the building of our dreams.

 

To learn more about Natasha, check her out here.