It’s hard to get excited about 2022.
Many of us hoped that COVID-19 would be in the rearview mirror by now and we’d be getting back to some sort of normalcy. But with the omicron variant blazing through the country, holiday parties canceled, and a delayed return to school and the office, it feels like we’re stuck in an endless loop with no end to the pandemic in sight.
If you’re feeling stagnant and aimless, you’re not alone. People around the world are experiencing what psychologists describe as languishing. This is particularly glaring at the start of a new year, which we like to see as an opportunity for a fresh start. This year, many of us simply don’t have the motivation to think about self-improvement.
Over the past two years, we’ve all spent more time at home than ever before. Even if we’ve redecorated our spaces already, Blakeney says it’s not a bad idea to make a few additional tweaks as we kick off the new year. Try one—or all—of these three simple tips.
Color Can Change Everything
While minimalism and white walls are still de rigueur in the world of interior design, Blakeney loves saturating her interiors with color. She frequently changes the colors of her walls and repaints floors and furniture, and she isn’t afraid to use bold, vibrant colors like bright orange or teal blue. “With a few hours and a few hundred dollars, you can change the entire vibe,” she says.
Move All Your Furniture
One of the most impactful—and entirely free—ways to change the atmosphere of your home is to rearrange your furniture. Some people feel intimidated about moving their furniture around because they aren’t sure where it would look best. But here’s a secret: Even experts like Blakeney don’t know right away where everything should go. “The best thing to do is just move the furniture around,” she says. “You’ll feel almost instantly when it is in the right place, even if you can’t always articulate why it works well there.”
In her experience, many people feel most comfortable putting their furniture against walls. But letting a desk, chair, or sofa float in the middle of the room might actually feel wonderful, changing the flow of the space or how you interact with it. She also recommends paying attention to how furniture interacts with the light in the room. You might move the bed and love how the light in your bedroom feels first thing in the morning. Or you might like the afternoon shadows that play on your wall when you move your sofa across from a window.
Remember You’re Part of Nature
In the thick of the winter months, many of us spend a lot of time trapped indoors, without much sunlight. It’s depressing, and it can affect our health, Blakeney says. She believes it’s worth remembering that we’re also part of the natural world, and we should bring as much of nature indoors as we can.
As she was researching her recent book, Jungalow: Decorate Wild, Blakeney discovered that people don’t just respond positively to real plants. They also feel happier when they see images of nature. Keep this in mind as you’re decorating, and consider buying a large print of a natural landscape like a jungle or a prairie. Or you might invest in textiles, wallpaper, or throw pillows that are full of natural imagery.