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Becky Hirt

Interior designer, room stylist and writer in Kingston Upon Thames

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Feel good design naturally
Wellbeing interiors – transition to spring
Biophilic interior design
Wellbeing begins at home
Interior design services
How to feel less claustrophobic at home
How to connect with nature in your home
Benefits of using natural materials
How to create a sanctuary at home
Make your home more eco-friendly
What makes a home feel good?
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On the blog

  • Fall in love with your home
  • How to make a room feel joyful
  • Create a home that fits you
  • Make a welcoming winter home
  • What is biophilic interior design and how can it improve your wellbeing?

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becky.hirt

Making space for  G R I E F  and  L O S S  in Making space for  G R I E F  and  L O S S  in our homes

Several people in my circle have suffered devasting bereavements in the last few months. And I'm thinking of my own losses today as it's eight years since my mum died. Which is why today's post is about how we can position grief and loss in our homes, and how our living spaces can help us to hold these most painful experiences.

My mum is absolutely central to my entire concept of home, but she is also stitched into the seams of where I live now. I can still visualise her bursting through the front door with arms full of home grown fruit and vegetables on her many visits here, particularly after the birth of my first child.

After she died, despite the pain of seeing her confined to a wheelchair in her final months, I could not bear to wipe the scuffs from the walls where her wheelchair had scraped against them - they were a mark of her presence and then her absence - a physical manifestation of emotional wounds.

Our homes hold our love and pain as much as our hearts do, particularly if we can make space in them for remembrance. I'm not talking about shrines, but of everyday items, rituals and sensory experiences, which bear the touch of our loved ones.

Sound and scent can plunge us head first into our emotional past. But objects too can keep us close to those we miss. So a few drops of a familiar oil in the bath, cooking with a particular saucepan or playing a family tune are important ways to remember, and cherish.

Weave the ones you love into the fabric of your home and you're making sense of their role in your story. And ensuring that they are part of your present, not just your past. What are the things in your home that remind you of people you've lost?

#griefjourney #wellbeingwarrior #storiesofhome #consideredinteriors #colourinspiration #interiorcolour #bathroominspiration #bathroomtiles #bathroomstyle #plantsagram #plantshelfie #plantsathome #plantspiration #healinghome #happyathome
How to fall in  L O V E  with your home An intr How to fall in  L O V E  with your home

An intriguing 2012 study by psychologists explained something called the IKEA effect: They discovered that when we are involved in creating something (even a piece of flat-pack furniture), we value it much more highly. By investing time and effort, our "labour leads to love".

It's one reason why if you work with me, my approach will be to co-create with you as much as possible. Why does this matter? The way I see it there are three main benefits.

🌿 Firstly, if you are part of your own room design, you're much more likely to fall in love with the transformation; it will meet your needs and fit you like a glove.

🌿 Secondly, by playing a lead role you'll go on a journey of self-discovery, and create a strong sense of your own agency and value; these benefits will spill over into other areas of your life.

🌿 And finally, if you're involved you'll have more of a stake in it; you'll be less likely to throw it all out and start again in five years' time, an approach which, as well as being expensive, is really not sustainable.

I should finish though by saying that the IKEA effect only holds up when people are successful in their attempts to create something (a collapsed Billy bookcase is not a recipe for satisfaction!), so if you're overwhelmed or needing direction it can help to have some expert guidance.

With thanks to Lily Bernheimer @spaceworksco, whose excellent book The Shaping of Us introduced me to the IKEA effect.

#mindhealth #happyhome #healthyhome #consciousdesign #slowlived #homeandwellbeing #livingroomstyling #homeandliving #mindfulliving #healthylifehappylife #aconsideredhome #humancentreddesign #designedforlife #livingrooms #designmatters
How to make a room feel  J O Y F U L It feels ja How to make a room feel  J O Y F U L

It feels jarring to talk about joy when our fellow humans are suffering, but if anything we need to nurture this feeling more when times are tough. Finding joy in small, everyday pleasures is essential for good mental health. And our homes can indeed help us to reconnect with fun, lightness and pleasure.

Here are some tips to get you started on making a room feel joyful.

* Begin by asking yourself what you associate with joy: what colours, patterns and objects?

* Yellow is a particularly happy and sunny colour, but any bright, saturated colour can give you an intense, energetic hit of happiness. Think about the colours of spring - the season that's most associated with this feeling.

* Using complementary colours (which are opposite each other on the colour wheel) will create vibrant, energising combinations.

* Choose artworks that make you laugh and smile: something cheeky or irreverent if that's your style, or perhaps just a photo or painting of a spring-like natural scene.

* Try using oils such as bergamot, lemon and orange in your diffuser, cleaning products and bath. They are zesty and uplifting.

* Take inspiration from grown-up versions of some of the things that might have made you feel joyful as a child: dancing mobiles and tinkling wind chimes; large orb-like lampshades that look like balloons; and squishy, enveloping chairs that feel like beanbags.

* Choose flowering plants that will inject a burst of colour into your room at certain times of the year.

* Introduce pattern through wallpaper, artworks and soft furnishings - flowing, undulating or curving lines will create a sense of freedom and possibility.

* Create a playlist of music that fills your heart with joy and stream it through your speakers.

* Hook up some string lights to make dark evenings twinkle and delight.

#seasonaldecor #seasonalstyling #wellbeingwednesday #springdecor #kitchentable #diningroomdecor #simplethingsmadebeautiful #intentionalhome #springflorals #joyfulliving #happyathome #styleithappy #howihome #interiorliving #sparkjoy
Signs of spring are popping up everywhere around m Signs of spring are popping up everywhere around me now, and they are providing some much needed comfort and predictability at a time when the world seems so chaotic.
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 Somehow it's possible to still feel a little lightness and joy at the sight of a dazzling blue sky, even as storm clouds gather elsewhere. 
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Whenever the seasons begin to shift, we can feel something move in ourselves: it can be exciting, but can also bring up challenging or unexpected feelings.
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My Instagram guide to embracing the seasons is full of tips for adapting your home, so that it supports you through every turn of the year. You can find it by heading to the fourth tab on my profile - the one with the leaflet icon. How are you feeling about spring this year?

#housetohome #findyourhappyathome #healthysoul #holisticwellbeing #makingmyhaven #myidealhome #wellbeinginteriors #makeitblissful #theartofslowliving #wellbeingtips #interiorsandhome #slowlife #lookafteryourself #evolvingspaces #calmhome #intentionalinteriors #inspiredbynature #mindfulliving #seasonalliving
How to find  C O L O U R  I N S P I R A T I O N How to find  C O L O U R  I N S P I R A T I O N

I am meeting a potential client this week who needs some help with colour. Sometimes when you are faced with four white walls, it can be really hard to know where to start. So here are three ideas for finding your own colour scheme, illustrated by my own living room.

* Find a photo of a natural scene that you really love, which conjures up a mood and colour palette that you’d like to recreate at home.

* If you already have a rug or a piece of art on display which you want to keep, use it as the basis for a scheme for the whole room.

* Take inspiration from the materials already in the room: for example the brickwork, the flooring, or some natural stone.

If you swipe through my images, you’ll see how I’ve applied this in my own home. My starting point was the London brick inside the fireplace – I picked out the delicate pinks, the muted browns, and even the sooty black marks.

I then looked for a rug which contained lots of these colours, and which would complement the curtains and other soft furnishings which I already had.

If you too need a little help with colour, drop me a DM and let's start talking.

#colourscheme #colourmyhome #interiordesigninspo #ihavethisthingwithcolour #aconsideredhome #makingahouseahome #colourinspiration #naturalhomestyle #modernrustic #howicolour #homedetails #earthinspiredhome #interiors123 #calminteriors #simplehomestyle #interiorstylist #makehomeyours #decordetails #mydomaine
Putting a plan into A C T I O N When we've been Putting a plan into  A C T I O N

When we've been dreaming about reworking a room or a space it's really tempting to rush out and buy lots of new things (I've done it too). But from a sustainability and an affordability perspective, it's often better to start putting your plan into action using the things you've already got.

Here's how I do it:

* Move furniture around so that it's in its new location - try that arrangement on for size and see if it works.

* Shop your home by moving things from one room into another - it's a great way to create a new mood or feeling without having to buy more stuff.

* Only then make a list of any additional items that you need, including size, colour etc - keep it on your phone so that if you spot things when you're out and about you have all the information you need to make an informed decision.

* Scour Facebook Marketplace, eBay and GumTree for second hand furniture, fittings and materials and sell any pieces of your own that won't fit within your new space.

How do you go about reorganising your rooms?

#shelfdecor #myhometoinspire #periodhome #cosyroom #homeandliving #littlecornersofmyhome #mycuratedaesthetic #livingroomstyle #colourfulhome #myFaBhome #stiffkeyblue #creativehome #styleithappy #colourmadetheroom #bookshelves #shelfstyling #fireplacedecor
Creating a home that fits you like a  G L O V E Creating a home that fits you like a  G L O V E

So, you've had a big clear-out, you've established what's working in your home and what's not... Now you're ready to be wild and creative.

We get so used to the conventions of living in our particular culture that it is hard to think a bit differently. But if you can break the mould a bit, you'll not only create a home that is unique to you, but you'll make a space that really supports how you want to live.

As with any creative endeavour, it's important to generate some wild and random ideas first without judgement. So have fun brainstorming some truly innovative ways to use your space. 

Here are some ideas I have been playing with for my own home:

* A co-working office space for everyone in the house so that no one has to work in their bedroom or work alone;

* Kids sharing a bedroom to give them comfort and company at night, and using the extra room as a game/play/music room;

* Buying a mobile projector so that any room (and the garden) can be turned into a viewing space without the need for lots of screens.

These ideas won't necessarily be desirable, possible or appropriate for you, but in a way, that's the point. We all have different personalities, lifestyles and resources, and no one solution is right for everyone. Tap into what matters and works for you, and your home will start to fit you like a glove.

I'd love to hear about any fun innovations that you come up with for your own home.

#livingroominspo #interiordesigntips #makingahouseahome #mindfulliving #fireplaces #fireplacedecor #modernrustic #sofastyling #naturalhome #naturalhomedecor #designmatters #cosyhomes #homestylinginspo #herizrug #rugsofinstagram
How to R E S H A P E your room In my last post How to  R E S H A P E  your room

In my last post I talked about the importance of clearing out so that we can view the bare bones of our home. This is the first step in understanding how our living space could flex and stretch to meet our changing needs.

Once you have let go of some of the clutter, you are ready to evaluate, take stock, and begin reshaping your home. Here are a couple of questions that might help you to start:

* Reflect on your intention - how had you originally planned to use a particular room or corner?

* Notice how you are actually using your space -  where is the furniture or storage inadequate? Where do you have items or furniture that aren't being used at all for their original purpose?

* Think about which activities and behaviours you value but which aren't well supported by your home in its current state. What might need to change to make them happen?

Are you feeling the need to reshape your home?

#livingroomdetails #livingroomideas #colourfulhome #colourscheme #thoughtfuldesign #slowlivingspaces #myhousethismonth #natureathome #walltowallstyle #seasonaldecor #simplehomestyle #homeandliving #colourinspiration #sofastyling #howwedwell #interiorboom
Why and how to  S H E D Have you been shedding a Why and how to  S H E D

Have you been shedding any layers in these first few weeks of the year? For me, the ritual of putting Christmas away seems to kickstart a process of letting go, clearing out and shrinking back a little.

Relinquishing anything that doesn't seem necessary or important anymore enables us to look at the bare bones of our homes with new eyes. Like the wintery silhouette of a tree without its leaves, when our homes are emptier, tidier and sparser, we're enabling ourselves to see its structure and potential, as well as where it is weak or damaged.

I think this is important because it's possible to become a little calcified and fixed in how we use a space. Over time, we become accustomed to viewing it (and ourselves) as fixed entities, when of course we are anything but.

It's one reason why working with an interior professional can be a really important way to reconceive your home, because they arrive at your door with fewer of these assumptions about what should or must be. But you can also initiate this process yourself.

If you haven't had a clear-out since Christmas, now might be a good time to begin:

* Open up all your hidden storage areas - cupboards, drawers, wardrobes - and shine some light into spaces where things are stored out of sight.

* Hold old and familiar items in your hands and consider their value to you now; notice all of the objects you are giving up space to.

* Remove items that don't seem useful, beautiful or necessary any more. 

What have you shed in the last few weeks?

#periodhomes #littlecornersofmyhome #kitchendetails #greenkitchen #mindfulhome #mycuratedaesthetic #simplehomestyle #simplelivinglifestyle #aquietstyle #declutteryourlife #homeandwellbeing #earthinspiredhome #kitchenstyling #myconsideredhome #modernrustic
Let your home hold your F E E L I N G S 🌟 I am Let your home hold your  F E E L I N G S
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I am not a baker, but in this year's strange and uneasy build up to Christmas, I find myself drawn to it. The gentle meander through a cake recipe is undemanding enough to allow my restless thoughts some room to pace and scatter, but involving enough that the days seem productive and creative.
🌟
Goodness knows who is going to eat the fruits of my labours though, now that my brother and his family in Germany can no longer visit.
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And so I am left with a whole body of feelings that, like a good bread dough, need time to develop and prove: disappointment, anger, hope, sadness, frustration and relief.
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There's a famous poem by Rumi, which starts "This being human is a guest house. / Every morning a new arrival." He urges us to see our humanity as a vessel - a sacred space through which every experience and emotion can pass, unjudged and unhindered. To take the concept of a physical space, one characterised by generosity and welcome, and to transpose those qualities to our inner world: "The dark thought, the shame, the malice, / meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in."
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But it's also possible to flip this metaphor on its head, and to project our emotional life onto the living space around us, as a way of acknowledging, observing and understanding the energy moving within us.
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This could take all sorts of forms: painting a room, sorting through a cupboard, creating a piece of art, making a playlist or blending and burning some oils. These acts are rituals, calming in themselves, but they also enable us to give expression to the turmoil within.
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Whatever you're experiencing right now, let your home be the canvas that you draw your emotional life onto. Let it hold and contain every one of your human feelings carefully and lovingly, until each, like a breath exhaled, is ready to take flight through an open window, carried away on the winter air.

#winterhome #naturalhome #earthinspiredhome #plantstyling #kitchenstyling #shelfdecor #slowhome #healinghome #myhometoinspire #simplelivinglifestyle #kitchenshelves #aquietstyle #theartofslowliving #rumi #wellbeingwisdom
Time for a pre-Christmas C L E A R - O U T It's Time for a pre-Christmas  C L E A R - O U T

It's probably the last thing that you're thinking about right now, but there are some very good reasons to have a quick clear-out this weekend. And if you can find the time it's a sure-fire way to boost your wellbeing in the final few weeks before Christmas. Here's why:

 * There are still plenty of shopping days left before Christmas and so lots of time to sell or give away second hand items when their value to someone else is likely to be highest.

* So many new things make their way into our homes at Christmas and it's definitely helpful to make space for them in advance.

* If you are hosting this year, you'll likely be wanting the house to be tidy and ordered anyway, and that's much easier if you're not overwhelmed with stuff.

Assuming that you are not totally occupied with buying gifts, attending school concerts and partying away in the local pub, here are three quick wins that will clear the decks and give you a feel-good factor.

* List a few high-value children's toys that are no longer played with via Gumtree, Facebook or eBay.

* Take anything in your wardrobe that you haven't worn in the last two years to your local charity shop.

* Remove ten books from your shelves that you are happy to let go, and donate them to a second-hand book store.

#declutteryourlife #simplelifestyle #ecolifestyle #ecoliving #chestofdrawers #decluttering #decluteryourhome #tidymind #asimplelife #tidyingup #storageideas #organised #homeandwellbeing #makespace
Find a sense of  A G E N C Y  at home I know it Find a sense of  A G E N C Y  at home

I know it's been said that the pandemic has made us appreciate our homes more because we've been forced to spend so much time in them over the last few years. That being confined to one inside space has made us value its impact upon us and reassess our relationship with it.
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But I'm inclined to think it goes a lot further than that... It's about how home can give us a sense of agency in an environment that is unpredictable and uncertain.
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There's really nothing new about this. As long as humans have inhabited the Earth we have been learning to live in a world of huge opportunities and existential threats. Carving out small pockets in which we can feel warm and safe and secure.
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And when all the known unknowns become overwhelming (as it seems as though they are again this week), our homes can feel like the one place where we have - not control - but influence.
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Stirring energy by shifting furniture, opening a window or painting a room: a change in our home can engender a change in our life, or at least in our attitude towards it.
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So if you're feeling a little raw or powerless this week, it could be the perfect time to bring some focus to your interior world. Light an advent candle, clear some clutter in anticipation of the messy days ahead, and reclaim a little power as the darkness swirls around you.

#embracingtheseasons #seasonalstyling #winterdecor #winterdays #styletheseasons #naturaldecor #naturalhomestyle #nestandflourish #winterhome #livingroomstyle #driedflower #cosiness #cosyhome #cosylivingroom #periodhome #homeandwellbeing #homeandliving #littlecornersofmyhome #thesimpleeveryday
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Interior designer, room stylist and writer in Kingston Upon Thames, South West London. Creating homes that feel good as well as look good.


Copyright © 2021 Becky Hirt