Expert-Approved Tips On Creating A Relaxing Living Space

After a long day at work or driving the kids around, you want to return to a relaxing home. To get some tips on how to make any living space more relaxing, House Digest spoke exclusively with Whitney Vredenburgh, who is the owner of Nested Spaces Home Staging & Design, certified through Home Staging Resource and is also a RESA-PRO member. 

To make your place more relaxing, Vredenburgh suggests starting with color and comfortable furniture. "Blues and Greens are serene colors often used in spas and wellness centers. If I wanted to create a relaxing living space, I would incorporate blues or greens as a story color throughout a home." Vredenburgh said. "For living spaces, a comfortable sofa or sectional is important. We recommend 8-way hand tied sofas with firm or semi-firm cushions. Many of these are made in North Carolina from craftsmen. Furniture that fits the space and fits the family is important." She also recommended including live plants in your decor like snake or ZZ plants, which don't require much care. 

Choosing the right relaxing decor can be a challenge, especially when there are so many living room décor ideas to get you inspired. Luckily, House Digest spoke exclusively with Vredenburgh, who had recommendations on what exactly to put in your home. "Some of my favorite paint colors to use in serene spaces," Vredenburgh said, "Sherwin Williams' Naval — deep moody blue great for an office, Sherwin Williams' North Star — great for bathrooms and bedrooms, Sherwin Williams' Rosemary is a great bedroom or kitchen island color."

Vredenburgh also recommends you add, "boucle anything! Soft pillows and throws, and decorative accessories or textiles with creams, blues or greens." When deciding what to hang on the walls, there are many easy tips for choosing the perfect artwork for your home. If you're trying to keep your space peaceful, Vredenburgh says that landscapes and abstract art are good choices.

There are many mistakes people often make when trying to create a relaxing space in their home. When House Digest spoke exclusively with Vredenburgh, she shared that people often add too many or too little pieces to a room, while ignoring the size of the space. She also recommends making all of the elements in the space proportional.

Vredenburgh also said people should create a color story and think carefully when choosing lights and plants. "Choose one bold color like navy or sage green and use neutrals throughout to complement it. Lamps provide ambient light which softens and warms a space." Vredenburgh included that, "choosing plants that are tricky to take care of and then getting discouraged on finding something else" can be a mistake people commonly make. Adding some of the easiest houseplants anyone can keep alive into your home, can make your house more relaxing without giving you an additional stressor. Creating the perfect resting space can be challenging, but thanks to these tips, making small changes to your home can make it the perfect place to relax at the end of a long day.