• Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • CCPA
  • Medical Disclaimer
Saturday, April 1, 2023
Jefferson County News Online
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
    • Crytpocurrency
    • Gaming
    • Gadgets
  • Sports
  • Health
  • General
    • Business Services
  • Travel
  • Press Releases
  • Popular
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Technology
    • Crytpocurrency
    • Gaming
    • Gadgets
  • Sports
  • Health
  • General
    • Business Services
  • Travel
  • Press Releases
  • Popular
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Health

Designing For Health & Wellness – Santa Barbara Independent

designing-for-health-&-wellness-–-santa-barbara-independent
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

As surprising as it may seem, interior design has the power to encourage your healthiest lifestyle. 90 percent of our lives are spent indoors. Living and working in well-designed spaces can make the difference between living a happy life or an unsatisfactory one. 

A well-designed space is one that supports and promotes health and well-being through functional elements, aesthetic choices, and spatial layout. Here are five crucial elements to consider in any environment you occupy:

Light

Exposure to adequate levels of sunlight is critical for health and well-being, for physiological, psychological, and neurological reasons. When possible, natural light should be the primary source of lighting in the space. This will also have a positive effect on your circadian rhythm, and quality sleep is necessary for a healthy lifestyle.

Noise

Acoustics are often overlooked in traditional interior design. What you hear throughout the day will have a profound impact on your mental wellness. Consistent background noise is stressful and leaves you prone to fatigue. Prolonged fatigue causes psychological stress, including decreased mental acuity, low motivation, and irritability.

Window treatments and acoustic panels will help manage noise from both inside and outside. Walls should have appropriate insulation and detailing, and doors should have gaskets, sweeps, and a non-hollow core to mitigate sound transmission between rooms.

Color

Use the colors of nature, like blues and greens, in spaces where you want to encourage a sense of calm and relaxation. If you hope to design an environment that promotes alertness and activity, try using warm colors like red, yellow, and orange.

Ventilation & Cleanability

For maximum health benefits, it’s important to create a space with proper ventilation that can be cleaned and disinfected easily. This will ensure that everyone who enters and inhabits the space is being protected from harmful microbes and toxins.

To keep harmful bacteria away, add an entryway walk-off system composed of grilles, grates, or slots that allow for easy cleaning underneath. An entryway vestibule is always a good idea at the main entrance of the building. 

Inside the space, replace any wall-to-wall carpeting with smooth, hard flooring. If you use area rugs to soften the aesthetic of the space, opt for a smaller size that is easy to clean. 

Layout

The spatial layout of your home and office can directly improve your physical activity and health. The integration of visually appealing interior pathways and stairs within buildings can provide a convenient way to incorporate short periods of physical activity. Create different seating areas and entertaining spaces that encourage people to move around throughout the day. 

Another way that spatial design affects your well-being is by mitigating clutter. Having ample storage solutions in your home and office will encourage you to stay organized and therefore reduce the chances of overwhelm. 

This article doesn’t cover all the ways that interior design can influence our mental and physical health, but it’s a start. Think about these factors the next time you enter your home, office, and other environments. What design changes can you make to promote your healthiest lifestyle?


Elisa Garcia, AIA, is a Santa Barbara native and the founder of Zen Spaces. She can be reached at elisa@zenspaces.design. Architecturally Speaking is written by members of the American Institute of Architects’ Santa Barbara chapter.


Support the Santa Barbara Independent through a long-term or a single contribution.


Jefferson County News Online

© 2021 Jefferson COunty News Online

Navigate Site

  • Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
  • CCPA
  • Medical Disclaimer

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • DMCA Policy
  • Medical Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure
  • CCPA
  • Terms of Use

© 2021 Jefferson COunty News Online

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT