An Architecture of Joy: Tips and Tricks that Will Make You Feel Happy at Home

Browse through sources of wisdom- old and new- and there are a hundred recipes for making your house a home. Turning brick and mortar, wood and steel into a storehouse of personal ambitions, memories and stories, these timeless insights guide us to fulfilling one of our deepest longings- finding a place where the mind expands, the heart embraces and the soul unravels. But no matter what the words or the advice, at its very core home is where we find joy- personal and shared. Indeed it is the indescribable gifts of happiness that translate architecture into music, an experience into a relationship- with the built and the unbuilt.

But how does one find joy amid four walls? Whether or not you yearn for the great outdoors and the many wild adventures therein, finding joy in your home is not just vital, but an exquisite personal milestone; it is when you feel happy at home, that you find a balance with your immediate environment, a security that is innately tangible and a material expression of the many facets of your being.

If you are out of ideas and still less than intimate with your house, inspired by the contemplations of the mind, heart and creative spirit, here are 10 simple ways to find your joy and feel happy at home.

Your home is, in many ways, a physical expression of your personality and identity. Therefore the more personal it is and the closer it is to your heart, the more in alignment it is with you; therefore the greater its potential of bringing you joy. Whether it is splashed in your favorite colors, houses your extensive collection of records or is dotted with photographs of family and friends- your abode offers you a spectrum of mediums to speak through and personalize your living space.

Like it or not, but a cleaner and more organized house is bound to bring you a lot more joy. This is the joy of stress-free living where every aspect of your day and life neatly fits in with the next; this is the joy of a hazard free environment that leaves your toes and the rest of your body in prime condition. You don’t necessarily have to go Spartan to strike an optimal level of harmony- simply find your own order among the chaos of ideas and possessions that populate your home.

If you want to feel happy at home, then you have to let it shift and change with you. Rearranging a room, or completely remodeling it, isn’t always a functional program; sometimes it’s needed to ensure your house stays comfy and homely. Think of it as a wardrobe re-haul for your physical environment; redressing it in the shades and finishes that are in perfect sync with you is guaranteed to leave you deeply peaceful and smiling.

No matter how glossy the promises of a home décor magazine, remember like us, our spaces are never really perfect. Sooner or later, thanks to the ravages of time and use, you are bound to come across some corner, element or feature that leaves you less than impressed. Don’t let this upset or stress you out; instead embrace it and weave it into the overall experience of your home, or develop strategies to negotiate your way around it.

Turn to ancient wisdom systems to harmonize your home and maximize your joy. From Vastu Shastra to Feng Shui, the ancient reverence of natural elements finds pivotal expressions in our homes and built environment. Therefore don’t forget to incorporate these natural elements-be it air, fire, water and earth- into your home to accentuate its balance and your smile. Add to that a generous dollop of warm sunshine and your home is guaranteed to house a million smiles.

Thanks to contemporary sensibilities, artificial environments and a penchant for order, many spaces are left sterile and lifeless. No matter how impressive the design and aesthetics, a house is never truly a home without an infusion of life and vivacity, and nature offers stunning recipes to bring into our home. From modest indoor plants to grand outdoor landscapes, create a green spot, or two, in your home. There is nothing like unwinding in the lap of nature’s goodness right in the comfort of your pad- a perfect recipe indeed to feel happy at home.

Here is a cardinal rule- always have an exit plan, and make sure your home accommodates it. Sometimes we all need to just get away from it all, but driven by functional demands our homes rarely cater to these moments. Yet no matter how indulgent they may seem, having a space for time out from the world is deeply nurturing and often a total life-saver. Make place for your home away from home in the very corners of your home, and we promise you a lot more smiles on even those particularly challenging days.

Bringing a little whimsy to the proceedings can always bring a smile on even the dullest and hardest of days. Installing a fun swing in the heart of your living room or splashing an outrageous graphic across your study walls, introducing a fun theme to your décor or breaking all the rules when it comes to design style– bring a little bit of whatever tickles your fancy into your world.

Remember a home isn’t just your hole, but a platform for you to reach out into the world around you- friends, family, colleagues and even strangers. If you aren’t living by yourself, remember to make space for the dreams, ideas and ambitions of those that share your home with you. Weaving together a tapestry of differences and consistencies not only adds flavor and character to your home, but offers a spectrum of experiences that bring their own joys to your day.

To discover your deepest joys and to feel happy in your home, ditch the fads and the hype to be 100% you- physically and architecturally. Let your home be a direct reflection of who you are, and the story of your life- not only does this make for a lot more impressive aesthetics, but also reaffirms your identity and soul.

Published in: Home advice | Author: Lynn