Jeanette Mercer, Design Consultant for Fresh Traditions, explains why those of us starting over should take a look at our home surroundings and also allow our children to get involved in our home makeover and provide a little something they can help decide, in a situation where there’s so little they control.
I once heard a tip about clothes for work: dress for the job you’d like to have. I believe we should apply this to our homes as well – we should dress our homes for the lifestyle we would like to lead.
For those who’ve been through the trauma of a relationship break-up, worrying about the colour of the living room wall may not seem like a high priority. But colours, furnishings and the objects we surround ourselves with have a profound impact on our mood and sense of wellbeing.
In happy times, even the most untidy or uncoordinated home can have many pleasurable associations – the china that reminds you of your wedding day, the photos of happy family holidays, the print you found together in that little art gallery…
But what if all your bedroom says is that you’re sleeping alone now, or the living room was the scene of the last big fight? Did the ex-partner take furniture that’s left gaps you haven’t filled, or are you the one in a new place that feels nothing like home?
Even if we think we’re not taking any notice of our surroundings, our senses are sending sub-conscious messages to our brain. This is why making changes to those surroundings could help in starting over. It doesn’t have to involve a lot of money – it’s amazing the effect a bold cheerful colour can have on your mood. Or how luxurious a few new fluffy towels or crisp, fresh bed linen can feel.
For children caught up in a divorce, a bedroom makeover obviously won’t make everything alright. But it might help them settle into a new environment, or be a little something they help decide, in a situation where there’s so little they control.
All of us deserve a place we can retreat to, feel secure in, and when we’re ready, entertain in. That’s why Fresh Traditions will be at the Brighton SOS show offering advice on creating a home for the life you want to lead.
Jeanette Mercer, Design Consultant for Fresh Traditions
