What Makes a Home Inviting?
Having unique art and decor is what personalizes a home and makes it interesting.
The Science of Beautiful Spaces
This winter I read a wonderful book called ‘Your Brain on Art’. The authors Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross traveled the world looking into the neurological effects that our environments have on us. It was a riveting and fun read that I highly recommend.
One chapter focused on a project by Anjan Chatterjee who is a professor of Neurology, psychology, and architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, and is interested in how spaces affect our neural pathways. In 2021 his team conducted a study in which they presented people in MRI machines with hundreds of photos of interiors, and asked they rate them based on 16 different psychological parameters, such as beauty and comfort.
They found there were three components robustly associated with feeling good about a space:
Coherence - How organized a room appears.
Hominess - How comfortable and welcoming it feels.
Fascination - How interesting or visually engaging it is.
The first two felt obvious to me, but the last one quite surprising! I love this because it reminds us that we want interesting things to look at, and not just an orderly and unified space. We need elements that spark our curiousity and engage our imaginations.
How to Bring ‘Fascination’ Into Your Home
Whether you are decorating your home or office, think about ‘being bold’ and ‘telling stories’. Here are some examples of what that may look like for you:
Dramatic Walls: Pick a colorful or textured wallpaper for a powder room or accent wall.
Artisanal Lighting: Buy a beautiful hand crafted light fixture instead of a generic one.
Colorful Seating: Upholster a sofa or armchair in a color, rather than defaulting to a neutral tone.
Functional Art: Invest in a hand painted vase that can hold a bouquet of flowers, but also be beautiful when sitting empty.
Unexpected Wall Art: I hang fabric on my walls, and have friends who love vintage wood signs.
Antique Treasures: Use vintage pieces to introduce history, unique shapes and textures. Bonus - they make wondeful conversation starters.
There are endless ways to bring in decor that is dramatic, unexpected, and joyful. If you are feeling hesitant with where to begin, I can guide you through the process of finding interesting pieces that you love. Together we will design a space that feels uniquely yours, for both you and your guests to enjoy.