How to Design a Home That Helps with Health and Wellness

Good habits start at home, especially when it comes to healthy living, because specific interior design choices can boost health and wellness. From fitness space to colors to wellness-boosting materials, here is how you can design a healthy home. 

Antibacterial Materials 

Decor choices and finishes can help you elevate health and wellness, as some have naturally antibacterial and germ-fighting properties. 

Focus on high-touch surfaces for maximum impact, such as faucets and countertops. 

Copper, as a pure metal, can be nearly 100 percent effective at killing microorganisms, such as bacteria. Consider copper (or copper alloy blends) for sinks, fixtures, light switches, door handles, cabinet/drawer pulls and banisters to keep germs at bay, while adding bling to the aesthetic. 

While the fabrication of quartz countertops is known to cause health risks to the workers who shape and cut them, the finished slabs are a good choice for homeowners who want a germ-repellent countertop. Engineered stone is among the most virus-resistant materials, mostly because of its density. 

Design a Zen Garden 

Carve out space to decompress right at home by designing a Zen garden. You can mix and match materials, depending on how much space you have available. 

The basic components of a Zen garden are stone, water, and plants. 

After you’ve chosen your space (you don’t need a huge area), choose your materials. Some popular choices are river stone, pebbles, boulders, sand and moss.  

Include a water feature. Zen gardens are meant to be multi-sensory, and the sound of trickling or rushing water is very soothing.  

For an authentic Japanese-style Zen garden, use Japanese plantings, such as bonsai trees, cherry trees, bamboo and tall grasses. 

Incorporate seating in a tranquil spot, where you can immerse yourself in the beauty of your surroundings. 

Have a Digital Detox Room 

The ability to be connected makes a lot of things more convenient, but it also makes it hard to unplug and detach, especially if working from home. 

Dedicate a screens-free space in your home to digital detox. A full room, with a door that closes, where you can mindfully unplug from all things digital is ideal, but a corner tucked away in a larger space can work as well. 

Color palettes should be tranquil and decor should offer warmth and comfort but be minimalistic. Embrace a biophilic design strategy, using natural materials, which will encourage mindfulness. 

• Have soft lighting, with a floor or table lamp, or a fixture on a dimmer.  

• Include a comfortable place to sit.

• Stock your digital detox room with reading material, a yoga mat and notebooks for journaling or drawing. 

Improve Indoor Air Quality 

The air inside your home may be lower quality, with toxins and germs being released as a result of various activities during daily living. The easiest way to improve air quality is by increasing ventilation with outdoor air, which can be accomplished simply by opening a window. Ideally, you would open multiple windows in strategic locations to facilitate cross-ventilation and maximize air flow.  

Tips to make indoor air quality even better include: 

Get a portable air cleaner or purifier. It’s important to note that while these devices are effective, they won’t be enough on their own to clean the air. Use this in combination with other methods. 

Install HEPA filters on the HVAC and change them monthly, or at a minimum quarterly. HEPA filters are effective in trapping undesirable particles as the air circulates.  

The use of UV lights with HVACs became more popular during the pandemic, as UV light is known to kill viruses and bacteria. People typically get a UV light attached to the HVAC itself, or in the ductwork.  

Design Your Bedroom for Proper Rest 

It’s where you lay your head every night, but is your bedroom ideally designed to support your rest? A proper nights’ rest is the cornerstone of both mental and physical health. 

Invest in a high-quality mattress and comfortable bedding. Leave electronics out of the bedroom space, and try to keep the room on the cooler side  

For deep sleep, a weighted blanket is a popular and useful choice, and it is worth investing in a custom product to suit your specific sleep needs.  

Color palettes should be inviting. Soft and neutral colors are restful, but darker colors, especially if you apply them with color drenching, can create a cocoon effect. 

Soft textiles, such as rugs, lush blankets, tufted headboards and textured walls add style to your bedroom, and also offer sound-proofing qualities, so your sleep isn't interrupted.  

Have blackout window treatments, and keep lights low, with soft bedside lamps. 

Design a Home Gym You’ll Love to Use 

No matter what your fitness goals are, having space dedicated to exercise at home will go a long way to helping you improve health and wellness at home.  

It’s not uncommon for a home gym to be an afterthought in home design, relegated to a corner of a room with another primary purpose, or sometimes in an unfinished basement. However, design should be intentional, because you will be more motivated if your space is appealing, and relevant to your fitness goals. 

Name Your Fitness Goals   

The key to a function-first design is to establish your fitness goals and your preferred exercise style and then design a space that is appropriate, within the available square footage that you have.   

• Do you want primarily to do cardio, strength training, or both? This will help you determine necessary pieces of equipment. 

• Do your fitness goals include meditation and yoga? Make sure your gym is suitable for contemplative activities and recovery. 

• Do you stream fitness classes? This will inform your audio-visual needs. 

• Do you want to bring in a personal trainer? How many people in the household might be working out at the same time? This will indicate the overall space required to work out safely and comfortably. 

Once you’ve determined what you want to accomplish in your gym, you can work on the design.  

“For cardiovascular workouts, a piece of equipment such a treadmill or an elliptical machine are popular. However, if space or budget is a constraint, smaller items such as jump ropes or a stationary bike can be effective alternatives,” says Tanya Ryno, designer and owner of Iron House   

For compact, but functional strength training,  “A set of adjustable dumbbells can be a versatile and space-saving option. For those interested in more intensive strength training, investing in a multi-gym machine or a set of kettlebells might be more appropriate,” says Ryno. 

Don’t forget recovery from exercise. Have space dedicated to this important, but often overlooked, part of a fitness routine.  A yoga mat, stability ball, massage gun or foam roller all aid with recovery and are easily stored away when not in use. 

Gym Design Tips 

Here is how to design a gym that you’ll actually use, day in and day out. 

• Ensure ceiling height is appropriate, especially if you are lifting overhead, or doing any exercises that involve jumping. 

• Ideally, have a window that opens, but if not, make sure that you’ve got adequate ventilation to carry odor out of the gym space. 

• Choosing the right flooring for durability and injury prevention needs to be carefully considered. Rubber is most popular, but wood and luxury vinyl plank are trending too.  

• Storage is important in a home gym. Not only will having weights and bands strewn about create tripping hazards, it’s de-motivating when you have to clean up in order to start your workout. 

• For your walls, decorate walls with mirrors to check your form, and motivational artwork. 

• Home gym splurge items include a mini-fridge, smoothie bar, wall-mount T.V., and sauna.