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    Finding peace and calm in your day to day life is something we all struggle with. With work, social lives, and family commitments, it can be very hard to find time for yourself. So when you do find
    yourself with a bit of down-time to spend on yourself, it is important that your home is an environment where you can relax and unwind.

    We chatted to Margaret De Ruvo-Reaiche, an interior stylist and founder and owner of MDR Design, as well as an expert in turning your home into a sanctuary of calm. “I feel like we’re all suffering from this rushing syndrome. Which is why it’s imperative for our mental well being to have a space where we feel calm and relaxed,” Ms De Ruvo-Reaiche says.

    Ms De Ruvo-Reaiche gave us some of her top tips on how to turn a home into a sanctuary. These tips come from over 30 years of experience in facilitating calming environments and are easy to achieve.

    Declutter, Refresh, Refocus

    When it comes to a stressful environment, clutter is the number one culprit.

    Visual noise makes it difficult to relax. “When we have clutter, we don’t see what is actually in front of us, so decluttering opens the space and allows flow,” Ms. De Ruvo-Reaiche notes.

    Making sure you have easy to use and plentiful storage is essential to this. Baskets and drawers and tubs that clutter can be swept away into is a great way to quickly refocus your space.

    Light It Up!

    Lighting can instantly transform a space into a soothing place of rest. Natural lighting is best and should be used as much as possible but at night, soft and ambient lighting will allow you to feel calm and relaxed.

    Ms De Ruvo-Reaiche recommends using several types of lighting in a space for the best effect. Several lamps will light up the space and will “create different levels of lighting that aren’t so jarring
    on the eye”.

    Ms De Ruvo-Reaiche also recommends adding dimmers on your overheads. It is a really quick and effective way to produce full lighting for a room that isn’t abrasive to the eye.

    The Dos and Don’ts of Technology

    Our lives are filled with technology. From the moment we wake up with an alarm blaring from our phone, to work computers, to Netflix in the evening – technology follows our every move.

    While technology is certainly helpful, it can also be a little exhausting and can draw us away from being present. So how can we make sure that the technology is serving us and not draining us?

    “Position furniture facing away from the television, and have some coffee table books and candles on display. You can actually talk without turning the television on as now the television isn’t the
    focal point of the room.” Says Ms De Ruvo-Reaiche.

    Texture and Variety

    Adding texture and interest to a space will make sure your space is visually appealing and inviting to your eyes and body.

    “In my many years of design I have always noticed that as soon as you put a texture in, whether it be a wallpaper, a cushion or a blanket, it invites you to want to touch it and it makes you feel calm and relaxed,” Ms De Ruvo-Reaiche notes.

    This can be done using your furniture with boucle chairs and tambour panelling which add interest to the eye and satisfy your need for texture in the space. Textured cushions and blankets also add comfort and interest.

    A Space You Can Relax In

    It is essential to your mental wellbeing that you receive quality, plentiful rest, so that you can continue to tackle the challenges of day to day life. All of these tips will turn your home into a place you feel happy to come home to.

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