happy home – The Interiors Addict

A happier home makes for a happy you!

According to a recent report released by the Happiness Research Institute, 73% of the people who feel happy about their home also feel happy in general. They also found that a happy home accounts for 15% of our overall happiness. This is no surprise to us around here!

TAFE NSW Creative & Design Ideation Head Teacher, Lorrae O’Brien said you can make minor adjustments to your interior styling at home during this time of isolation to transform it a sanctuary for calm and comfort.

“As everyone is spending so much time at home right now and realising the importance of not only a beautiful, but also very practical home, the industry is going to see a change in the importance that people place on their home environment.”

She outlines three simple steps which you can take to transform your house into a stress-free retreat:

Create an illusion of space. Make a small room look bigger by placing mirrors on closet doors to refresh the interior and visually expand the room. Hang curtains closer to the ceiling to create the illusion of large windows.

Reduce visual clutter. Think carefully about what you do and don’t need in terms of furniture and other possessions so as not to clutter a room. Make your bed in the mornings and tidy the kitchen in the evenings. A tidy space will leave you with a clear mind.

Add some Greenery. While we’re spending time indoors, get your nature fix by bringing indoor plants into your home. Studies have shown that plants spruce up air quality and reduce stress and anxiety.

Port Macquarie local Melanie Green gets to witness first-hand in her career how changing someone’s home can improve their overall wellbeing.

After graduating from a Certificate IV in Design at TAFE NSW Port Macquarie in 2017, she got a job at local interior design agency, Sess and Sass.

“I am so happy to be working at Sess and Sass and I’m lucky to be able to get paid for something I thoroughly enjoy doing. It’s a dream job.

“I loved studying at TAFE NSW; it is an environment where you continuously learn from teachers who have an array of industry experience. I really enjoyed soaking up the knowledge.”

The Certificate IV in Design delivers hands-on skills in creating solutions which meet the customer needs.

Current students will continue to study the Certificate IV in Design at TAFE NSW this term using blended learning where students learn via electronic and online media as well as modified face-to-face classes. This type of connected learning supports social distancing, while enabling students to progress their studies.

For more information about the Certificate IV in Design

Ward off the blues and make your winter home feel happy

By Alexandra Gapineau

With the loss of daylight saving comes my bad mood. I am not a winter person, I wish I were but I am not.

Every year, I promise myself and my family that I will be different and that I will be embracing it but after a few weeks, it always seems to be getting the better of me. The way I have managed to make the most of is to semi-hibernate, watch an awful lot of Netflix and cook an awful lot of warm satisfying dishes.

I tend to spend a lot more time at home during these months, my desk is strategically placed next to the heater and the window so I get natural light as well as direct warmth.

After a few weeks though, as the days as well as the mood get gloomy , there are ways to brighten up your house and improve your well being in winter. Let me share my winter tips:

1 Have an autumn “spring clean”.
It always works a treat for me, it’s like sport but indoors. I even put some tracksuit pants to do it, I go through every room, every cupboard, bookshelf, drawer and basket.
Nothing too drastic, just taking a few things away, the broken things, the dirty things, the things that really should go. It is amazing in a very short time how much you can improve and lighten up the look of your place. You will feel pleased with yourself, guaranteed.

2 Add a touch of colour.
Anywhere, anything. You can of course go out and buy a new blanket, or new pillow cases, but even a pretty colourful and happy summer photo can do the trick. My work space has some faux flowers to my left and a beautiful blown up photo of my boys on the beach to my right. The next best thing to summer for me.

3 Open the windows and let some light and fresh air in.
I mean every window, it doesn’t have to be for too long but it will absolutely clean the stale air and make any food and winter smell disappear for a little while, then burn your favourite candle, somehow, it always seems to smell better after an airing.

4 Get a plant.
There are super trendy right now and for good reasons. They are gorgeous, clean the air and bring the outdoor indoor. A plant always seem to finish a room to me, it give some depth and add a dimension to a space, maybe the green effect. Not sure, but it works.

5 Sit down, relax, look out the window, read a book, do something that is good for your soul.
This won’t brighten up your house but it will definitely improve your mood and your well being, it will brighten you up. And that is what we too often forget to do. Winter can be a time to reflect a bit, recharge and be ready do it all again in spring.

— Alexandra is the owner of The Roaming Atelier, an interior decorating company that focuses on using the beautiful, sentimental pieces you already have, to make your home as unique as your family.

Read her tips on mixing vintage and new furniture

Check out her beautiful kids’ bedrooms