Finished new build properties resemble a blank canvas for you to put your own stamp on. But what can help make yours a happy, healthy new-build home? We look at the key areas to focus on to ensure everyone has the space they need for comfort, relaxation and good overall health.
The important of a happy, healthy home
When it comes to new-builds, chances are you have had to save a lot and wait a long time to buy your home. So, of course you want your home to be the perfect space for you and your family to relax and enjoy. A happy healthy home is as good for the soul as it is the mind, being important to our overall mental and health wellbeing. And when you think you spend more time at home than anywhere else in life, it’s understandable why a happy, healthy home matters. So, how can you ensure happiness and wellness in your home…?
1. Welcome natural light
You can’t underestimate the importance of natural light. It impacts everything from our mood to our sleep cycles. New-build homes are often designed to encourage as much natural light into the property as possible. But you can help this even more by avoiding blocking light coming into the home with large pieces of furniture. Of course, it goes without saying to open the curtains, but be careful of overusing blinds, especially in rooms which don’t get much light to begin with.
And you can help create the feeling of extra light by keeping rooms decorated in paler, lighter shades. Mirrors can be put up in strategic places too, to help spread light around the room.
2. Introduce house plants
If there’s one thing you should add to your new-build home when choosing decorations, it is house plants. You don’t need lots of plants everywhere, but the odd plant here or there is proven to reduce stress, help lower blood pressure and stimulate the senses. Whether it’s a cactus, a larger palm or a peace lily, house plants bring colour, texture and great health benefits.
They also make a small but vital difference to the air quality in our homes, reducing carbon dioxide levels and increasing ambient humidity. And there are plenty of houseplants which are easy to look after, so you don’t need to be a plant expert to enjoy them!
3. Create a relaxing bathroom environment
Most new build-homes come with an en-suite shower room and a family bathroom. And it’s the bathroom you should focus on for creating the ultimate, relaxing environment; a space where you can truly lie back and enjoy you-time. And you don’t have to spend a fortune to do it!
Try adding some calming scents by way of candles or essential oil diffusers, such as ylang-ylang, lavender or rosemary. A houseplant or two, whether real or fake, brings greenery into the bathroom for a sense of calm and being closer to nature. Keep the colours in the bathroom as natural as possible, with wood effect details for a warm and welcoming space. And if you can, create an area for your towels to bring soft, plush textiles into the room and that extra feeling of comfort and calm.
4. Make space for exercise
One you’ve moved into your new-build home and you’re configuring your rooms, deciding what furniture is to go where, don’t neglect a little bit of open space for exercise. Even if you go jogging or a use a gym, it’s always handy to have enough room in your home to do your own exercise. From yoga and Pilates to following a work-out on YouTube, you might want a little space to bend, stretch, jump, and lift kettlebells or weights. We all know the importance of exercise, and having room to do it at home, inside the house, makes a big difference.
5. Create an area for homeworking
Homeworking in some capacity has become the norm for most people in the country. And because of this, quite a lot of new-build home developers advertise where there is potential for a home office within their properties, helping people see the extra space for homeworking. By having a separate space specifically for work, helps you create a better work-life balance when working from home. And as well as that, you can make sure you have the right furniture and equipment around with you without impeding on other areas of the home.
6. Build a vegetable patch in the garden
Being self-sufficient with growing your own fruit or vegetables is a wonderful way to feel good. Not only is gardening very beneficial for our physical health, but there are mental health benefits to be had too. You only need a small area of the garden to create a vegetable patch and you can even grow some fruits such as tomatoes in pots. Much like inside the home, new-build gardens are designed to be a blank canvas, giving you plenty of scope for planting and creating growing areas where you need them.
And don’t forget how much money you can save by growing your own. In today’s world with food prices as they are, saving money in this way can help ease a little stress and pressure.
7. Stay on top of clutter
Even with a new-build home, you’ll be amazed how quickly clutter builds up in the rooms around you. To help reduce extra worry or anxiety, declutter rooms regularly and make it part of your everyday routine. Get used to dealing with post, putting clothes away each night or morning and to keeping toiletries in cupboards or neat trays. By creating a ‘home’ for everything, you can ensure everyone puts things where they belong keeping your house free from unnecessary clutter. And by doing so, cleaning your home will be easier, quicker and less of a large burden.
8. Feel confident you have bought a new-build
Yes, by buying a new-build home, you have already made the right step towards reducing stress. The fact new-build homes are cheaper to run thanks to their energy efficiency, helps to reduce some of the financial worry felt by today’s families.
And with everything brand new, you can put your very own stamp on it and easily create the happy, healthy home that’s right for you and your family.
Find your dream new home and start creating a happy, healthy home of your own today. You can easily find the right home for you by searching our website which pulls togethers the new-build homes available from a wide range of housebuilders across the country. Start your search here.
