Creating Calm: A Three-Part Series on Designing a Tranquil Home

When designing our home the three main areas that I wanted to get right with our design choices were the Walls, Floors and Ceilings. I want to share how this helps to create a calm and tranquil home.

Our homes are so much more than just places to live—they're reflections of our journeys and the memories we've gathered along the way. The houses we grew up in can have a profound impact on the spaces we create as adults. Whether we're trying to recapture the cosy feeling of our childhood or crafting a completely new environment and reference points for the future, our past experiences inevitably influence our design choices.

I've shared previously on Instagram about my own chaotic childhood, marked by time spent in Women's Aid refuges and social housing with my mum and younger sister. Today, the peaceful and comfortable home that Matt and I have built for our family stands in stark contrast to those early years. Creating a space that embodies the comfort and stability we once lacked has been a deeply personal journey for me. I hope sharing this inspires you to find your own sense of calm and tranquility in your home.

We chose our ‘ugly duckling’ bungalow because we saw massive potential. Despite initial reservations, the plot's uniqueness (it is surrounded by trees) and potential drew us in. The bungalow, nestled on a hill with split-level interiors and 3m high ceilings in parts, hinted at the promise of open-plan living and a dream house reminiscent of all the homes we had watched come to life on Grand Designs over the years.

For me, “hygge” (pronounced almost like “hew-guh”) might sound like a made-up word, but its actually got a pretty straightforward meaning. It’s a word used in Denmark and is all about cosiness, comfort, and contentment – basically, feeling warm and happy in your surroundings.

Thoughtful design and the right materials can truly transform our homes and enhance our lives.

When designing our home, the three main areas that were really important to us were Walls, Floors, and Ceilings. This is the first of a three-part series about these features and how they influenced our choices within our home. I hope it will inspire you to create your own sense of calm and tranquility.