“The sense of belonging to the space increases the feeling of comfort, relieves stress, and inspires you to create, generate new ideas, achieve new results. . .” Ryan Windsor, development director and co-founder of Cambridge architecture firm WindsorPatania, talks about the transformative power of personalising your interiors

How many times have you promised yourself to make positive life changes in the new year? One of the most powerful ways to really do so is to personalise your space. Why? Because we spend a significant part of our lives indoors and these spaces have a huge impact on our mood, feelings, behaviour and physical wellbeing. So let’s look at four ways to create a truly personal space.

1. Style up your space

A home interior is never only a comfortable space to live in. Ideally, it should reflect your personal style and way of life. Choice of style, palette, concept, and materials reveals your character traits, preferences, and somehow interests.

If you don’t plan to buy a new furniture piece right at the beginning of the new year but would like to make some amendments to the interior, here are two techniques to use. First, try customising the existing furniture pieces by changing the upholstery or finishing. Second, think of relocating the furniture to improve the flow of movement and use of space. It’s an excellent way to adapt the space to your way of life.

2. Use colour

Colour is a visual stimulus that affects emotions; palettes can help you do everything from boost productivity to find inner peace.

In addition to the psychological characteristics and benefits attributed to colours, the saturation and brightness of each colour are important components of their emotional impact. For instance, steel blue is less saturated than bright blue. Red is energetic and can be associated with anxiety and aggression, while pale blush pink is calming.

It is also important to keep the balance: blue and green colours soothe, but their overabundance can cause feelings of sadness and indifference. For creative spaces like a workshop or a study room, it’s better to pick warm yellow, golden, and orange – colours that resemble sunlight. They’re associated with happiness, creativity, and fun.

If you want to create a meditation corner, try pale pink. It’s the most soothing and calming colour. For a living room or a reading corner, the best options would be olive and sage or lavender and pale purple shades.

If you are keen to colour up the space, you can either paint a wall or choose a new furniture piece, or just add accents, such as works of art or textiles, in case you don’t plan major changes.

3. Add some art

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During experiments, neuroscientist Semir Zeki found that viewing works of art give a person the same pleasure as falling in love. In addition, the contemplation of art reduces anxiety and stress, relieves depression, and improves cognitive function.

Add works of art to your living room, bedroom and office to be inspired, to get a new emotional, intellectual and visual experience every time you look at a painting, photograph, sculpture, or art object.

Also, most probably you have something that you collect, for instance, ceramics, sculptures, or photos. It’s a great time to put your collections on display. This will add a very strong personal touch to your space.

4. Add plants

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Did you feel a difference when you placed a Christmas tree in your home? Did the interior look cosier and more vivid? Adding plants is one of the most inexpensive ways to personalise the space. It also helps add colour and texture: indoor plants bring layering into the space due to the variety of their shades and shapes.

Rhythm is one of the most important design principles. Combining tall, thin, and squat plants of different shapes, you will create a sense of rhythm and visually unify the interior.

Climbing plants are ideal to add small vertical accents to the interior composition. These green accents look spectacular on bookcases, in hanging pots, or even over pendant lamps. Fig trees are one of the most popular indoor plants due to their voluminous evergreen leaves that add texture and glossy shine to the interior. Ferns are a great choice if you want to add accent and linear texture to the space.

A personalised interior helps to embrace your individuality and be you. The sense of belonging to the space increases the feeling of comfort, relieves stress, and inspires you to create, generate new ideas, achieve new results, and be a better version of yourself - exactly what you have been promising to yourself for years.

Founded in 2017 by Italian-born architect Giovanni Patania and prominent British developer Ryan Windsor, WindsorPatania is an architecture firm with offices in London, Cambridge, and Liverpool. “A multicultural team of 10 architects, designers, and industry experts, undertaking high-end projects across the UK, our approach to architecture embraces simplicity and style,” say the team. “In bringing neglected buildings to life, we create transformational spaces that are inspiring, accessible, and durable. It is our mission to design carefully considered spaces that are sustainable, leave a lasting impression, and positively impact people’s lives.” For more see windsorpatania.com