Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jul 15, 2025

How to Cheer Up Your Interiors

How to Cheer Up Your Interiors

Because who couldn’t use a little pick-me-up from their home decor?

We’re all spending a lot more time at home than ever before. And let’s just say, staring at the same neutral palette all day every day can get tiring.

“Your environment is directly linked to your mental and emotional well-being; we need our spaces to convey positive feelings to preserve it,” said Isabel Ladd of Isabel Ladd Interiors in Lexington, Kentucky.

Whether infusing bright pops, adding greenery or adjusting the lights, little tweaks can do wonders to boost your home (and your mood). Here, tips from the design pros for a home that’s happy.

Go For It


“We never encourage clients to play it safe when it comes to color, pattern or art. We have a client who loves pink in all shades and put it everywhere, and she keeps telling us how glad she is that she went for it.

“Frame kids’ artwork or family photos and hang them. They will bring you joy every time you look at them—and if you think your walls are full, looking for an unexpected stretch—in your kitchen, closet or even your bathroom.

“Appreciate all those great books, antique bowls or match strikes you may have bought on a trip and put them on display.

“Paint a piece of furniture that feels boring or stale. A coat of the right color paint can really amp things up. The same applies to walls—if a room is boring, pick the happiest color you can think of or branch out and try a striped wall.”


Tones of pink create an instant lift in a home designed by Julie Massucco Kleiner.


Make Small Tweaks, Too


“Wallpaper your entry, or any room you walk through often, in bright, cheerful patterned paper that makes you smile. Consider doing this in transition rooms such as foyers or hallways. Small pillows or throw blanket upgrades may not boost your mood the way your favorite wallpapers, paints or large-scale furniture will.

“Surrounding yourself with greenery adds a boost to your daily routine and fresh oxygen to your home. Pothos ivy or succulents are easy to maintain.

“Consider ambient lighting instead of direct, overhead lighting. I love working next to a lamp instead of under can lights; it creates a more calming mood. Add dimmers to lights and consider lamps with three-way bulbs, so you can control whether you want low, medium or high light.

“Declutter your home so that your surroundings feel light and you don't feel weighed down. Then, organize your things in pretty containers. An organized room, free of clutter, is easier to maintain because you'll want to prolong the feeling it gives you.”


Yellow printed wallpaper immediately creates a sunny impression in a foyer designed by Isabel Ladd.

Be Bold


“Bold coloring can really create drama. For a project at Chelsea Waterfront, we used a joinery piece in the reception area to create drama with the use of blue tones and gold leaf ginkgo leaves. This statement piece pops but also gives considered elegance to a very bright space.

“Lighting is fundamental in any interior. For example, think of disco lights; how do you feel in that setting? Now compare it with the soft glow of a burning candle. Two extremes, but immediately you see the difference in the mood.”

Layer by Layer


“Think about the light levels in the room, how you are going to use the space and whether you are someone who gets bored easily. In this case, it might not be worth investing heavily in bright colors or recreating something seen on Instagram. Bright colors work really well for stimulating some people's moods, but others can find them distracting.

“If you are nervous about color, try layering items. Although white, gray and beige may be considered boring, you can create an interesting and comforting environment by layering high-quality materials and natural textures.

“It's also good to layer lighting and have different options for light levels. Access to natural light is the starting point, but in the depth of winter there isn't much around. Combine bright overhead task lighting with lamps and pendants to draw attention to specific areas of your home. “


Designed by Sam McNally, a forgotten corner gets a poppy lift with bold, bright artwork.

Do Brights Right


“Color is a great way to boost the mood as it is so inextricably linked to the senses. For example, yellow is proven to make us feel happy, while blue is thought to stimulate and calm the mind, with green bringing greater harmony and reducing anxiety.

“Pick where you use color carefully. Yellow, for example, is great for a pop to a chair or cushion but you might not necessarily paint a whole room yellow. Dark blues and greens can highlight architectural features such as alcoves and architraves as they immediately draw the eye, showcasing these details, and can also help turn an otherwise awkward space into a statement. Bright colors also work well in areas like stairwells that need a bit of lift. We recently introduced a bright red wall into a kitchen which lifted the entire space and gave it a sense of character and warmth.

“Having a regular clean out is a great way to keep calm and ensure the home continues to work in the most positive way for you.”

playful headboard and bold pillows add sense of playful sophistication to a bedroom designed by Ed O'Donnell.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
×