Tips to Stress Less

Create Calming Areas in Your Home

Having a special, stress-free zone in your home that you find relaxing can quickly ease the anxiety from your day.

1. Start by choosing a location that has natural light. Add task lighting, floor and table lamps, or candles. Avoid using fluorescent lights.


2. Color this special place with earth tones—browns, muted yellows, or tranquil blues—says Angelo Surmelis, a Los Angeles interior designer and star of HGTV’s 24 Hour Design. Surmelis also asks clients to close their eyes and recall a favorite vacation and the colors it conjures. Colors that trigger pleasant memories offer important clues.


3. Next add flowers, incense, candles, icons, or photographs of people you admire. Water is also helpful for evoking calm, so consider placing a tabletop fountain in your stress-free spot. For a similar effect, try a simple bowl of water, perhaps with one flower floating on top.