De-stress with interior design

When your guests are entering your hospitality space, you want them to feel warmly welcomed and relaxed, encouraging them to forget all their outside stresses. Interior design makes an impact instantly and you want that impact to be positive – encouraging customers to return again and again. One way to help your guest feel relaxed is by adding greenery to your chosen area. It is scientifically proven that incorporating plants or greenery into a room reduces stress and has an uplifting effect on overall mood. Not only is it visually pleasing, but the release of oxygen promotes airflow whilst removing harmful toxins – with this having a positive effect on the customer’s state of mind. Whilst colour palette can often be overlooked, it has a huge impact on the way customers perceive a space, highlighting its importance in overall design. If you are looking to create a sense of calming serenity, brash colour palettes should be avoided – including loud colours such as red and orange which are often associated with restlessness. These brighter colours can look more pleasant for smaller decorative features, such as throws and pillows – with this ensuring that they don’t overtake the space. Conversely, cooler tones, such as pastel blues and greens are known to have calming effects. In particular, blue can be used to encourage feelings of peacefulness, enabling customers to de-stress and unwind. Neutral, softer shades also tend to wield stress reducing qualities, turning your hospitality establishment into a chilled out haven. Creating optimal air flow is similarly important, with poor air flow creating a claustrophobic and irritable atmosphere. Furthermore, a poor airflow suggests that furnishing and design elements have been inappropriately placed, reducing ease of access which can create confusion. To promote optimal airflow, the establishment should have a clear path to guide customers in the right direction. Clutter and unnecessary items should be removed from the space to avoid obstacles disrupting airflow and to create a sleek and sophisticated atmosphere. As your hospitality space will be used by all members of the public, creating a clear path will also make sure that it is accessible for disabled people and as well as creating a calming environment for people with additional requirements. Lighting is essential. People don’t want to walk into a hotel reception or restaurants and be blinded by the bright lights. This naturally causes irritation and strain to eyes. Decorative lighting in hospitality spaces is a great way to add class and decoration to a room. Shaded Lamps create mood lighting as they mute the brightness. Lower lighting allows you to be more relaxed because you aren’t constantly straining your eyes and can focus on enjoying the experience. Finally, materials are a great way to bring a sense of comfort into your area. Cashmeres, velvets and soft linens are all soft, comfortable materials that engage the senses with soft textures, helping us to relax and de-stress. In addition to considering the materials used, think about the physical comfort of your chosen furniture. People don’t particularly want to be sitting on a solid wooden chair when waiting for an appointment or eating out, adding a pillow or choosing a chair that already has padding is a great way to ensure your client or guest feels at ease and comfortable. By Liam O’Donnell, director of Valdivian Furniture, a British furniture manufacturer that specialises in bespoke, hand crafted contract furniture