Photo Credit: Shutterstock

The design of your home is essential for improving and maintaining your mental health and productivity. 

With the Coronavirus pandemic affecting people all over the world, quarantine and stay at homes orders were a major concern. The feeling of being outdoors with nature, and having human interaction in larger social settings was truly missed. Quarantine made people realize what interior designers have known to be true for a long time: The importance of being inside an environment that makes you feel good. 

We have all experienced heading home from work after a stressful day and finally getting to the comfort of our living room. Encountering a cluttered kitchen, an office full of files and laptops, or decoration that you cannot stand to look at anymore does not contribute to relaxation. 

The pandemic lifestyle required people to rethink the spaces in their homes, when more than ever a functional space to work or study at was necessary. Organization is often looked over when it comes to interior design. The truth is that the organization of your space is just as important as the looks, and they often come hand in hand. An organized space plays a great role in your mood, productivity, and well-being. Designing a space that allows you to functionally maintain the space organized is essential. 

Lighting and colors can also have an impact on your mental health and productivity. 

The right palette choice is individual to every person’s taste. However, it is important to choose colors that resemble peace and calm, and that you will not get tired of it over time. The psychology of colors is very effective and should be followed for optimal relaxation results. If you want to have a space that transmits a sense of peace and simplicity, then a blue and white color palette is your go-to. 

Having the right amount of windows in a room is also a must. It is proven that sunlight can reduce depression and increase productivity levels. More natural light in a room can boost your mood and happiness, while a dark room can trigger sadness and anxiety. 

It is important to think strategically about how space is used every day and how you want the space to feel. If you have kids and pets, it is worth investing in furniture that can handle frequent wear and tear. If you have a big family, having a big couch and seating spaces for every family member can avoid stressful situations. 

After taking care of organization, the next step is to choose objects and pieces for the design that makes you feel good, and that really connects to you every time you look at it. 

When so much in our life is out of control, our home is a place we have total authority over. Our homes should be our sanctuaries and happy places. Investing in a design that makes you feel good is crucial for your well-being. 

The post How Interior Design Can Improve Your Mental Health And Productivity appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Today, she is walking Haute Design through her recent project - Bellerose Residence. 

Photo Credit: Brooklyn East Photography

Commissioned by NBC’s George to the Rescue, Riese Design, Inc. came aboard this project to help a family live and function more efficiently. The project scope included a complete makeover on the first floor of a home which encompassed the office, living room & dining room. The client's biggest pain point was lack of organization and storage while additionally having a lack of ability for a room to multifunction.

In this case, the homeowner was running an entire department for a non-profit organization out of a very small office with limited storage leaving her feeling both helpless and overwhelmed. At the same time, during the COVID-19 pandemic, this set of parents had three children homeschooling, making workspace an issue.  All three children used the dining room as their classroom which overcrowded the room, to say the least. The living room was also in dire need of an update since it was situated between the office and the dining room, we obviously had to provide a nice cohesive flow.

Photo Credit: Brooklyn East Photography

To solve these problems, we gave the homeowner a large desk to be able to work and video conference along with custom-built storage for all of her filing needs. The room was also wrapped in beautiful wallpaper to provoke a calming energy to balance the stress of work.

Photo Credit: Brooklyn East Photography

In the living room, Riese Design provided a custom sofa along with décor and accessories to not only make the family comfortable but also keep within the pallet from the office providing fluidity throughout the open spaces. In the dining room, Riese Design provided a multi-functioning solution including a custom built-in outfitted with interior electrical outlets, making storing and charging devices such as computers both hidden and convenient. Inside of the built-ins, Riese Design also provided storage for each respective child’s schoolwork to maintain the organization of the space. When devices and paperwork are away the room serves as a traditional dining room for families to convene and enjoy a meal together. This project was both special and an honor to be a part of.

Photo Credit: Brooklyn East Photography

The post Haute Designer Chasity Centeno Of Riese Design, Inc. Talks About Her Project At A Bellerose Residence appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Interior design is a very niche need, typically used by the top percenters of the world. Designer Jessica Helgerson wants to use her interior design to help those without homes and thus created The One Percent Project that turns the term “one percent” on its head. 

The Jessica Helgerson Interior Design firm is based in Portland, Oregon, and is the company of principal designer, Jessica Helgerson. Her firm works with some of the richest and most beautiful homes in the Portland area, but she couldn’t help but notice the huge difference between those homes and the tents lining the streets outside. She decided she wanted to help give back, and give her clients the opportunity to do the same. 

“As arbiters of home,” reads The One Percent Project website, “It is our duty to fight for shelter for everyone.”

The One Percent Project launched in 2019, and partners with the Oregan Community Foundation (OCF) to donate funds to homeless-based non-profit organizations throughout the country. Not just limited to Oregon organizations, the Foundation makes sure to only donate to non-profits that are making a measurable impact in their community. They ask those who work in the home market, such as designers, and their clients to donate 1% of the cost of the housing project towards the foundation and providing homes for those without. 

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

“We want to lead the way in terms of people who own businesses or run businesses to think about the adjacencies in terms of charitable giving,” says Kate Sullivan, Managing Director of JHID. “If every business rallied the power of their customer base to do this, imagine how much impact that 1% could have.”

The Jessica Helgerson Interior Design firm currently donates 1% of its net profits to The One Percent Project as well.

To learn more about the One Percent Project and what you can do to help, visit the website here. 

The post How The One Percent Project Is Helping Fight Homelessness Through Interior Design appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

1. Evernote; This app will help you coordinate the various notes, alarms, to-do lists and calendar events you've programmed in your numerous devices. The program centralizes your notes, photos, lists and reminders in to create a cohesive, searchable schedule. An absolute must-have for harmonizing our wired schedules! (Free via evernote.com)

2. Photo Manager Pro; Have over a thousand pictures on your phone? This app organizes your photographs and videos, allowing you to create color-coded custom-named folders. You can even rate each item to find your favorites in the future. ($2.99 via itunes.apple.com)

3. DinnerSpinner from Allrecipes.com;  This app is a one-stop shop for all your kitchen needs. You can create a shopping list and check them off, scan grocery items and browse and save dinner recipes. What's more, you can even create a shopping list from your saved recipes to make grocery shopping a cinch! (Free via allrecipes.com)

4.  Zite and Pulse; Both of these apps help you find news feeds, blogs and sites that interest you and deliver it in one location. (Free via itunes.apple.com)

5. Pet Dossier; Simply put, this app is equivalent to a history file for your pet--it keeps track of your pet's health history, medications, likes and dislikes, dietary needs and veterinary appointments--making it easy for you to access crucial information and convenient to share information to your pet's caregiver. ($1.99 via itunes.apple.com)

The post Tech Designs To Simplify Your Life: 5 Must-Have Organizer Apps appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.