Kim Williams, Cape Town interior design specialist and entrepreneur, believes that in these times when we are spending more hours in our homes than ever, we should focus on embracing the flexibility and fluidity of our spaces.

Kim has always believed that creating different spaces to experience, in different parts of your home, will support your mental and physical health. Setting up a home gym and wellness space, big or small, is an important step towards a happier, healthier.

Here are Kim’s top tips and trend insights on how to create your home health sanctuary:

• Convert your lesser-used areas into a shared wellness and exercise space. The space should be designed to create an environment that fosters both your physical and mental health and presents a place both to retreat to and to exercise in.
• Remember to create spaces that allow you to pause, meditate and recharge. As we seek to make our homes more functional for our changing needs, we must remember to section off spaces specifically dedicated to allowing us to focus on and be grateful for our good health.
• Be mindful of how you use technology in your wellness routine. Technology has evolved to include a wide array of useful health apps, from guided meditation to CrossFit instruction. If you use health and fitness technology, such as videos, designate a space for it where it will not be accidentally damaged. After the pandemic, we will no doubt see technologies evolve and grow so that we won’t have to touch any devices or equipment, to further to assist us with exercising in our home environment.

Bring the outside in wherever you can. Studies have shown that being surrounded by even the smallest amount of nature has a positive impact on our psyche – a calming effect on our environment – and a welcome addition to our oxygen supply. Certain plants can even filter odours which is very useful in a home gym. We have already seen a big comeback of plants in our home environments and Kim believes that this trend will accelerate as we bring nature more and more into our homes.

• Reduce, reuse and recycle is not only good for the environment but your wallet too. Repurposing more of what you have and looking for sustainable ways to improve your living environments will make sure you are not only following the latest design trends, as well as putting your personal stamp on your interior décor too.
• Hand-crafted items are synonymous with high quality and there is tremendous satisfaction in crafting something from scratch. As we make more with our hands and become more mindful of the special opportunity for the sentimentality handcrafted items give us, we should expect to see crafts and hand-made products appearing more.

In her new wellness space, Kim has walked the walk and worked with items she already had. A ladder makes for a stylish Scandinavian-inspired blanket holder and a scented candle engages your sense of smell, creating a spa-like atmosphere.

Plants from Kim’s garden dangle from the ceiling and peacefully sway in the breeze, adding height and dimension to the space. Old baskets make for quaint storage for towels, and long-forgotten gym equipment from the garage takes centre stage.

An old mirror placed in a shadowed corner reflects light and two smaller carpets pushed together create a lush warm floor to practice yoga on as the weather begins to cool.

Soft furnishings from other spaces in her home, such as cushions and an old picture from a past holiday home, finish off her space as if they had been made for it.

How we look at our spaces has changed forever. The psychological impact of the Coronavirus on our lives has forced us to look at our homes very differently.

It has helped us pin down exactly what we want from our spaces. Our limited access to the outside world has inspired our creativity and pushed us towards a minimalist mindset in the most unlikely and pleasantly surprising ways.

Most of all, the COVID-19 pandemic has made many of us more appreciative and protective of our good health, and there is no better way to sustain it than to exercise both body and soul in the beautiful, personal, safe space of your home.

For more about Kim Williams and to sign-up for her blog visit www.kimwilliams.co.za. Follow Kim on Facebook and Instagram @kim_williams_design.

 

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