How to Find Wellness in the Home

Would you say that your home evokes a feeling of wellness? Or is there room for improvement? With Wellness being identified as a macro design trend for 2019, we wanted to explore what it means today. Wellness is definitely not a new concept, but the application of it seems to be evolving — which is why we believe that it’s ‘trending’ again.

How is wellness being defined and applied today? It goes beyond just the straightforward dictionary definition:

The World Health Organization best captures the spirit of true wellness: “Wellness is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” It’s not just about yoga, clean eating, and exercise. There’s much more to it than that, as the WHO explained.

Historically, wellness has gone by other names and comes in many different forms. Health experts have studied and developed the Eight Dimensions of Wellness that helps patients explore what’s missing in their lives and become more whole. The art of Feng Shui helps Chinese cultures achieve harmony in their homes and translate that to overall wellness in life. Marie Kondo helps homeowners celebrate minimalism and find joy in the pieces that make up their homes. No matter what it’s called or how it’s being applied, the goal is the same: becoming your best self.

For us, wellness means making a house into a home, which often starts with the heart of the home: the kitchen. And you might be thinking: how can a kitchen inspire wellness beyond the food it holds? Not just by influencing what and how you eat. By creating an inviting space for guests to gather and enjoy your home. By invoking feelings of peacefulness.

Renovating a kitchen to match your lifestyle, to feel more whole, and be more healthy is far from materialistic or superficial.

How can Wellness come to life in kitchen design?

Here’s a quick checklist to consider when practicing wellness in your kitchen:

Materials:

• Choose more sustainable options.
  • Pick a more renewable resource like quartz over granite or bamboo over other woods for a kitchen with less of a carbon footprint and ecological impact. (Talon flooring, for example, is harvested to Forest Stewardship Council standards.)
• Try to recycle materials.
  • Reclaimed shiplap or barn wood can be given new life by being fashioned into recycled backsplashes or even countertops.

Features:

• Eat at home more often with higher quality appliances.
  • If you save on things like cabinets or countertops (hint hint), you’ll have a bigger range of appliances to choose from that you’ll be more likely to use.
• Keep fresh foods fresh with the right storage.
  • Fresher foods are generally healthier foods, so think about how you’ll store it. Do you need a bigger refrigerator? A profound pantry? Clever cabinet organization?
• Strive for energy efficiency.  
  • Look for labels that indicate efficiency, like EPA Energy Star or WaterSense.
  • Choose a top-and-bottom refrigerator over a side-by-side, which allows too much cold air to escape.
• Incorporate composting.
  • Adding a compost collecting bin as a built-in feature will encourage cooks in the kitchen to save food scraps for better use.

Style:

• Design a kitchen to impress yourself — not others.
  • It can be as simple as picking cabinet colors: one person’s beige cabinets are another person’s matte black cabinets.
• Be mindful of longevity.
  • Will that quirky countertop still impress you five years from now? Take a moment to consider how permanent some pieces may be. (Talon flooring has a 100-year warranty!)
• Get VOC-free.
  • The paints and wood preservatives that put final touches on your kitchen concept can have VOCs (or volatile organic compounds) that pollute the air you breathe inside your home.

Join us in the search for wellness in the heart of the home by incorporating it into your home. But don’t fret about checking off each item on this list. Just be well, just be you. (Because bringing your vision to life in kitchen design is the best part of what we do.)