The new mindful home, and how to make it yours

A new year, a new decorating trend. London-based interior designer Thornhill (My Bedroom Is an Office, 2019) combines many styling techniques associated with "natural," cleaner living, and pairs each with great photographic illustrations and several how-tos. In her chapter on craft and creativity, for example, she lists and pictures the benefits of using handmade items, reviews the pluses of collecting and curating, and introduces readers to the Swedish habit of syjunta, or communal crafting. That particular how-to endorses adopting new pursuits, such as painting, collage, and working with clay. Though the actual directions are somewhat skimpy, the inspiration is not--it runs like an undercurrent throughout the book. Every chapter is an adventure, even for those already closely attuned to mindfulness; for example, the chapter "Creating a Sanctuary" introduces the unique personality-type concept of OCEAN (open, conscientious, extrovert, agreeable, neurotic). Whereas "Becoming Biophilic" centers on the natural world, exploring living shapes and visually softening technology. Advice we need (and can use) while COVID-19 keeps many of us at home.

Interior stylist Thornhill (My Bedroom Is an Office & Other Interior Design Dilemmas) applies mindfulness to the home in this practical guide. Living mindfully doesn't necessarily mean becoming a minimalist, the author notes. Instead, she aims to teach readers how to create a relaxing, "fuller" home without "living so sparsely." Inspired by the Danish concept of hygge (a term related to comfort and contentment), Thornhill explains how to create a mood-enhancing color scheme using blue and green to encourage rest, orange and yellow for energy, and purple for creativity. She offers ideas for using vision boards to help decorators decide how they want a space to make them feel, advocates for creating a nontoxic cleaning kit, explains how to quell anxiety with essential oils as mood lifters, and embraces imperfection in materials and projects. Thornhill also offers instructions for easy-to-do projects, as with an enso circle painting and a crystal terrarium, which she calls "Mindful Totem" projects. Lush photos will inspire readers to create their own carefully arranged homes, and useful tips are sprinkled throughout (pure white is a color that feels "unforgiving" because it isn't a shade in nature, for example). Those interested in creating a calming space should give this a look. (Apr.)