Five Ways to Promote Well-being through Interior Design

It’s without a doubt that COVID-19 has transformed interior design — definitely for the foreseeable future, and maybe forever. With people forced to stay indoors, it’s our interior spaces that keep us safe. This has gotten us all to go inwards and realise the strong link between decoration and mental well-being.

Workplaces, schools, hospitality spaces, and residential homes — to name a few — are now being designed to be as happy and healthy as possible. Aspects such as natural light, hygiene, air quality, colour, material use, and a connection to nature have been the key focuses for many, if not all architects and designers.

Here are five big trends we’ll all be watching along with some product recommendations.

Evolve Human-Nature Relations

Bringing the outdoors inside is more important than ever. With so much uncertainty happening, it is essential to keep morale up. Countless studies have shown that nature can have a significant impact on an individual’s mood, while allowing for a fresher atmosphere. Green spaces also evoke increased feelings of responsibility, empathy, and security; all while helping reduce stress, blood pressure, and heart rate. In addition, they can stimulate abstract thinking and boost creativity.

Product Recommendations: Rockfon^® Senses and Rockfon^® Lamella

Creating acoustic solutions that make people ‘feel good’ with colour, biophilic-inspired design and natural surfaces has been one of our main focuses throughout the years. With the introduction of Rockfon Senses and Rockfon Lamella, we strive to incorporate natural elements into the built environment.

Rockfon Lamella is created with a choice of 3 different wood veneers — warm golden, cool blonde, and earthy dark oak — in 3 different widths and depths. With this product range, you can let your creativity run wild with 650,000 design possibilities.

Let Natural Light Shine In

It’s not surprising with so many more hours spent indoors that lighting would take on new importance. With natural light boosting Vitamin D, warding off depression, and improving sleep, all contribute to our well-being.

Often just 13-15 mins of exposure to natural light are enough to trigger the release of endorphins or "happy hormones", according to Dr. Joe Taravella, a supervisor of pediatric psychology at NYU Lagone Medical center.

Product Recommendations: Rockfon^® Mono^® Acoustic

Furthermore, the Mono Acoustic seamless ceiling is made from recyclable stone wool and has Bronze level Cradle to Cradle Certified^®. This definitely brings sustainable quality into play, and as we always say “don’t just sound-proof your designs, future-proof them too.”

Rockfon executes building material circularity through the practice of recyling and upcycling of waste streams in the production of stone wool.  In fact, anywhere from 29% to 64% of the material used in Rockfon products is made of recycled content. The rest comes from abundant resources such as basalt rock. By using our products, you avoid taxing scarce natural resources and have the opportunity to participate in a more sustainable circular economy.

Contribute to Your Hygiene and Safety

Even though lockdown restrictions ease and we return to normal life, hygiene and well-being will remain high on the agenda, and be at the core of interior schemes, as our attitudes towards hygiene and cleanliness have changed. People opt for hard surfaces, furniture, and design elements that can be easily cleaned, sanitised, and maintained.

Furthermore, given the fact that we spend 90% of our time indoors, with 91% of us living in areas where pollution exceeds WHO (World Health Organization) standards, it’s no surprise that maintaining and improving indoor air quality is on the rise. In fact, indoor air pollution can be five times worse than outside, due to toxins released from construction materials, or problems with mold, and the like. This can trigger or aggravate allergies, asthma, and breathing problems.

Product Recommendations: Rockfon^® Canva

And because the product’s material has no-emission of harmful substances with M1 A+ certification, air quality remains high through its long performance lifetime.

Nevertheless, the detachable canvas that comes with Rockfon Canva is machine washable and can be dusted, vacuumed, or disinfected with antibacterial wipes. This ensures hygienic requirements for a safe and healthy interior space.

Cultivate a Calm and Peaceful Environment

With the increasing trend of open-plan space, emphasising in architecture transparency, noise distraction is inevitable but controllable. Products and fixtures that serve dual purposes are getting immensely popular. They are designed for sound absorption, but still complement the overall design theme. You can find textures, furnishings, wall panels, ceiling tiles, or even lighting products designed with acoustics in mind.

Product Recommendations: Rockfon^® Hub

Rockfon introduced the first of its kind, Rockfon Hub, an innovative platform designed to match the trend of open concept places. Instead of opaque walls and hallways, Rockfon Hub suspended islands allow you to create acoustic zones with the use of curtains. Groups can come together, break apart, and re-convene later. This product line offers a unique space-in-space platform that facilitates collaboration, maintains privacy, all while promoting visual transparency for the space.

Use Flexibility to Foster Creativity

Countless studies show that being creative can increase positive emotions, lessen depressive symptoms, reduce stress, decrease anxiety, and even improve immune system functioning. With the use of colour, natural texture, imaginable shapes, it is time we kickstart creativity.

Product Recommendations: Rockfon^® Eclipse Customised and Rockfon^® Canva

With Rockfon Eclipse Customised, you can create outstanding designs using different shapes and colour combinations. And if you choose our Rockfon Canva, you will also have the flexibility to play around, since this product line comes with modular form and detachable canvases. In other words, Rockfon Canva enables you to adapt to change without ordering new products, promoting sustainability in your interior design. They can be hung from the ceiling, mounted to the wall, or places on the floor with or without wheels. Rockfon Canva also comes in different frame sizes and can be customisable.

With these two product lines, you can create a picture perfect and hassle-free interior, with the flexibility of changing the theme to suit your preference, brand, mood, or even season. You also have the options to choose from our 34 designer-curated Colours of Wellbeing, chosen to empower you and uplift your mood, or design your own.

Final Thoughts

The impact of your interiors on your wellbeing may ultimately be a deeply personal thing, with no cut-and-dried answers. It is still absolutely worth considering how these fundamental principles of interior design have the capacity to affect how you feel. We need to take a more human-centred approach and turn the place around us to be restorative and content; to help us to live, work, play, rest, and connect better.