How Surrounding Yourself with Beauty Rebuilds Your Energy
I decided to write this after reading about a recent study by Kings College London on the effects of viewing art in a gallery has on the body:
"...They found that art positively influences the immune, hormone and nervous systems all at once – something never previously recorded. The findings suggest that seeing original art not only moves people emotionally, but also calms the body and promotes health and wellbeing."
This study was specifically related to the positive impact of viewing original art in a gallery setting, and supports a push by the NHS towards social prescribing as a way to relieve stress.
But what about art in the home?
We often think of home as just a backdrop — somewhere to relax, work, raise kids, or crash after a long day. But the truth is, the way your space looks and feels does so much more.
Your home's aesthetic is a direct expression of you — your personality, your priorities, your past and your potential. But more than that, it has a serious impact on your emotional and mental wellbeing. Especially as we grow older, when life is less about chasing trends and more about authenticity and creating a sanctuary away from the crazy world we live in.
In fact, a recent study published in ScienceDirect found that the perceived beauty of our home significantly influences our wellbeing, acting as a buffer between stress and daily life. Beauty isn’t surface-level — it’s supportive.
Your Sanctuary Isn’t a Luxury — It’s a Lifeline
As women we carry a lot. Career stress, parenting pressure, hormone changes, emotional fatigue — life doesn’t slow down, but we start to crave slowness.
We need a place that feels like ours. A space that restores, reflects, and reminds us of who we are — and the person we’re still growing into.
The colours on your walls, the textures you live with, the objects you choose to keep close — they shape your energy. They can ground you, uplift you, or drain you. You don’t need to overhaul everything, but you do need to ask: does my space actually serve me?
The Global Wellness Institute describes this shift as “wellness design” — where environments are created not just to look good, but to actively support mental health, energy flow, and resilience. It’s self-care, yes, but in 3D.
Beauty as Reclamation - And Revival
My work isn't about rebelling, as I feel this gives others too much power. This isn’t about chasing perfection either — it’s about building spaces that energise you, that make you feel proud, safe, and emotionally supported. Allowing you to reclaim your space and revive the colour that life can sometimes drain away.
Whether that means bold abstract art that sparks something in you, a splash of dopamine yellow in your hallway, or a shelf filled with objects that hold real memories — this is your story.
As interior psychologist Andrea Belzer notes, “surrounding yourself with beauty is a form of environmental self-care — a nonverbal way of reminding your nervous system that you’re safe, supported, and in control.”
And that control? That ownership? It’s one of the most powerful things you can gift yourself, especially in midlife.
Choose What Supports You Now
Here’s the thing about adulting no one warns you about: it’s exhausting, and it doesn’t come with a finish line. But there’s a kind of quiet power in reaching a stage where you realise you get to choose.
How your mornings begin. What hangs above your bed. Whether your home feels like a retreat, a gallery, a garden — or all three.
You don’t need to apologise for wanting beauty. You don’t need to explain the “why” behind a piece that moves you. If it lifts your mood, softens your shoulders, or makes you smile — it belongs.
Because self-care isn’t just bubble baths and yoga. Sometimes, it’s a room that finally feels like home. A wall that reflects your joy. A painting that holds all your chaos and still makes it beautiful.
Krissy xx
