How Wall Art Can Improve Your Mental Health
It’s already a given that wall art can transform the look of your home. It makes any given space look more aesthetically pleasing, adds character, and adds a hint of style and creativity.
Whether it’s framed art pieces, oversized paintings, graffiti art, or tapestries you choose to hang on your wall, they surely have a specific effect on your interior’s overall look. But have you ever thought of wall art’s effects past its being eye candy?
What art does for your brain
Beautiful art makes anyone happy, that’s for sure. Without you knowing it, just looking at your wall art can already improve your mental health. It’s almost the same feeling you get when you’re listening to your favorite song, dancing to a lively beat, or after you’ve finished a painting or a drawing. There’s truly more than meets the eye when you’re curating the perfect wall decor for your home or office. (1)
To give you an idea, here is a quick rundown of how wall art can improve your mental wellness:
You may not recognize it, but designing your wall can motivate you to concentrate and focus. As you go through the project, you’re trying your best to find the most stunning pieces—whether framed art, canvas, sculptures, or mosaic. You want to be as meticulous as possible, especially when you’re investing your hard-earned money to achieve your vision. (2)
In the same sense, viewing and admiring wall art can put your brain to work. The brain analyzes patterns, colors, and the concept behind the masterpiece. Your brain at work makes you feel more immersed in what you’re looking at as your head translates what you’re seeing. The moment you’re able to figure it out, the more you’re able to appreciate the art and its emotional attachment to you. (2)
There’s no denying that life is constantly taking its toll on everybody. Whether it’s your day job, volunteer work, or household chores that’s occupying much of your time, you can feel the stress building up as you take on more responsibilities. That’s why you consider your home as your safe haven where you can relax, be comfortable, and be yourself. (1)
Beautifully arranged wall art can be a focal point in your home that can help help take the stress away. The color palette you choose is most likely something that calms and soothes your anxious emotions, and so it’s only natural that the art pieces you pick also invoke the same optimistic feeling. You can spend hours sitting on the sofa or lying on your bed just staring at the wall art you have and realize how your mind wanders without tension or wariness. (1)
It’s the same feeling you get whenever you visit museums and galleries to admire art. Being surrounded by countless masterpieces can make you get lost in your own little bubble, and your worries and stresses seem just to leave your heart and mind.
Several design elements in wall art, such as color, can help alter the mood. The brightness and saturation of each shade also have an emotional effect on your reactions and responses. For example, less saturated tones can evoke a relaxing and soothing effect. On the other hand, deeply saturated colors such as emerald green can make you feel more energized or intense. (3)
Certain colors are also associated with different feelings and emotions. Many recognize red as the color of passion, control, and power, if you look at it from a lighter perspective. Yellow is a warm color that can invoke happiness, relaxation, innocence, and creativity. If you know your way around colors, you can pick a palette or theme for your wall art that can give the right kinds of emotions that you want to surround yourself with the moment you step inside. (3)
If you have an artistic side, there’s no better way to nurture it than to create an art design for your wall that’s uniquely you. You can show your creativity and even a hint of your personality as you pick frames and art pieces to complement your interior. By expressing your flair, you give yourself an outlet to help yourself reduce anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions. (4)
Final words
Your home is a safe space where you should feel relaxed, calm, and in your zone. If this isn’t the case for you, perhaps it’s time you rethink your interior and add or remove elements that can help you create a living environment where you can sit back and enjoy some peace and quiet. While you’re at it, you might want to consider putting up wall art that can help improve your mental health significantly.
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