a connection to ourselves

The impact of good design on our well-being has long been recognised. At its very simplest, a house is a safe sanctuary from the perils of the outside world. Like birds flee to their nests, we retreat inside our homes. On a psychological level, our home is a place where we can express ourselves in. Not just who we are now, but where we came from (our heritage) and also who we want to become in the future (our aspiration).

“We need a home in the psychological sense as much as we need one in the physical: to compensate for a vulnerability. We need a refuge to shore up our states of mind, because so much of the world is opposed to our allegiances. We need our rooms to align us to desirable versions of ourselves and to keep alive the important, evanescent sides of us.” - Alain de Botton, The Architecture of Happiness

what does the meaning of home mean to you?

It might mean that feeling when you walk in the door, in from the cold, to hear children’s laughter reverberating off the corridor. Or, the smells from the kitchen of a favourite meal, or the feeling of sinking into your favourite lounge chair at the weekend. Perhaps the first Spring morning that’s warm enough to have your coffee outside?

The founders of The Modern House, Matt Gibberd and Albert Hill in their ‘Manifesto for Modern Living’ say:

“Given that our living environment is the very bedrock of our existence, it makes sense that we should apply the same level of careful consideration to how it makes us feel. For it to be successful, a modern home must surely make us healthier, happier and more fulfilled. It should be a container for our dreams.”

Adeline and Florent Maillet left the city to build their ideal home in touch with nature. As they shared with Vitra:

“When we took over our family farm about 15 years ago, we had lived in the city for about ten years and thought: ‘If we move out of the city, we have to build the house we always dreamt of.’ We wanted a house that fits into the landscape, that does not distort its surroundings – nature, the fields. We wanted it to be on a human scale. To us an ideal house is a simple house. No frills. Who needs six bedrooms, four floors? We have a wood stove that warms the body and the heart. A home is a place where we feel free, inside and out. We have space, we have light, we have peace”.

neuroasthetics

Alain de Botton believes that our homes trigger a neurological response; called Neuroaesthetics. Neuroaesthetics is a recent area of study that looks at the impact of design and art have on our well-being. Both on our limbic systems (emotions) and the prefrontal cortex (the way we think). Design that awakens our senses and makes us feel something. The materials we choose stimulate our senses. If you’ve ever run your hand on the back of a Wishbone Chair, or been enveloped in the soft bouclé fabric of an &Tradition Little Petra chair, or pulled a Vitra Eames Wool Blanket around you, you will know what we mean.

Shop the Sensory Collection

the happiness indicators

According to a study of over 4,000 UK homeowners by Resi, the UK’s leading architecture practice for everyday home owners, there are six key qualities to focus on when designing a home for optimum happiness:

Secure, Nourishing, Adaptable, Relaxed, Connected and Mirrors.

Similarly The Modern House: A Modern Way To Live by Matt Gibberd, outlines five key factors that define how we live better now.

They are Space, Light, Materials, Nature, and Decoration.

- a connection to ourselves (reflect who we are and what we believe)

- a connection to others (creating happier spaces for everyone, community spaces and adaptability, thoughtful use of guest spaces)

- a connection to the pieces we collect and buy for our homes (spending thoughtfully, investing in quality, buying furniture with a story behind it)

photo credit : the modern house

mirroring who we are (and who we might become)

"What we seek, at the deepest level, is inwardly to resemble, rather than physically to possess, the objects and places that touch us through their beauty .” Alain de Botton, The Architecture of Happiness"

A home is a lot more than its bricks and mortar. The things we fill our homes with, what memories are attached to them and the beautiful things we see every day are just as relevant to a modern house as its architecture. “ the Modern House

Daniel Sanderson’s self-designed new build in Stoke Newington on The Modern House journal.“I’d like to think this house mirrors my personality,” said designer Daniel Sanderson. “It’s playful in places and it reflects my philosophy towards sustainability. I don’t think this house is for everybody, but it’s for somebody that appreciates handmade furniture, the tactile quality of the surfaces and the woodwork. Taking inspiration from the post-modern period and Ettore Sottsass, Daniel used responsibly sourced materials to build this extraordinary home from scratch, which he sold on The Modern House earlier this year. Every inch of the woodwork inside the house, from the staircase to the kitchen cabinetry and even the furniture was hand-made in his on-site workshop. “I try to be as sustainable as possible – I never throw a piece of wood away.”

"What we seek, at the deepest level, is inwardly to resemble, rather than physically to possess, the objects and places that touch us through their beauty .”Alain de Botton, The Architecture of Happiness

"A home is a lot more than its bricks and mortar. The things we fill our homes with, what memories are attached to them and the beautiful things we see every day are just as relevant to a modern house as its architecture. “ the Modern House

Daniel Sanderson’s self-designed new build in Stoke Newington on The Modern House journal.
“I’d like to think this house mirrors my personality,” said designer Daniel Sanderson. “It’s playful in places and it reflects my philosophy towards sustainability. I don’t think this house is for everybody, but it’s for somebody that appreciates handmade furniture, the tactile quality of the surfaces and the woodwork.

Taking inspiration from the post-modern period and Ettore Sottsass, Daniel used responsibly sourced materials to build this extraordinary home from scratch, which he sold on The Modern House earlier this year. Every inch of the woodwork inside the house, from the staircase to the kitchen cabinetry and even the furniture was hand-made in his on-site workshop. “I try to be as sustainable as possible – I never throw a piece of wood away.”

Sheridan Coakley SCP

We asked Sheridan Coakley, founder of British design brand SCP, on how he buys for his Hampshire home.“Well, I don’t live in an SCP showroom, I’ve got a collection of old and new stuff. I have an Oscar Sofa and a Balzac too that I rescued from a warehouse fire twenty years ago. The smell of the smoke did go away eventually! And I’ve got some vintage pieces. I’m lucky enough to be able to choose what I want, but I tend to stick with things. I’m sitting at an old Aalto table that I’ve had for thirty years. And I have an old Bibendum Chair by Eileen Gray.”

Read more of our interview with Sheridan.

photo from TMH interview

broken plan living

Grand Designs magazine describe broken-plan living as:

“Broken-plan living is about the clever use of a space. Distinct zones are created by the use of different floor finishes, split-levels and semi-permanent partitions, such as bookcases and screens. These subtle divides retain the spacious feel that open-plan living provides, but also give a sense of separation, meaning people can have their own space away from each other.”

- Removing interior walls allows the light to flow
- Create a single social space for gatherings and daily living, where everyone can come together, and then use smaller spaces as “dens” for people to retreat into. Bedrooms don’t need to be large to get a good night’s sleep. in A Modern Way To Live Matt Gibberd says that the best bedroom he ever had was a small, dark space with just enough room for a bed.

Click to see our range of dividers and storage.

Sleep sanctuaries

“We don’t perhaps need so much room for sleeping, instead we can be inspired to create a dark and cosy space that transports us to the land of dreams, where the acoustics are muffled and we can feel safe and secure in our warm cocoon. Create low partitions and walls, use modular furniture that can be adapted as you need.

Click to see our range of beds and bedroom furniture.

storage

Clearing the mental load

According to Houzz, homeowners are happiest in rooms that are clean and organised (72%). Whether you live alone or in a multi-generational family, clearing clutter and having a home for everything releases positive mental energy. it also helps free up space to focus on your well-being and happiness.

See our storage buying guide to help get your house organised.