Tips to Transform Your Home Using All 5 Senses

When creating a well-designed home, we normally think that what we see—the visual experience of the space—is the most important design element. That makes sense since sight is one of our most powerful senses. Colors, patterns, lighting, shapes, and objects stimulate our visual experience and provide important information to our brain about our environment and our place in it.

        Oftentimes we overlook our other four senses—touch, sound, taste, and smell—assuming that they don’t play an important role in home design. That assumption couldn’t be further than the truth. When you walk into any environment, you experience the space with all five senses turned on; all five senses are alert in your body and receiving information that your brain processes into a complete, enriching experience. Your senses interpret your world every moment, influencing your feelings, affecting your well-being, and playing a profound role in the creation of memories.

        So even though we can’t actually see some of our other senses, we can absolutely feel each one of them. It’s the combination of all our five senses working together in harmony that can ultimately create a beautiful home and contribute greatly to that love coming home feeling. Here are a few tips to help you tap into your senses from Jennifer’s new book Love Coming Home:

• • Pay attention to the nonvisual elements that make up each room in your home—the smells, feelings, tastes, and sounds. For example, ask yourself the question, “What is it I hear?” Then pay close attention to every sound; be mindfully present to all the sounds in your space.

• • If you identified something you didn’t like when you asked the above question, then fix or change it.
• • Use your five senses to mindfully evaluate your possessions. Consider if each object supports the environment you want to create and fully experience for yourself and your family. If not, it’s time to let it go.

You can learn more about using your senses to design and transform your home, and other practical tips, from Jennifer’s book, Love Coming Home. Available August 21, click here to watch the book trailer and pre-order your copy today to receive exclusive, complimentary, unlimited access to Jennifer’s new series of 10 videos to help you unlock the power of your home right now.