By Rachel Schemmerling Timeless Living Designs

Living Well
Your Home Environment Matters

When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, we often focus on diet and exercise. While these are certainly important factors, they’re not the only ones that contribute to our overall well-being. The truth is, the environment in which we live can also have a significant impact on our health and well-being.

Research has shown that the home environment can affect everything from our mood and energy levels to our immune system and sleep patterns. Factors such as air quality, natural lighting, and green spaces can all have a positive impact on our health. On the other hand, exposure to environmental hazards such as chemicals and mold can have negative effects.

Creating a healthy home environment can involve a range of actions, from selecting wellness-focused design elements to making modifications to existing spaces. This might include investing in energy-efficient appliances, improving air quality with proper ventilation, and minimizing exposure to environmental toxins through mindful material choices.

How a Wellness-Focused Interior Designer Can Help

If you’re experiencing discomfort, stress, or fatigue in your home, we can help. As wellness-focused interior designers, we specialize in transforming spaces into sanctuaries that support both physical and emotional well-being. We provide thoughtful design solutions tailored to your unique needs—whether it’s enhancing air quality, optimizing lighting, or curating spaces that promote relaxation and mindfulness.

Our clients experience a profound shift in how they feel at home—more balanced, rejuvenated, and deeply connected to their space. By working with us, you’ll achieve a home that not only looks beautiful but actively contributes to your health and happiness.

Let’s create a home that nurtures your well-being. Schedule today—your body and mind will thank you for it!

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February 2, 2025

Living Well

By Rachel Schemmerling- Timeless Living Designs Twelve years ago, on January 27, 2013, I sat in a hospital bed surrounded by a group of Yale medical students. The Resident Physician looked at me and delivered the life-changing diagnosis: I had MS, or Multiple Sclerosis. For five days, they worked tirelessly to figure out why my […]

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January 27, 2025

How My Journey with MS Opened My Eyes to the Power of Environment and Wellbeing

By Rachel Schemmerling- Timeless Living Designs

The tree is down, the gifts are tucked away, and the buzz of December 31 has faded into the promise of a fresh year. Welcome to January 2025, friends.

There’s something magical about January—it sweeps in with a sense of renewal and quiet beauty. Perhaps we’ll even get that first snow before February. Pristine and peaceful, the season’s initial snowfall is always a delight. But as much as I love a winter wonderland, the real joy comes from retreating indoors to warmth and comfort.

This time of year naturally brings to mind Hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”), the beloved Danish concept of coziness and contentment. Born from Scandinavia’s long, dark winters, Hygge has gained global recognition, even earning a spot in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, where it’s defined as “a quality of coziness that makes a person feel content and comfortable.”

Hygge isn’t about following strict design rules; it’s about creating a deeply personal sense of comfort in your home. For me, it’s a mix of soft blankets, a mug of hot tea, and a cozy reading nook. For you, it could be candlelight, a favorite playlist, and a stack of novels. While everyone’s idea of Hygge may differ, the shared goal is the same—cultivating warmth and contentment in our spaces.

As we step into 2025, it’s also the perfect time to reflect on our overall wellness. Beyond physical and emotional health, consider the wellness of your home. Does your environment bring you peace, comfort, and joy? If not, let this be the year to prioritize your space.

Simple changes, like adding natural textures, decluttering for a sense of calm, or enhancing air quality, can transform your home into a sanctuary. Whether you’re embracing Hygge or exploring other elements of wellness design, January is the ideal time to reimagine your surroundings to support your health and happiness.

Here’s to a cozy, inspired start to 2025!

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January 8, 2025

Embracing Hygge with Wellness Design Inspiration

By Rachel Schemmerling, Timeless Living Designs When it comes to designing a home that feels as good as it looks, wellness-inspired interiors are the key to creating spaces that nurture both body and soul. Traditional design, with its rich layers and classic details, provides a perfect canvas for infusing wellness elements into your living environment. […]

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January 1, 2025

Blending Wellness Features into Timeless, Traditional Home Design

By Rachel Schemmerling, Founder & Principal Designer Timeless Living Designs

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that aligns with seasonal changes, typically beginning in late fall or early winter and easing during the brighter spring and summer months. This condition is often triggered by reduced sunlight, which can disrupt your body’s internal clock and lead to feelings of depression. Spending prolonged periods indoors, especially during shorter daylight hours, can amplify these effects.

With more people working and living at home post-pandemic, rethinking the lighting in your environment isn’t just practical—it’s a health imperative. Natural light is a simple yet powerful way to combat SAD and improve well-being. Exposure to natural light offers numerous benefits:

  • Provides essential Vitamin D
  • Elevates mood and energy levels
  • Enhances sleep quality
  • Reduces signs of dementia
  • Supports overall health

Our bodies are deeply attuned to the daily cycle of natural light, which helps regulate circadian rhythms. Even doctors prescribe light therapies like phototherapy for treating conditions like SAD. But there are practical steps you can take right now to bring more natural light into your home or workplace. Here are five tips to increase natural light and boost wellness in your space:


1. Optimize Window Treatments

The window treatments you choose depend on the room, the type of windows, their placement, and your budget. Wherever possible, select treatments that maximize the flow of natural light.

  • Living Rooms: Use sheers or blinds that can be easily adjusted. Blinds that allow partial light and privacy are ideal, as you can control them based on your needs.
  • Bedrooms: Consider treatments that balance natural light during the day with the ability to block it out at night for restful sleep. Blackout curtains or dual-layer shades (light-filtering by day, blackout by night) are excellent options.

2. Remove Screens During Winter

In colder months, remove window screens that won’t be needed. This simple step increases the amount of light entering your home while providing an opportunity to clean the windows thoroughly.


3. Upgrade Outdated Windows

Replacing old windows can improve natural light while also enhancing energy efficiency. Opt for larger windows or styles like picture windows, bay windows, or floor-to-ceiling designs to flood your space with daylight. Consider double-pane glass for insulation without compromising light flow.


4. Update Light Bulbs and Fixtures

Modern light bulbs offer incredible innovations, including LED bulbs with circadian technology that mimic natural light’s spectrum. Use dimmable bulbs to adjust the lighting intensity throughout the day.

  • Bedrooms: Choose warmer-spectrum bulbs that emit less blue light, helping your body produce melatonin for better sleep.
  • Living and Work Spaces: Use brighter, cooler-spectrum bulbs to create an energizing environment during the day.

Adding fixtures like skylights or solar tubes can also dramatically increase natural light in dim areas.


5. Spend Time Outdoors

No amount of indoor lighting can fully replicate the benefits of spending time outdoors. Daily exposure to natural light improves mood, boosts energy, and supports overall health.

  • When outdoor activities aren’t possible, bring nature inside. Incorporate plants, nature-inspired artwork, or even a small indoor fountain to create a calming, natural atmosphere that helps your mind and body relax.

Final Thoughts Lighting plays a crucial role in our physical and emotional well-being. By increasing natural light in your home or business, you can create a space that fosters health, happiness, and productivity year-round.

Have more tips or success stories about how you’ve brightened your space? Share them in the comments! Let’s create environments that help us thrive. 🌞

#timelessliving #wellnessdesign #naturallight #windowtreatments #healthyhome #nuturinghomes

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December 23, 2024

Tips to Bring Natural Light Into Your Home or Business

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