7 Simple Ways to Make Your Home Instantly Happier, According to Top Designers

Yabu Pushelberg, Kelly Wearstler, and other experts share the small changes you can make right now to boost your mood.

"There’s no place like home," Dorothy Gale once mused, a lasting pronouncement that takes on new meaning as many of us commit staying inside during the pandemic. As our homes stretch to become makeshift offices, schools, and gyms—and as stress, fear, and anxiety mount—it’s more important than ever that our dwellings bring us comfort. Here’s what revered designers have to say about making your home a happier place.

Define Your "Happy" Home—and Set an Intention

Glenn Pushelberg and George Yabu in the living room of their New York home. The duo encourage people to be playful: define your happy home not only in terms of how it can function well, but also spark joy in your life.

Glenn Pushelberg and George Yabu in the living room of their New York home. The duo encourage people to be playful: define your happy home not only in terms of how it can function well, but also spark joy in your life.

Happiness can be whatever speaks to and nourishes your soul. For French interior designer Pierre Yovanovitch, contentment at home means access to nature and the outside environment: "I feel uplifted when simply opening windows for fresh air, traversing the gardens—any space with some greenery." 

Meanwhile, Gabriele Chiave, creative director at Amsterdam-based design studio Marcel Wanders, says that a home is a sanctuary when it’s conducive to reflection and allows you to bring out your best self. He enacts this by surrounding his space with cherished trinkets, art, memorabilia, family photos, and souvenirs. 

Canadian interior design duo Yabu Pushelberg’s George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg say that they begin every morning with a pour-over coffee ritual—their g0-to blend is Imperialiste Noir from Social Coffee & Tea Co.—because "it’s something enjoyed in the moment and allows us to set up possibilities for the day with a positive outlook." 

Shop the Look
Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffee Maker With Wood Collar
Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffee Maker With Wood Collar
Chuck Williams’ favorite method of brewing coffee, the Chemex coffeemaker is an elegant, one-piece vessel made of high quality, heat-resistant glass.
Fellow Stagg Pour-Over Kettle
Fellow Stagg Pour-Over Kettle
Stagg Pour-Over Kettle’s beautifully functional design kicks your brewing up a notch. Enjoy an intuitive, steady pour with Stagg’s precision pour spout. Keep track of temperature with a built-in brew-range thermometer.

Clear the Clutter

Alyssa Kapito’s living room has been edited and integrates pieces with texture and scale to add warmth and depth to an otherwise airy space.

Alyssa Kapito’s living room has been edited and integrates pieces with texture and scale to add warmth and depth to an otherwise airy space.

If you have more free time on your hands, New York–based interior designer Alyssa Kapito advises editing and eliminating non-essential items. "It helps with focus, relaxation, peacefulness, and to ultimately see things in a fresh, new light," she says. 

Chiave says that beyond the COVID-19 crisis, purging our living spaces should actually be a regular exercise: "I believe that this allows us to frequently shape our environments and reconnect with ourselves."

Yabu and Pushelberg take it a step further and explain that if you have a weekend to spare, perform an intensive tidying up, from top to bottom: "Choose one space to focus on and remove everything. Then give its surfaces and crevices a complete exfoliation. This is the first step to clarity." 


"Give surfaces and crevices a complete exfoliation. This is the first step to clarity."—Yabu Pushelberg

Doing so, they say, will result in a blank canvas that allows you to shape and define your new mood. "In re-evaluating the possibilities for this space, consider adding elements of joy and purposefulness to it," they suggest. This method of paring back, organizing, and rearranging helps your home feel fresh and exciting, and meets your ever-evolving needs.

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The Home Edit: A Guide to Organizing and Realizing Your House Goals
The Home Edit: A Guide to Organizing and Realizing Your House Goals
From the home experts with celebrity clients like Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Mindy Kaling, here is an accessible, room-by-room guide to establishing new order in your home.
Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up
Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up
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Remodelista: The Organized Home
Remodelista: The Organized Home
Whether you’re a minimalist or someone who takes pleasure in her collections, we all yearn for an unencumbered life in a home that makes us happy.

Repurpose, Re-Accessorize, and Rearrange

Kelly Wearstler at home in Beverly Hills. The living room lounging chair, coffee table, and carpet can be easily repurposed for other parts of the home.

Kelly Wearstler at home in Beverly Hills. The living room lounging chair, coffee table, and carpet can be easily repurposed for other parts of the home.

Kapito encourages people to tinker with movement: "Oftentimes, that chair has been sitting in the corner for a decade. When you move it to another location, you’re shaping a new vignette for that space." She also says to consider placing a lamp in your kitchen to elevate the cooking space, or repurposing an old stool for a side table instead. 

Pierre Yovanovitch purchased the 17th-century Château de Fabrègues, in Provence, France, in 2009.

Pierre Yovanovitch purchased the 17th-century Château de Fabrègues, in Provence, France, in 2009.

Yovanovitch agrees that by simply rearranging furniture and textiles that you already have, you can shake up your space. "Step back, challenge yourself, and imagine all the possibilities and angles," he says. "Break things up and reposition, for example, your sofa, which can alter the look of your interior." Even shifting smaller pieces such as nightstands and vanity tables help create visual focal points and add vibrancy to a space.

"You challenge your brain to readjust and reorient itself; and as a result, your senses are reawakened and enlivened." 

—Gabriele Chiave

California-based interior designer Kelly Wearstler says that now is the perfect time to experiment and be fearless. "Move things around," she encourages. "See how pieces feel in different rooms, different corners." For instance, try creating a new seating nook in a bedroom with the chair that was once in the kitchen. "There’s an energy shift when making such adjustments," she says. These minute changes can also be applied to sculptures, photos, and trinkets. For instance, when creating a tablescape, consider the interplay of texture and scale: "The result will be something so special to gaze upon, and will help set a new mood and dynamism to the room."

Find Ways to Enhance Natural Light

A candid capture from Yabu and Pushelberg’s Toronto residence. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow light to fully illuminate the room. Shadows, textures, and colors shift throughout the day. 

A candid capture from Yabu and Pushelberg’s Toronto residence. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow light to fully illuminate the room. Shadows, textures, and colors shift throughout the day. 

Highlight the hidden beauty within your home with natural lighting. Yovanovitch says that this means opening window shades and curtains to "make room for productivity and imagination." 

Chiave emphasizes that light makes spaces look larger and fills them with joy. "The sun is life-giving," he says. "Every interior space we design, we seek to complement them with natural colors, light, and elements like plants." One clever trick, he tells us, is to use mirrors to expand the scope of a space: "It feels as though there’s more room to stretch out." 

Wearstler adds that if you want to control the amount of light streaming into a space, consider using a gauzy, sheer fabric, as "it allows for thoughtful diffusion, all while giving an ambiance and allowing vitamin D inside."

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DKNY Paradox Inverted Pleat Back Tab Set of 2 Window Panels
DKNY Paradox Inverted Pleat Back Tab Set of 2 Window Panels
Sheer, sweeping window panels in a subtly textured weave make a beautiful focal point for any room. Photo Courtesy of Nordstrom
Drew Barrymore Flower Home Wood Leaner Mirror
Drew Barrymore Flower Home Wood Leaner Mirror
Minimalist yet full of character, the Wood Floor Mirror will be catching glances in your home.  This floor mirror is versatile, so prop it up against any wall to enliven your room with chic style - it's a bonus that its full-length size can make a small space feel so much bigger.
The Citizenry Mapocho Mirror
The Citizenry Mapocho Mirror
Clean lines, distinctive style. You’ve never seen anything like this one-of-a-kind accent mirror from Chile. Winding its way through the Andes Mountains, the Mapocho River was the inspiration for this truly original accent mirror.

Set Boundaries—But Leave Room for Flexibility

Gabriele Chiave, creative director for Marcel Wanders, lives in Amsterdam. While his home is open-concept in nature, the furniture, accessories, and art help carve out defined areas which each serve specific purposes: kitchen, dining room, and living room.

Gabriele Chiave, creative director for Marcel Wanders, lives in Amsterdam. While his home is open-concept in nature, the furniture, accessories, and art help carve out defined areas which each serve specific purposes: kitchen, dining room, and living room.

Yovanovitch and Chiave find balance by using each room the way it was intended—for instance, using the dinner table as a place to reconnect rather than as an office, if your living arrangement allows. Delineating boundaries makes each area more purposeful. They argue that attributing spaces for specific functions allows you to step into a productive mindset.

Meanwhile, Yabu and Pushelberg say that ultimately, do what’s best for you: "We cannot prescribe to such defined markers—follow your instincts, and do what feels right in the moment."

Liven Things Up With Greenery

Yabu and Pushelberg share a candid capture of their Toronto residence. Fresh-cut daffodils echo the tone of the verdant artwork in the background. The designers collectively encourage  bringing any type of greenery into the home for its uplifting and life-giving energy. 

Yabu and Pushelberg share a candid capture of their Toronto residence. Fresh-cut daffodils echo the tone of the verdant artwork in the background. The designers collectively encourage  bringing any type of greenery into the home for its uplifting and life-giving energy. 

The designers are ardent believers of the healing power of plants and herbs in the home. Wearstler stresses the importance of connecting to the natural world: "It’s rejuvenating, reinvigorating, and provides a greater sense of well-being." She says that foraging for wild flowers and sculptural branches while exercise safe social distancing is not only ideal for making fresh arrangements, but is also an inexpensive way to beautify a dwelling. 

Kapito says that floral arrangements from markets and supermarkets (if delivery is available) are a good idea; otherwise, there’s always fruit to consider: "A beautiful, antique bowl brimming with pears or oranges will do a lot to lift your spirits!"

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East Fork Popcorn Bowl
East Fork Popcorn Bowl
The right size bowl for all the popcorn it takes to binge watch Game of Thrones with your sweetie. Makes a great mixing bowl or serving bowl for a crowd of 4–8.
Bloomscape Fiddle Leaf Fig
Bloomscape Fiddle Leaf Fig
Tall, sculptural, and dramatic. This plant will flourish in the right conditions. The Fiddle Leaf Fig is easily recognizable and loved for its distinctive foliage. This tall, dramatic plant has very large, heavily veined, violin-shaped leaves that grow upright.
The Sill Jade Plant
The Sill Jade Plant
The Jade Plant is known for its upright, treelike appearance and glossy green, spoon-shaped leaves. In bright light, the leaves can develop a red hue around their edges. Photo Courtesy of The Sill

Get Adventurous With Color 

Wearstler encourages people to not be afraid of mixing and matching colors and patterns, which "can be as quiet or bold as you want it to be."

Wearstler encourages people to not be afraid of mixing and matching colors and patterns, which "can be as quiet or bold as you want it to be."

Yabu and Pushelberg say that for a quick and easy change-up, consider switching up the color of your bedspread or towels—and even the placement of spices in your kitchen. "You can positively influence your mood this way through subtle shifts in your daily routine," they say. 

For a weekend project, Chiave says that a fresh coat of paint can do wonders to transform a space. "Doing this really creates a different flow and life force," he says. "You challenge your brain to readjust and reorient itself; and as a result, your senses are reawakened and enlivened."

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Benjamin Moore Swiss Blue 815
Benjamin Moore Swiss Blue 815
This color is part of the Classic Color Collection. Surround yourself with your color favorites. These timeless, elegant, Classic Colors guarantee beautiful, usable color all the time, every time.
Backdrop Pablo Honey Paint
Backdrop Pablo Honey Paint
Bright, cozy yellow. Our premium interior water-based paint in Standard Finish is a highly desirable low-sheen, durable semi-matte.
Backdrop Aperitivo Hour Paint
Backdrop Aperitivo Hour Paint
Warm, dark, peachy orange. Our premium interior water-based paint in Standard Finish is a highly desirable low-sheen, durable semi-matte.

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