Popular Tile Options and the Spaces They Suit Best

Selecting tile for your home projects can be a fun design decision, but it comes with a lot of responsibility. Because tile is expensive to install and difficult to change out, it should not be chosen lightly. Start with your personal style and budget, then choose materials and tile sizes that fit your vision. In this article, we detail the different tile types you’ll encounter, as material and size will influence your project’s final look, cost and maintenance.

Read on for expert-based insights from tile industry pros – Fiorella Cosgrove of Cortina Tile, Elizabeth Legault from Best Tile and Schannon Yodice of That Tile Chick.

Tile Materials

From luxury natural stone to affordable manmade options, tile materials run the gamut in price, installation cost, and maintenance. As for longevity, all properly installed tile, with the exception of very low-quality products, will last for decades. The truth is, most tile goes out of style long before it actually needs to be replaced. Consider timeless tile looks to avoid early rip-outs due to changing trends.

Marble

Marble tile can be used for flooring, countertops, shower walls and backsplashes. However, it’s not low maintenance, requiring careful cleaning and regular sealing to prevent stains. “You can use it anywhere, just know your traffic pattern,” Cosgrove says. “It’s typically used in less trafficked areas like powder rooms, but we sell a lot for backsplashes, entryways and hearths, too.”

Granite

Granite tile is harder and less porous than marble, so it is often used for high-traffic flooring in kitchens, entryways and bathrooms. It’s also used for backsplashes and shower walls. Granite will also need regular sealing, but it resists stains better than marble.

Ceramic

Durable and affordable, ceramic tile works great in high-traffic spaces. “It’s a fired clay with a glazed surface,” Cosgrove explains, so it also pairs nicely with radiant flooring systems, providing even warmth through the tile. Available in a wide variety of sizes, styles and shapes, ceramic tile is versatile and easy to cut and install.

Porcelain

Porcelain is a very hard, manmade tile that’s nearly impervious to water. “It’s made from minerals, so is far less porous,” Cosgrove says, making it a popular choice for outside applications, bathrooms and kitchens. It also holds up very well in high-traffic areas.

Glass

Glass tile works as a feature wall, backsplash or accent, but never for floors. It should also be professionally installed. “Glass tile is a special tile and should be installed by someone skilled with that material, as it takes special blades, cutting techniques and installation techniques,” Yodice says.

Tile Sizes

While technically any size tile could be used in any application, some tiles lend themselves better to certain situations. “What you want the space to look like will depend on the size tile to use,” Cosgrove says. Be aware that a small tile means more grout with more cleaning and maintenance, particularly for floors.

Mosaic tile

Small tiles with connective netting on the back; mosaic tiles are a popular choice for shower floors and accent features. “For showers with a center drain, the floor will need to be pitched,” Legault says. “Mosaic tiles are easier to create this pitch due to their small size.”

Subway tile

Today’s homeowners still use a lot of subway tile, but in larger sizes than the traditional 3×6-inch format. “People are moving to slightly bigger subways, like 3×12’s and  2 ½ x 8’s, but it’s still primarily used for shower walls and backsplashes,” Legault says.

12×12

It may have fallen out of favor in recent years, but 12×12-inch tile is making a comeback, according to Legault. “Checkerboard floors are starting to see a resurgence, and people are using 12x12s to get that look,” she says.

12×24

A very popular choice, 12×24-inch tile is most often used for flooring, but can be used on shower walls as well. “The larger tiles need less grout, which means less maintenance,” Legault says, helping to explain the appeal.

Large format

The biggest trend in tile sizes is large format, which includes anything larger than 12×24-inch. “We’re seeing things larger and larger,” Cosgrove says. “Larger tiles look more modern and sleek – and people don’t like lots of grout.” These oversized tiles can be used on backsplashes, floors and shower walls. However, large-format tiles are more difficult to install and often require professional installation.

FAQ

Can I use the same tile for both my bathroom floor and shower walls?

“Yes, you can use the same tile for bathroom floors and walls if that tile is suitable for that space,” Yodice says. “It depends on the project and use.” For example, wall tile isn’t durable enough to be used on a main bathroom floor that will see a lot of traffic.

What is a PEI rating, and why does it matter?

Established by the Porcelain Enamel Institute, a PEI rating measures a tile’s durability under foot traffic. “PEI ratings are one to five,” Cosgrove says. “One is wall tile, two is light traffic, three is any residential room, four is light commercial use, and five is heavy commercial traffic like bus stations or airports. It’s all about glaze strength.”

About the Experts

• Fiorella Cosgrove is manager of Cortina Tile in West Springfield, Massachusetts, a family-run business.
• Elizabeth Legault is a design consultant at Best Tile in West Springfield, Massachusetts.
• Schannon Yodice is a contractor and host of YouTube’s ThatTIleChick, offering detailed how-to videos for homeowners and DIYers. She also created the Online Tile Academy, an online school to help students learn how to install waterproof showers and set tile.

RELATED:

• 7 Signs You’re Over-Decorating
• 18 Cheap Decor Ideas That Look Expensive
• 14 Traditional-Style Home Decor Ideas That are Still Cool

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GPS vs. Real-Life Experience: Do Navigation Apps Really Know the Fastest Route?

There’s no doubt about it: modern Global Positioning System (GPS) accuracy has improved by leaps and bounds since the days of Transit, the first global satellite navigation system developed in the early days of the Space Program. Modern GPS can pinpoint the receiver’s position in your car or phone to within a few feet—or even better—and navigation systems like Google Maps, Apple Maps and WAZE use GPS data to help drivers find the fastest route to their destination in all sorts of traffic conditions.

GPS accuracy is undeniable as far as positioning is concerned, but how accurate are the apps that use it to plan routes and estimate driving time? I’m an old-school driver who likes to rely on instinct and intuition, but my friend won’t go anywhere without punching the destination into her phone and turning on the navigation voice. In both our experiences, the estimated and actual arrival times are seldom more than a couple of minutes apart, but we don’t always agree on whether the suggested route is the fastest one.

Let’s explore that.

How GPS Chooses Routes

Actually, it’s the navigation app you use that chooses routes, but before it can do that, it needs to pinpoint your location via GPS. The global GPS system consists of 30+ satellites, each equipped with a signal transmitter and receiver and a super-accurate atomic clock. The clock times how long it takes for the signal it emits, which moves at light speed, to travel to your device and back again. It takes into account the movement of the satellite (which is very fast by terrestrial standards—roughly 7,000 mph) by correcting for the Doppler Effect and even relativistic time dilation. For accurate placement, your device must communicate with at least four of these satellites at once.

Once your device knows your position, the navigation software takes over and places you on a grid. It establishes nodes and edges to the grid, and when you choose a destination, it uses algorithms to plan your route. It’s all about “weight” (the time it takes to travel between nodes) when it comes to establishing the fastest route, and here are some of the factors that go into calculating it:

• Historical data: In the absence of adverse conditions, navigation apps know how long it usually takes cars to travel a certain roadway at a particular time of day, and they assign that roadway a default weight.
• Road characteristics: Traffic lights, left turns, single-lane roadways, and stop signs along a route create penalties that increase the weight.
• Road conditions: The algorithm penalizes routes with poor conditions, such as heavy ice or snow.
• Crowdsourced pings: Navigation apps receive real-time data from other drivers, and when many cars are stopped or moving slowly along a route, the weight of that route spikes.

When GPS Is Most Accurate

GPS most accurately fixes your position when you are in an unobstructed area, and the weather is clear. Clear weather also improves the navigation software’s ability to calculate your driving time. When choosing the fastest route, GPS accuracy is best when traffic patterns are typical for that time of day.

When GPS Might Not Be the Best Option

GPS accuracy suffers in bad weather or when conditions aren’t typical. “Navigation apps can cut time in regular traffic,” says Chad Watwood, a lawyer who handles injury cases involving motorcycles, “but they are less accurate around construction sites, in rural areas, extreme weather or shortly after a crash. Haulers could also come across unexpected barriers when redirected onto new roads.”

GPS is ineffective if you can’t get a good signal because of surrounding obstructions, like mountains, and it also doesn’t work if your destination isn’t clearly defined on the navigation grid. For example, my house is in a rural, poorly mapped, mountainous area, and when visitors try to use GPS to find it, they often get directed to a road on the ridge opposite ours. For this reason, we always send visitors, workers and delivery drivers clear written directions and advise them to follow those rather than using GPS.

Pros and Cons of Following GPS Every Time

Have you ever gotten lost in a busy neighborhood? Perhaps you’ve gotten stuck in a traffic jam that you could have avoided by going a different way. GPS helps you avoid such situations and provides these benefits:

• Less stress;
• Improved safety;
• Reduced travel time;
• Greater likelihood that you’ll arrive when you say you will.

On the other hand, over-reliance on GPS can be detrimental. “Dependence on GPS alone may prioritize arrival times over road conditions,” says Watwood. It may also atrophy your innate sense of direction and make it harder to navigate on your own. Other drawbacks include:

• Distracted and unsafe driving;
• Misdirection because of inaccuracies in the software;
• Potential privacy violations because your movements are being tracked.

Smartest Strategy for Drivers

GPS-powered navigation apps can’t predict the future any better than you can. If you know by experience that problems are likely to develop along the route the apps suggests at the time of day you’re traveling, trust your intuition and choose a different route. As Watwood puts it: “Treat GPS as advisory: check routes, keep an ear out for audio cues and be willing to overrule the device.”

If you already know which way you want to go, and you’re familiar with the route, it’s a good idea to turn off the app, especially if you’re on a freeway. It may choose a different route and instruct you to turn at a place you aren’t expecting, which could create confusion and cause you to swerve into an adjacent lane. I’m speaking from experience.

FAQ

Should I always follow the GPS exactly?

Once you’ve decided to trust it, then yes. Second-guessing the algorithm only creates confusion and will probably cost you time.

Which GPS apps are best for finding the fastest route?

For several years, WAZE was generally considered the best because of its community-oriented crowdsourcing feature that lets users report accidents and other incidents in real time. More recently, Google and Apple have included similar features in their navigation software, and PC Magazine now rates Google the best, with Apple second and WAZE third.

About the Expert

• Charles (Chad) Watwood III is a lawyer handling motorcycle accident cases.He practices with the Georgia law firm LawBike Motorcycle Injury Lawyers.

Sources

• Aerospace.org: A Brief History of GPS; (2020)
• NASA: How Does GPS Work?; (2026)
• GPS World: Inside the box: GPS and relativity (2023)
• PCMag: The Best Navigation Apps for 2026 (2026)

Related

• Do You Know What That Little Button on Your Seat Belt Is For?
• What Those Lines on Your Backup Camera Really Tell You
• Here’s What The Small Panel On Your Car’s Front Bumper Is For

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Clear the Chaos With This Easy DIY Tote Storage Rack

Plan the Rack Dimensions

Before cutting a single board, determine the overall size of the tote rack you want to build. For this, you’ll need a few measurements and quantities:

• The size of the wall you have available. The rack’s location dictates the height, width, and depth of the entire structure. For this project, I’m building a custom tote storage rack for the back wall in a compact storage area measuring 83-1/2-in. wide x 78-5/8-in. high, but with some plumbing and heating to work around.
• The size of the totes. The rack will accommodate two different tote sizes—17-gallon and 27-gallon. Gather the width from under the top lip of the tote, height, and depth of the totes with their tops on. The 27-gallon totes measure 15-1/4-in. tall x 17-1/4-in. wide under the lip x 28-1/2-in. long. The 17-gallon ended up being 12-1/2-in. tall x 15-1/2-in. wide under the lip x 26-3/4-in. long.
• The number of totes you have. Our stack of totes had four 27-gallon and eight 17-gallon totes.

With these numbers, we determined we wanted our rack divided into three sections: two sections with tote rails (D) spaced 15-3/4-in. apart for the 17-gallon totes, and one section with tote rails (D) spaced 17-1/2-inch apart for the 27-gallon totes. Though the 17-gallon totes were 2-3/4- in. shorter than the 27-gallon totes, we chose to keep the tote rails at the same height to maintain uniformity.

Cut the 2x4s

Using a miter saw, measure and cut all the 2×4 components according to the cut list above. The four braces () have 45-degree miters on both ends. For those pieces, I recommend cutting the board to its longest length first (35 1/2-in. in this case). Then, cut the 45-degree miters afterward.

You’ll end up with a large stack of cut pieces, so stack and organize them by part. Keeping the piles separated will make assembly more efficient.

Sand, stain, and poly (optional)

This step is entirely optional. I chose to sand and stain to unify the wood’s appearance, masking the natural variations from board to board. Using a palm sander fitted with 150-grit sandpaper, smooth out any splinters and uneven grain.

For the finish, I selected a dark walnut stain, let it dry, and applied a couple coats of wipe-on poly before moving on to assembly.

Assemble the front and back frame

Begin by building the front and back frames of the rack.

• Working on a flat floor, lay out two outside uprights (A) and the top and bottom plates (B), to form a rectangle for the front frame.
• Use 90-degree clamping squares and clamps at each corner to ensure all joints meet cleanly at right angles.
• Drill two pilot holes in each corner using a countersink drill bit. Then, drive two 2-1/2-in. screws into each corner, through the plates (B) and into the endgrain of the uprights (A).
• Repeat the process for the back frame.

Connect Both Frames

With both the front and back frames assembled, attach four tote rails (D), one in each corner, to connect the two frames. Use woodworking clamps to hold them in place while pre-drilling and driving screws from the outside uprights (A) into each tote rail (D).

Once the four tote rails are secured, have a friend help you flip the entire thing over to secure the second frame.

Add the Braces

Attach the four 45-degree braces (F) between the side uprights (A) on each side to prevent twisting during assembly.

Toe-screw one mitered end of the braces (F) to one of the side uprights (A), then check for square. If you’re square, toe-screw the other end of the brace (F) to the other side upright (A). If the frame isn’t square, rack it by standing on the bottom plates (B) and pushing the structure forward or backward until it’s square, then have your helper (or a quick-grip clamp) ready to secure the second end of the brace (F) in place.

If needed, use additional clamps to nudge the braces (F) into alignment before attaching it with toe-screws.

Attach the Inside Uprights

Now it’s time to install the inside uprights (C), which we’ll attach the tote rails (D) to. Align, pre-drill and sink 2-1/2-in. screws through the inside uprights (C) and into the side uprights (A) at the top, center, and bottom of each inside upright. Warped 2x4s can be corrected by securing the straightest end first and gradually working the curves out by clamping and screwing as you move down its length.

Join the Studs for Center Beams

The center beams are made of two uprights (A) sandwiched together. Take the remaining eight uprights and screw them together to make four beams, screwed together at the top, center, bottom. Use clamps if needed to help straighten out any warping in the 2x4s.

Attach the Center Beams

Attach the center beams made of sandwiched uprights (A) to the top and bottom plates (B) of the tote storage rack using 2-1/2-in. screws.

Space them so that there is an 18-3/4-in. opening between them for a 17-gallon tote, or a 20-1/2-in. opening between them for a 27-gallon tote.

Use a square and a tape measure to ensure the uprights are square and parallel to each other while securing

Attach the tote rails

The lip on both tote sizes is about 1-5/8-in. thick. After testing a couple of different heights, I found that two inches was more than enough to easily slide a tote on a set of rails.

Starting from the top, attach the first tote rails (D) to the uprights (A) and center beams two inches down from the top plates (B). Then, space out the remaining three rows of tote rails 13-5/8 in. from the tote rail (D) above it. This gave us just about two inches between the bottom of one large 27-gallon tote and the top of the one directly below it.

Attach the tote rails to the uprights using 2-1/2-in. screws so that they are all aligned with a tote rail across from them and level from front to back.

Install the Ledger

The ledger (E) serves as the anchor point for attaching the rack to a concrete wall. Attach the ledger (E) to the back of the tote rack below the highest tote rails (D). Screw it into the two inside uprights (C) and into the center beam uprights (A) along the back of the tote rack.

Anchor the Rack to the Wall

For safety and stability, anchor the rack into the wall through the ledger (E) using the proper anchor for the wall you are attaching it to.

Our wall was cinder block, so we attached it using 3-1/4-in. masonry screws in three places along the ledger (E). If you are attaching it to walls with studs, make sure you tie it directly into the studs whenever possible.

FAQ

How do you reinforce shelving for heavy totes?

There are many ways to reinforce your shelving for heavy totes, including installing corner braces, screwing plywood to the back to prevent wobble, or, better yet, anchoring it to the wall.

How much weight can a 27-gallon tote hold?

The weight a 27-gallon tote can hold is about 75-100 lbs.

What not to store in plastic totes?

Don’t store food or other perishables, hazardous materials, or anything that could melt like candles in plastic totes.

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What Is “House Burping” — And Why Is Everyone Suddenly Talking About It?

Sometimes you come across a word or phrase that makes you do a double-take. And odds are, “house burping” is one of those terms. While the term might sound like a joke, it actually refers to a long-standing home-cleaning practice that has recently gained significant attention and popularity in the United States. So if you’ve heard someone talking about or come across a headline about house burping, just know you’re not alone.

The unusually named practice has been the talk of the internet of late, but what actually is house burping, where does it come from, and how can homeowners do it safely?

What Is House Burping?

House burping is the process of intermittently, intentionally airing out a residence or non-residential enclosed space by opening windows completely. This is often for several-minute intervals, but the duration can vary based on multiple factors. The concept stems from a German practice called “Lüften,” a daily home-ventilation routine.

Many German households use the cross-breeze from all windows, and sometimes doors as well, for a fresh-air recirculation rather than relying on a slow trickle of airflow through gaps and other air conditioning. After allowing several minutes for fresh air to come in, residents can go back to allowing their heating and cooling systems to run with new, fresh air to pull from.

So, why the unusual name?

It comes from a funny translation. It also does a good job of getting your attention to a serious matter that most people might not realize is important. Fresh air is important for removing indoor pollutants, excess moisture, and odors, while also improving oxygen levels. This can support better overall health goals, including sleep and eliminate unnecessary respiratory irritation.

Does House Burping (Lüften) Improve Indoor Air Quality?

While certain machines, like a home humidifier or air purifier, can help, it is a similar issue of a machine cycling through air as opposed to letting Mother Nature do a quick purification of your home.

American homes have become more tightly sealed through improved insulation, energy-efficient windows, better roofing, and weatherstripping. And while these are great for energy efficiency to control indoor temperatures and reduce utility costs, that comes at the expense of natural airflow. With growing awareness of the importance of indoor air quality, trends like house burping have allowed us to look deeper at how air moves inside houses.

And it’s easy to see why house burping would appeal to homeowners, as it requires no new equipment and is a fairly easy routine to remember and incorporate. You can think of it like another chore. Now, when you open the curtains in the morning, you can also open the windows for a few minutes. Just remember to set an alarm because if you forget, in no time you might have new unwanted pests taking up residence in your home.

It is worth noting that house burping is not a replacement for a well-maintained HVAC system. So even if you’re regularly recycling your air with the windows open you’ll still need to change air filters and check regularly that everything is attuned.

House burping works most efficiently when windows are open in multiple corners of the house and rooms to allow the air to flow with less interruption. Think of it like this: opening the window in your bedroom will let that room feel fresher, but if you open that window AND the living room window across the house, the air can flow more freely.

How To Try House Burping Safely

So, if this is sounding great to you, remember to keep these house burping best practices in mind.

Only practice house burping when outdoor air quality is good and temperatures are not extreme. Local media outlets and weather officials will release updates when outdoor air quality is dangerous. That can include environmental health factors like wildfire smoke or pollen.

Also, if you have children or pets, make sure that they are not in danger of going outside. This is particularly important for residences that aren’t on the ground floor.

Do not leave windows open for too long. If you’re concerned with not getting enough air recycling, consider more frequent, shorter periods with windows open rather than fewer, longer stretches. Home security is also an important factor, as open windows and doors are invitations for unwanted guests.

Sources

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Introduction to Indoor Air Quality”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Indoor Environmental Quality”

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• Why You Shouldn’t Crush Aluminum Cans Before Recycling

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Bomb Cyclone Survival: How to Stay Safe During Today’s East Coast Storm

The East Coast is currently weathering a huge snowstorm called a “bomb cyclone.” If you’re unfamiliar with the term, NBC News describes it as “a blizzard combined with hurricane-force winds.” If this is your first storm of this intensity, you need to know what kind of damage it can do and how to keep yourself safe and alive.

What Is a Cyclone?

The Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) explains that “cyclones are large revolving tropical storms caused by winds blowing around a central area of low atmospheric pressure.” The direction the storm revolves in depends on which hemisphere it develops in. These storms will spin clockwise in the southern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere. When these storms make landfall, they can cause flooding, property damage, power outages and they can be deadly. If you’re in the path of one, your best bet is often to evacuate.

What Makes a Cyclone a Bomb Cyclone?

A bomb cyclone is the colloquial term for “bombogenesis,” which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines as when a cyclone “rapidly intensifies, or strengthens, over a 24-hour period.” Cyclone intensity is measured in part by pressure; when the pressure drops quickly the storm can rapidly get worse. The threshold for “rapid intensification” varies slightly by latitude, but it decreases as you move north. The NOAA explains that this drop in pressure can happen when “a cold air mass collides with a warm air mass, such as air over warm ocean waters.”

How to Weather the Storm

This current bomb cyclone isn’t the first storm to hit the East Coast; this part of the country is no stranger to extreme snowy weather in the winter.  In order to prepare for and stay safe during the storm, you should:

• Have an emergency kit stocked with at least three days’ worth of water and non-perishable food for your family and pets, any prescription medications, a first aid kit, a flashlight and batteries, candles and a lighter or matches, cell phone chargers, a can opener (if you’ve got canned goods on hand), and any extra things to keep you warm like hand warmers, layers, and blankets.
• Get gas for your car and generator before the storm hits.
• Prepare your pipes for the freeze.
• Stay inside as much as possible.
• Wear several layers to stay warm.

Sources

• Cyclones, Australian Institute of Marine Science.
• What is bombogenesis?, National Ocean and Atmospheric Association, March 16, 2024.

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6 Ways to Tell If Your Plywood Is Subpar

Delamination

Watch out for plywood with delaminated layers, as this can greatly diminish its strength and integrity. This defect has several causes.

“Delamination is usually a manufacturing problem,” Fagnund says. “Occasionally, they might have a problem with glues or miss it in quality control.” However, these pieces can still reach the sales floor, so inspect them carefully before buying, especially for structural applications. Delamination usually begins on plywood edges.

Core voids

Voids, or gaps where two sections of a ply layer meet, are an allowable defect, but large core voids reduce plywood’s structural strength. Hidden inside the panel, this issue can be tough to spot. “Sometimes you don’t find out until you cut a piece and find layers missing out of the middle,” Bernacki says. Before buying, press your hand across the plywood surface to feel for soft spots or flexing veneer, both a sign of core voids.

Large or loose knots

Knots are another acceptable plywood defect and not an automatic sign that plywood’s no good. “If you’re buying a lower grade of plywood you will have knots, there’s nothing wrong with that,” Fagnund says. But if the knots are larger than 2 to 3-inches or are loose or missing, that’s a problem. “If you’re pulling the sheet out and the knots are falling off the plywood, I’d walk away,” Bernacki says.

Face veneer defects

Wrinkles, splits and excessive patches in face veneer layers are another tell-tale sign of plywood that’s no good, especially on higher grade plywood. “On a finish plywood, if there’s ripples or bubbles, that’s an imperfection and not supposed to happen,” Fagnund says. On lower grade plywood wrinkles on face veneers indicate lower manufacturing quality, while excessive splits and repairs can compromise the panel’s strength.

Warping

Warped plywood either suffers from poor manufacturing, physical defects — or both. Plywood can warp if it was stored, pressed or dried incorrectly during processing and shipment. This defect also occurs due to large core voids or missing layers, which lower its structural strength. Additionally, warped plywood is more difficult to install as it will not lay flat and can strain fasteners if forced flat during installation.

Mold

“If you pull out a sheet of moldy plywood at the store, put it back and keep looking,” Bernacki says. Mold indicates plywood with a high moisture content from improper storage or exposure to the elements during shipping. This is especially troublesome for interior grade plywood as “it’s not manufactured with exterior-grade glue, so if it gets wet that can cause delamination,” Fagnund says. Installing moldy plywood can also pose health risks to those with allergies or pre-existing conditions.

Tips to Preserve Plywood

Before use, store plywood properly to preserve its strength, shape and integrity.

• Lay plywood flat and store horizontally. Don’t lean it against a wall or risk warping or curving.
• Store plywood in a cool, dry spot to prevent moisture build-up and mold growth.
• Elevate plywood 6 to 12-inches off the ground with wood strips or pallets to promote air circulation and prevent moisture damage.

About the Experts

• Dave Fagnund is the third-generation owner of Fleury Lumber Company, a full-service lumberyard in Easthampton, Massachusetts, in business since 1948. He started working there in 1975 and has been running the company for 35 years.
• Chris Bernacki owns Hickory Property Services in Holyoke, Massachusetts. He brings more than 30 years of experience in the trades as a licensed contractor.

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4 Essential Home Design Tips to Beat the Winter Blues

Living through the endless gloomy days and icy temperatures of winter takes a toll on your mental health. If you’re one of many who can’t remember the last time they saw the sun, bring the sunshine indoors instead! Mood-boosting home decor is a great way to fight seasonal depression. The right paint colors, lighting, and even decorative accessories can help elevate your spirits when the view outside is less than inspiring.

We spoke to both an interior designer and a creative wellness expert to offer decorating tips that will brighten your home and your mood through these long winter months.

How Home Décor Impacts Your Mood

Our surroundings have a big impact on our mood, even when we don’t realize it. “When visual input hits the eye, the signal splits into two paths,” says wellness expert Dr. Eleni Nicolaou. “One path heads to the visual cortex, which is the area of the brain that helps us see the room. The second path heads directly to the amygdala, which is the area of the brain that manages our emotional responses and threat detection.”

This means that an uninviting room with harsh lighting and clutter will heighten our sense of alertness and can make us feel anxious. Whereas a warm and cozy room has the opposite effect. “Your heart rate will slow down, and your cortisol (stress hormone) levels will decrease,” says Nicolaou. “Since you are indoors more during the winter months, these subtle cues add up each day.”

Best Lighting for Beating Winter Gloom

So how can you make your home a cheerful escape from the cold outdoors? Start with the right lighting. “Softer lamps with warmer tones can create a safe and more relaxing environment to burrow into during these darker months,” says interior designer Claire Summer-Jones. “That harsh, overhead ceiling fixture can be too bright, causing eye strain, headaches and even overstimulation.”

Use multiple sources of light, including table lamps, floor lamps, and wall lighting, to create dimension and an inviting atmosphere. Control the light with a dimmer switch so you can create soft lighting at night and brighter light during the day.

Choosing Mood-Boosting Colors

Color definitely has an effect on your emotions and behavior; so paint colors that boost mood, increase energy, and encourage optimism can help fight seasonal depression. “The colors that are going to actually improve your mood are those that remind your body of warmth and daylight,” says Nicolaou. “Terracotta, soft yellows, and peachy hues simulate the color temperature of sunrise and sunset that produces serotonin in your brain.”

If repainting isn’t an option, use cheerful colors generously with big pieces of art, peel-and-stick wallpaper, or in your textiles like bedding and pillow covers.

Adding Natural Elements

When the view out your windows is nothing but gray skies, bare branches, and icy roads, it’s important to add touches of nature to your interior. That way, you can have the hope of spring right inside your living room. A vase full of faux greenery, or a real plant if you have a green thumb, can do wonders for your mental health. Incorporating natural materials like wood and stone also helps ground the space and reminds you of the beautiful outdoors.

Create Cozy Spaces

The bottom line is, you should think of your home as a cozy cocoon that protects you from the dreary weather outside. When you look around at your decor, you should feel a burst of happiness—which can help keep seasonal depression at bay. “Surround yourself with colors and pieces that bring you joy! Bright and bold colors, art that shows a sense of humor—accompanied by some seriously cozy blankets and throws—will bring that happy-sunshine feel in the depths of this cold!” says Summer-Jones.

FAQ

Should I avoid dark colors completely?

Not necessarily. “Dark colors could be oppressive or cozy—it depends on the color temperature itself,” says Summer-Jones. “A rich, dark green can be cool and soft with more blue mixed in, or can be warmer and vibrant with more red. The undertone of the color makes a huge difference, more so than if the color is simply dark or light.”

Can clutter make seasonal depression worse?

“Yes, and the reason for this is because your brain is continuously scanning your environment for potential threats or items that require your attention,” says Nicolaou. “Clutter causes your visual cortex to process multiple objects at once. As a result, your stress levels increase because your brain interprets the clutter as uncompleted tasks.”

About the Experts

• Dr. Eleni Nicolaou is an Art Therapist and Creative Wellness Coach. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a research background in the impact of environmental aspects on mood regulation and stress response.
• Claire Summers-Jones is an interior-focused maker, DIY educator, and owner and founder of Beech Tree Studio. A big part of her work with clients centers around how spaces in your home affect mood, focus and mental health.

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