From death rooms to social living rooms to private living rooms where you spent most of your time during the pandemic, the living rooms have a fascinating history.
In the last 120 years, this one corner of the home has gone through many changes. Initially, it was only the space used to receive guests known as a parlor. Socio-cultural realities like world wars, influenza outbreaks, the evolution of the class system led to an increasing need for people to separate their personal and public lives. Rampant Influenza outbreak after the first world war pushed people to turn their parlors to rooms where they kept the dead, to mourn for longer. After the outbreak was controlled, these death rooms were livened up to indicate the return of socialization. That is when the social ‘living room’ came to be. These were ornate and luxuriously designed to indicate one’s social standing.
Thus the living room evolved as a space that was exclusively for people who came from the outside. What started out as space cut off the primary living area, reserved only for guests; in our modern apartment lifestyles, has become where a majority of leisure time is spent.
The living room is not just a reflection of you for an outsider anymore, rather it is your constant personal environment. In the two years of the pandemic and lockdowns, personal and public, private and social spaces have merged all into one, your immediate surroundings. How you set them up defines your overall wellbeing, but did you know it also defines the overall well-being of the planet.
More and more mind-body studies now show the need to pay close attention to how you design your immediate surroundings, it is time to start making mindful choices about what stays in with you.
Create your own eco-friendly oasis with accessories and decor that speaks for you and for the planet. Rugs, throw pillows, and artwork can set the tone of an area. At the same time, your living space influences your overall behavior and motivation to act. A green earth-friendly living environment can significantly reduce stress and keep you inspired. Studies show that a healthy and pleasing environment can do more than improve your mood, it can also have a positive impact on your immune system.
So how do you use your living room, and what more can you get from it? Start exploring earth-friendly additions for your personal environment.