Sense APPEAL

Harness the power of texture, scent, light, colour and sound to create a space that speaks to all five senses

- CHRISTI NORTIER

There's a reason you can remember the old bakery in your childhood neighbourhood as if you had walked out of there just a few minutes ago. You can feel the solid but springy wooden floorboards underfoot, smell the freshly baked bread, taste the buttery biscuits and hear the bakers chit-chatting as the creaky, saloon-style door swings open and shut. When all of our senses are fired up, we know exactly what to make of a space. And the impression sticks.

Dedicated decorators have long been privy to this sensory secret. Our senses influence how we understand, navigate and relate to a space even when we aren't aware of it- and can tap into our emotions in a profound way. Interior designers have transformed this revelation into an approach called 'sensory design'. The concept: be clear on what emotion you want to evoke, and then carefully curate the materials, colours, scents and sounds to create the ambiance you crave in a specific space. The best part? You can do it too.

Soothing sounds

Not everyone's crazy for wind chimes, but some subtle sounds can go a long way to setting the tone inside your home. Natural sounds can evoke a feeling of peace - think of a trickling water feature - but this can also be replicated using a sound system.

Place a series of Bluetooth speakers across different rooms so you can control what's playing and the volume from the device they're connected to. No matter where you go, the soundtrack will move with you. You can easily find recordings os soothing sounds from nature, like bird calls, waterfalls or waves crashing to bring calm into your space.

You can also choose to simply leave your home dead quiet, with only the sounds from outside, the rain's pitter-patter and natural noise filtering through.