Live Life in the Comfort Zone

(ARA) - All of us have to deal with stress at one time or another. It comes with the territory when you have kids, a job, and interaction with others.

“You can’t control the fact that you’re going to have stress in your life. Everyone has to deal with it; but there are steps you can take to prevent it from dominating your life,” says Jeff Hollander, president of Hollander Fashions, a basic and fashion bedding manufacturer, and founder of the Comfort Council. “Discomfort in the home can lead to stress, or more importantly, will fail to relieve the stress one incurs outside the home. Comfort is the major key to happiness.”

The Comfort Council is an independent, objective advisory board of design and lifestyle experts that focuses on educating consumers on the physical, emotional and psychological aspects of comfort. Its goal is to help people make design, decorating and lifestyle decisions that will help them create a relaxing and secure lifestyle. The Council is made up of seven leading home décor and health & fitness experts from around the country.

The Council recently conducted a nationwide poll to figure out where to focus its efforts. Of those polled, 51 percent said they unwind and relax in their living rooms, 18 percent in the garden, yard or on the deck, 17 percent in the bedroom, and the remaining 14 percent in other rooms of their house.

“I was a bit surprised to find that people consider the living room the most comfortable room in their house,” says Jami Lin, who is a Feng Shui expert, interior designer, and one of the Comfort Council members. “The living room is typically in the center of the house and filled with activity.”

If the living room is indeed the room you go to when you want to relax, Lin recommends you put up some type of barrier between it and the rest of the house. The separation can be done through furniture arrangement and design. “Set your furniture up in such a way that you reduce the traffic level. Make sure there are throw pillows on the couch and if the room is not carpeted, throw rugs on the floor to give it a more relaxed, homey feel. Put the lighting on dimmers so you can soften the mood. Harsh light is not comfortable,” she adds.

The second most popular room in the house to relax in is the bedroom. “It’s also the room where there tends to be the most clutter, which takes away from the experience,” says Lin. “If you have a phone or television set in there right now, get them out. They don’t contribute to the art of relaxation.”

Another simple change Lin recommends is to paint the room with a color that makes you comfortable and get a bedspread and sheets to match. “but stay away from reds because they are too stimulating and active,” she says. “And if you don’t already have them, get some fragrant candles."

No matter what room you decide to make into your sanctuary, free advice on how to make it as comfortable as possible is available to you anytime at www.livecomfortably.com. In addition to offering tips on design, the site offers advice on stress management and other health & fitness issues.

Courtesy of ARA Content