If you are an introvert, you know—and value—the spaces and places where you can mentally reset, recharge, and feel safe. Although you do enjoy the company of others from time to time, having a space that is not only yours but where you can feel comfortable and secure is of utmost importance. This is why introverts design their homes differently; this sense of ambience and peace is crucial.
Whether you are an introvert, love an introvert, or are thinking about sharing a space with a person who fits this identity, here are a few ways they design their havens differently.
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Neutral Tones & Shades
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Above all else, introverts value serenity. When it comes to designing a home, or the specific spaces within a home, an introvert will consider the colors first.
Walls, both paint and wallpaper, are often light colored, or neutral shades. This not only prevents distraction, but creates a subtleness to the space that doesn’t influence emotions one way or another. It also lends itself to easy accent colors (which an introvert may be inclined to decorate around) and a simplicity of the design itself.
Rooms that have bright or dark tones can evoke aggression, over-excitement, or even anxiety. While these colors are not always negative in an introvert’s mind—and can be used as pops of color throughout the home—they do not lend to the peacefulness and comfort these individuals so desperately crave.
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Low-Stimulus Spaces
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Busy, distracting, and cluttered areas are not preferred for an introvert. In fact, one way introverts design their homes differently is by creating “safe havens” where they can relax without the outside distractions that so often filter into our everyday lives.
These little sanctuaries are similar to dens or quiet rooms—spaces that perhaps do not have any technological devices, pictures on the walls, or for some, even windows. These are rooms that are designated intentionally for recharging, rooms where one can be alone but not feel lonely.
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Cozy, Comforting Objects & Furniture
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Spaces that offer an ambiance of warmth or coziness are much preferred by introverts. Whereas an extrovert may only have a few nooks that offer these vibes, an introvert sets out to design their entire home with this aspect as a priority.
In an introvert’s home, you will often see fuzzy blankets, fluffy chairs, soft rugs, oversized pillows, or sofas near a window. Oftentimes different areas are created with intention—a book-reading armchair, a human-sized pillow in the center of a living room for stretching, a collection of coffee mugs near the breakfast table for morning sipping—the list goes on.
These objects and spaces are not designed by chance or happenstance. The coziness is an intentional vibe, one that cannot and will not be ignored.
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Items That Evoke Positive Emotions
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One of the ways that introverts design their homes differently is by focusing on emotions and how different spaces can influence these emotions. In an introvert’s comfort space, you will often find simplistic pictures or art that convey a specific memory, feeling, or moment in time.
Nothing added to an introvert’s room is done quickly or without thinking—everything is done with intention.
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Sound-Dampening Features
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Items like long drapes, heavy carpets, or even as far as soundproofing textiles that can be upholstered to walls will create sound barriers for those who crave the silence. Something introverted individuals often consider is how to make a space—especially a shared space—quieter in order to provide calm, inspiration, or time for reflection.
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Closed-Concept Over Open-Concept
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Although an open-concept layout is all the rage in modern design, oftentimes introverts will stay away from this because of the flow of both sound and energy.
In an open-concept, voices and music travels faster and louder, echoing off of the walls and creating a sense of fullness. While an extrovert would soak this up, an introvert may feel overwhelmed or stressed by the illusion of being constantly surrounded by others. For those who crave the peace and clarity of intentional isolation, a closed-concept makes a space seem more secure.
An intentionally-designed space can offer restoration for introverts. Although a home is often a place to be shared with others—roommates, family, or friends—there is value in considering the introvert perspective and how/where a sense of stability and security can be established to make a house truly feel like a home.