Home, restful home

Not every homeowner can slip into a hot tub or relax on a zero-gravity recliner after a bad day at the office. Those tubs and sofas can be pricey, and the former need extra space and care.

That doesn’t mean a tubless home can’t bring a measure of tranquillity or comfort.

Homeowners can increase the peacefulness of their den, living room or boudoir with a number of simple but soothing steps.

A fresh coat of paint can be a great way to start.

Blues and greens traditionally are considered to bring about a sense of relaxation, says Lisa Adams, owner of Adams Design in Georgetown.

“Some prefer a harsher blue. It might be more related to Northern light,” Ms. Adams says .

Blues often relate to water imagery, while reds and yellows evoke heat and fire, she says.

“In fact, some hospitals have rooms they paint red so children can vent their emotions because red is such a stimulating color,” Ms. Adams says. Some doctors’ offices install water fountains or fish tanks in their waiting rooms to instill a sense of serenity for potentially anxious patients. Something about water makes a room more inviting, more calming, she says.

Not every client is aware of this color theory, but Ms. Adams says many people intuitively understand how certain colors affect people.

Relaxation and comfort aren’t the first words on the tip of Ms. Adams’ clients’ tongues, but she says it’s the underlying motif in all their requests.

“I want a place where I can put my feet up and listen to my IPod and not have to worry,” she says of their thought processes during the initial consultation.

Homeowners might do just that — worry, that is — if they arrange their furniture without keeping their signature pieces firmly in mind.

“If there’s a focal point in the room, I feel strongly you have to work around it and incorporate that into your design. If you don’t, it’s going to feel uncomfortable,” Ms. Adams says. Homeowners also should consider the traffic patterns a room generates and make sure people don’t have to step awkwardly through any given space.

“You have to take into account how people want to move,” she says.

I. Michael Winegrad, owner of I. Michael Interior Design, based in Darnestown, recently helped a couple create a calm, restful feeling in their master bedroom akin to what one might find in a resort. Mr. Winegrad employed a neutral and monochromatic color palette with a few darker shades for a splash of design flair.

He also relied on natural wood furnishings for a peaceful feeling, explaining that natural wood is a material to which people can relate.

Sally Steponkus, owner of a self-titled interior design studio in the District, says stripping a home of clutter is the first and often easiest way to make it more tranquil.

The choice of floor covering helps, too. “A lot of people don’t realize what rugs do. It really warms up a room,” Miss Steponkus says, adding that homeowners should seek out softer materials that will feel comfortable when someone is walking barefoot on them. “People often pick out rugs that are too small,” she says.

She also recommends adding pillows and blankets in a room for a softer touch and hanging longer panel curtains to finish the look.

Miss Steponkus says the blue and green color rule may be broken in certain circumstances.

For men who want to evoke the mood of a gentleman’s club in their favorite room, she recommends using a rusty red.

Mathilda Cox, who runs her self-titled interior design firm in the District, says a homeowner should try to make the transition from exterior to interior as seamless as possible “to anticipate a gentler environment.”

“In the summer, I take up rugs because they usually are made of fiber or a wool that creates warmth, and we’re looking for a cooler feeling,” Ms. Cox says.

That same cool approach can be used with slipcovers during the summer months. A nice linen slipcover can be far cooler to the touch than a wool surface, she says.

Sometimes a cool and comforting touch can be created with something that never gets touched. Adding stone decor to the room can give the impression of coolness even if it never gets picked up or handled, Ms. Cox says.

Fresh flowers also bring coziness to a room, sometimes just by the scent.

They transport us, she says, and a lavender flower can emit a fresh fragrance to evoke a peaceful state of mind.

“It doesn’t have to be an expensive bouquet. One sunflower is a joy,” Ms. Cox says.

Rich Leahy of Leahy Interiors in the District says lighting shouldn’t be forgotten when creating a peaceful home setting.

The key is dimmer switches, Mr. Leahy says, preferably ones with preset measures so a person can simply fall back on an established setting rather than fumbling for just the right light.

“Constantly having to adjust something is not relaxing,” he says. “There are so many things we think about in our day. We don’t want to have to think about the lighting.”

Another good way to shape a home’s illumination is to limit overhead lighting. The most flattering light often comes from table lamps, Mr. Leahy says. “It gives a more restful experience as opposed to having a hot spot in the ceiling.”

Recessed lighting should be limited and reserved for a room’s corners or to highlight an accent piece of art or furniture.

Assuming money isn’t a main concern, pay for a good fixture on whatever lamp or lighting system you buy, Mr. Leahy says.

“People tend to use cheap fixtures that create a lot of glare,” he says.

Glare even can be a concern for those who rely on natural light, so he recommends light-controlling blinds or window shades to keep the sun’s worst rays at bay.

For relaxation while curling up with a book, Mr. Leahy advises homeowners to rely on a reading lamp for illumination rather than cranking up all the lights in the room to achieve enough light for reading.

That saves energy and also provides some comfort to anyone else who may be using the room to chat or even indulge in some shut-eye.

“Taking a nap under 800 watts of light isn’t necessarily easy,” he says.