Home Decor for ADHD

What? You didn’t realize that your ADHD dictates the way your house looks?

Oh wait. I guess you knew that.

But I’m not talking about clutter or lack of organization. Well, not just those things.

Of course you realize that your ADHD makes it harder for you to keep things the way you would like them. And if there’s just plain too much stuff in your house, you can let your ADHD take some credit for it, but not all. After all, you still have the option of clearing it out and getting rid of it.

Use ADHD as an explanation - up to a point - but not an excuse.

The real point of this article, though, is to talk about decorating your home in an ADD friendly way.

My late mother-in-law used to jokingly wish for a stainless steel home with drains in every room and floors that slanted down. All level surfaces, like tables, would also be slanted down. That way, piles of stuff couldn’t accumulate on them. And when she needed to, she could just hose the whole place down.

Not anyone’s idea of home.

I think that most of us want a home that feels like home. Comforting and safe. Cozy and warm. A refuge, a calm retreat.

Now of course there are times when our homes are awash in chaos. We’re raising a family, and all families - even non ADD ones - generate a certain amount of chaos now and then.

But your surroundings don’t have to reflect and encourage that.

So how does one decorate a home with an eye towards ADHD?

Think soft, soothing colors. Lighting that works without glare. Comfortable seating and bedding. Soft textures. Not too much stuff.

If you’re in a room that requires concentration - like doing homework - keep distractions to a minimum. Not too much stuff on the walls, especially anything too colorful or vivid. Think of the average kindergarten room - there is stuff to look at and see everywhere. It’s meant as a learning rich environment, but when you have ADHD, it’s just visual noise.

I remember visiting the home of a woman years ago who was in love with the country style. There wasn’t a square inch - literally - on her kitchen wall that wasn’t covered with something or another. I don’t think I could function in that room.

Now think about the way a spa might look and sound and smell and feel. You relax just thinking about it. That’s a really good vibe to go for when decorating a bedroom or bathroom. (Think about the place where you or your kids get ready for the day. Are there lots of distractions there?)

Check out this master bedroom from Nesting Place - one of my favorite ever blogs. Don’t you relax just looking at it?

Nesting Place

Now maybe all of us don’t have the Nester’s talent when it comes to decorating. But we can look at her room and try and make ours feel a little bit more like it.

And that’s home decor for ADHD.