Mint, Design and Emotion

Do you love mint? Mint is the cure all -when you have a stuffy nose or a headache, take a sniff out of a mint essential oil bottle– it will open up your sinuses!

I love to combine mint oil with lemon and orange essential oils. It makes my studio smell so good. I am using this aroma cocktail for one of my design projects too. With my client, we experimented how many drops of each for her aromatherapy steam system and she finds it delightful! It brings her back to family vacations while growing up.

Here’s the recipe:

• 8 drops peppermint essential oil
• 4 drops lemon essential oil
• 4 drops orange essential oil

Have you ever thought how aroma can trigger certain emotions from your past? Does the smell of chocolate chip cookies in the oven or the smell of the ocean bring you back to a certain place?

Scientific studies are linking the architecture of the brain with our emotions. My interest is to also understand how our emotions relate back to home design. There are two things I keep in mind:

1. Designing spaces with the primitive and memory brain in mind is key.
2. Influencing a feeling is critical to consider when designing one’s home.

Let me explain the construct of the memory brain and primitive brain and how that relates to design:

The memory brain handles a neurological network which allows us to connect a web of memories. As social beings, our brain wants to find out how we fit into our environment. For example, I remember an emotionally relevant memory about myself. When I see mint in any supermarket, I automatically think of a pleasant memory in the past – yes, a mint julep cocktail while in Savannah but also smelling a mint leaf while walking around a leather tannery in Morocco. Consequently, I have a positive regard toward mint anytime I see it in a store.

The primitive brain handles fight or flight emotional responses and instinct. When assessing a situation, the primitive brain wants to know: am I safe or should I run? Do I feel happy and comfortable, or do I feel stressed? For example, fire evokes emotions, and a fireplace elevates the home. In my own home, I incorporated a tabletop fire element, and it adds aesthetic value and joyful, safe feelings.

With my design approach, poetic modernism®, I dive into how the memory and primitive brain works and will respond to various design elements and most importantly the way design elements can influence emotional responses. I use emotion to create stimulating environments and ultimately generate a positive experience in the home.

Through emotion and design, your poetic home becomes a place that improves your quality of life and wellbeing.