Most of us are a little too well-defined by “busy.” We are continually shaken up by the demands of jobs, families, freeway commutes, event planning (hello, holidays) and the like.

There actually are a few people who thrive in a kinetic home, but most of us just want to relax when we’re home. Home is where you begin and end each day, and so it should be a restorative place; it should bring balance to your routine.

Balanced room, balanced mood. By Victoria Hagan.

There are lots of ways to “calm down” your home decor. One of them is with symmetry.

This room is one big gulp of fresh air.

This does not mean your room has to be a mirror image of itself (even though the picture above is amazing!). Symmetrical details work just fine. Doubling up on chairs, lamps or wall hangings make a big difference in a room’s feel.

Even a little symmetry has a calming effect. By Mary Strong.

Balance the whole room…

…Or just a part of it.

Since we don’t all have an identical bed or sofa to spare, a more practical approach may be to use lamps, candles or vases. Order in the home comes in many forms, but will always help you unwind when you’re there.