The art of joy
Forget new year, new you. In a month so often twinned with self-betterment, we’re championing self-love instead. From little rituals for a calming mindset to joyful décor and immersive experiences, join us each week as we focus on the brighter side of January, with expert tips and inspiration to start your 2026 off on the right foot. Winter blues? We don’t know them.
The art of joy competition
To round off our joyful series, we’ve partnered with our friends Lumie, Our Place, Citizens of Soil, This Works and Papersmiths to bring you a mood-boosting giveaway worth £700.
You could win:
• 1x £250 Patch voucher
• 1x Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300
• 1x Our Place Always Pan 2.0 in Spice
• 1x three-month subscription to Citizens of Soil's Olive Oil Club
• 1x This Works Deep Sleep bundle
• 1x Papersmiths notebook
Enter here to win a joyful bundle
UK only. Giveaway opens 25th January 2026 and ends midnight 31st January 2026. One winner will be contacted via email after 2nd February 2026. Read our full terms and conditions here.
Week 4: Finding joy at home
Add cheer with mood-boosting décor
Whether through colour, plants, tactile textures or sentimental treasures, there are so many ways to inject cheer into interior design. To inspire your cheerful home updates, we turned to founder of Studio Rhonda, Rhonda Drakeford, whose mood-boosting interior designs pair vibrant colours with cosy, earthy tones.
Light up your life with Lumie
Light is the strongest synchroniser of our circadian rhythm. When we spend lots of time indoors in dimly lit environments, and when daylight hours are limited, many of us experience a dip in our mood and energy levels. Bright light therapy lamps mimic natural daylight, replacing those much-needed natural cues. Using them in the morning and early afternoon gives us that energy boost, while warmer tones help us to unwind in the evening.
Week 3: The joy of creativity
We’re all about finding joy in the little moments, but we’re also advocates for carving out time for big, intentional moments too. As part of our month-long series The Art of Joy, we encourage you to switch off your phone and immerse yourself in the thing that brings you happiness – whether that’s getting creative with a new hobby, finding serenity in a sound bath, or reconnecting with the natural world. For painter Mehreen Sofia, joy comes from art – created by herself or another – as well as the natural world that inspires her ideas and sparks creativity. We spoke with her about her dreamy paintings, her love of the V&A, and art as a form of notekeeping.
Week 2: Nourishing body & soul
Our recipe for joy? Delicious (and nutritious) dishes that taste as good as they look, made with beautiful crockery and served on even more joyful tableware. For a little foodie inspiration, we turned to private chef and caterer Hannah Pomfret for a tasty dish that’s easy to whip up and even easier to tuck into.
Week 1: Little rituals at home
Start slow. With a whole year stretched out in front of you, there’s no rush to make a change. Ease yourself in by carving out time for you, with little rituals that focus on promoting a calm and positive mindset.
Give yourself space to reflect
Journaling is a simple but powerful practice that supports creativity, emotional wellbeing and self-expression. It doesn’t need rules – just time, space and a page to turn to. Set aside 10 minutes, whether daily or occasional, and write down your thoughts. Our friends at Papersmith have a beautiful collection of journals, notebooks and pens to make the habit feel even more inviting – whether you prefer guided prompts, clean lined pages or something more free-form. Pick up a pen and get writing.
Rest easy
It can be tempting to start the new year full pelt, but there’s no harm in prioritising rest instead. Our friends at This Works believe a restorative sleep is built through intentional habits that start way before bedtime. Begin by taking short breaks during the day to lower your cortisol, and try to get natural light in the morning and afternoon to support your circadian rhythm. Eating dinner earlier will help your body wind down before bed. As you get closer to sleep, a warm bath with This Works’ deep sleep beauty soak releases the tension of the day, while the calming deep sleep heavenly candle tells your body it’s time to slow down. These small nightly cues, along with a spritz of the deep sleep pillow spray, act as a signal to unwind.
Make time for nature
Helping to create a sense of calm, boost productivity and reduce stress, even the littlest leaves can have a big impact on your wellbeing. Finding time for nature each day will help you feel better, brighter and more connected with the outside world. Take a walk outside during the daytime – being outside in the natural light will help support vitamin D levels and increase your energy. When indoors, your plant care routine can nurture both your wellbeing and your plants’ – watering them and pruning unruly leaves are practical ways to support your plants’ growth and help create a mood-boosting routine for yourself.
