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Your laundry room might be small — but it quietly organizes your entire week.

In this episode of Your Home by Design, Nico breaks down laundry room design from a designer’s systems-first, neuroaesthetic perspective. This isn’t about baskets, labels, or Pinterest perfection. It’s about why this room becomes one of the most frustrating spaces in the home — and how thoughtful layout, clear systems, and intentional design can dramatically reduce mental load.

The laundry room is a working system. When it’s unclear, cluttered, or overloaded, it creates friction, unfinished cycles, and background stress. When it’s designed properly, it becomes quiet, efficient, and supportive — without you even noticing.

This episode will help you rethink your laundry room as a behavior-shaping space, not a leftover utility room.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Why the laundry room becomes a catch-all — and how to stop it
• How visual clutter creates cognitive load (even when you don’t notice it)
• Why systems must come before storage or cabinetry
• How layout decisions quietly shape daily behavior
• When stacked appliances, tall cabinetry, or pocket doors actually make sense
• The difference between a thoughtful DIY refresh and a full design overhaul
• How good laundry room design reduces mental fatigue and unfinished cycles

If your laundry room constantly feels chaotic, this episode will help you see why — and what to do differently.

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Free Living Room Know How. Free Bathroom Serenity Guide. Get the Free Guides Here! https://www.yourparo.com/free-guides

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This episode marks my first episode of 2026, and instead of a recap or big resolutions, I want to start the year by slowing things down.

In this episode, we reflect on what our homes have been carrying — what supported us, what quietly weighed on us, and what’s been asking for care and attention. We talk about simplifying not just our spaces, but our pace, our projects, and the way we make decisions at home.

I share why repairing before replacing can completely change how a home feels, how sharing responsibility in a household reduces tension and mental load, and why simplifying visually helps the most meaningful things come into focus. We’ll also explore where it’s worth slowing down and investing in things that last — and why rushing design decisions often works against us.

Throughout the episode, I return to a quiet image that’s stayed with me: a furniture maker carefully restoring an old chair. It wasn’t fast or flashy — but it felt like a reminder of how I want to approach home and life this year.

At Paro, we believe our homes are tools for better living. And sometimes the most meaningful change doesn’t come from doing more — but from slowing down enough to do things well.

Visit yourparo.com for free guides and resources to support you in creating space for better living.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Why slowing down leads to better decisions in your home
• How unfinished spaces quietly create stress and mental load
• The grounding power of repair, maintenance, and care
• How simplifying together reduces tension in shared homes
• Why visual quiet helps meaningful pieces stand out
• Where it’s worth investing for long-term impact
• How rushing design decisions often costs more in the long run

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Website: https://www.yourparo.com

Resources:

Free Living Room Know How. Free Bathroom Serenity Guide. Get the Free Guides Here! https://www.yourparo.com/free-guides

Digital Course: Design Your Home for Better Living https://www.yourparo.com/course

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Lighting is one of the most influential — and most overlooked — design tools we have. In this short exploratory episode, Nico breaks down how lighting shapes the way we feel, sleep, focus, and move through our homes… and why the type of light we use may matter far more than we think.

You’ll hear how interior designers are trained to work with light, why most LEDs contain short wavelengths that signal “daytime” even when they look warm, and what emerging research (including a recent Huberman Lab episode with Dr. Glen Jeffrey) is beginning to reveal about LED lighting and our biology — from sleepiness to glucose levels.

Nico also shares a personal story about an evening spent in candlelight, why long-wavelength lighting like incandescent, halogen, sunlight, , and how these insights connect to her interest of the analog home.

If you’re curious about lighting, wellbeing, and how to design a home that truly supports you, this episode is a gentle introduction — and an invitation to go deeper.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Why lighting is treated as a core “material” in interior design
• The four main types of lighting designers use (and how they shape behaviour)
• How LEDs can look warm yet still emit short wavelengths that affect the brain
• Insights from Huberman & Dr. Glen Jeffrey on LED lighting and glucose regulation
• Why candlelight, incandescent, halogen, and sunlight emit longer wavelengths
• How lighting can be used as a wellbeing tool, not just a decorative choice
• Why room designation matters for mood, rest, and daily rhythm
• What the analog home is — and why people are craving it
• An invitation to explore how light might be impacting you more than you realize

Learn more & get the free Paro guides:
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Website: https://www.yourparo.com

Resources:

Free Living Room Know How. Free Bathroom Serenity Guide. Get the Free Guides Here! https://www.yourparo.com/free-guides

Digital Course: Design Your Home for Better Living https://www.yourparo.com/course

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Today we’re unpacking something light, funny, and surprisingly revealing — the “man cave.” Not the stereotype, but the psychology behind why people retreat to certain spaces and what that means for your home.

You’ll learn the real reasons the garage, den, or basement becomes the default refuge for some people, what makes a room feel like “home,” and why everyone — men, women, and kids — needs a personal zone that reflects them.

We’ll walk through the five core psychological drivers behind familiar spaces, how to co-design a home even when one partner says “I don’t care,” and a simple four-question framework that gets everyone involved in the process.

Plus, you’ll get elevated, practical design tips to upgrade a man cave without stripping away personality — and without turning it into a storage room with a TV.

By the end, you’ll have tools to create a home that supports individuality and togetherness so no one needs to escape to feel like themselves.

Download the free Living Room and Bathroom Guides at yourparo.com for more support.

Key Takeaways

• Why people retreat to predictable, familiar spaces — and why it’s not about isolation
• Five psychological reasons some rooms feel like “home” and others feel neutral
• Why every person needs a personal zone they connect to
• How to co-design shared spaces when one person claims they “don’t care”
• A simple four-question couples design framework
• High-impact design tips to elevate a man cave without stripping personality
• How to use lighting, texture, storage, and “hero items” to create emotional salience
• Why personal space is a human need, not a gendered one
• How co-creating spaces reduces escape behaviour in the home

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Website: https://www.yourparo.com

Resources:

Free Living Room Know How. Free Bathroom Serenity Guide. Get the Free Guides Here! https://www.yourparo.com/free-guides

Digital Course: Design Your Home for Better Living https://www.yourparo.com/course

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Thinking about changing something in your home—but not sure where to start?

In this episode of Your Home by Design, Nico from Paro shares five design moves you can do this weekend to instantly elevate your home and, in turn, how you feel in it. These aren’t trendy hacks or quick fixes. They’re grounded in neuroaesthetic design—how light, flow, and visual harmony directly influence mood, energy, and focus.

You’ll learn how to:
• Start with a conversation that gets everyone aligned
• Fix the lighting to restore calm and regulate rhythm
• Rearrange for flow so your body can actually breathe
• Add art that tells your story
• Create vignettes and space to pause

Plus a simple bonus move that transforms your mindset every time you walk into the room.

Because when your home starts working for you—even in small ways—you start showing up differently in your life too.

🎧 Listen now, and grab Paro’s free Living Room and Bathroom Guides at yourparo.com
.

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Website: https://www.yourparo.com

Resources:

Free Living Room Know How. Free Bathroom Serenity Guide. Get the Free Guides Here! https://www.yourparo.com/free-guides

Digital Course: Design Your Home for Better Living https://www.yourparo.com/course

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In the final episode of the Home by Country series, host Nico Smutylo takes you inside children’s bedrooms around the world to reveal how design can shape calm, growth, and better living. From Denmark’s sense of calm and longevity, to Japan’s adaptable simplicity, to Germany’s structured precision, this episode uncovers how global design philosophies teach children rhythm, focus, and independence—and how you can bring those ideas home.

You’ll learn how a rug or Roman shade can ground the nervous system, how layered lighting supports better sleep, and how furniture height can teach independence. Nico shares eight actionable neuroaesthetic design principles inspired by international interiors—from the 70/30 balance rule to designing for growth and protecting the room’s purpose—to help you create a bedroom that truly supports your child’s mind and body.

Whether you’re redesigning a nursery, a tween space, or a teen’s room, this episode blends neuroscience, psychology, and timeless design to help you build a home that nurtures calm and creativity.

👉 Explore free guides, blog insights, and join the Create Space Digital Course waitlist at yourparo.com
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Website: https://www.yourparo.com

Resources:

Free Living Room Know How. Free Bathroom Serenity Guide. Get the Free Guides Here! https://www.yourparo.com/free-guides

Digital Course: Design Your Home for Better Living https://www.yourparo.com/course

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Have you ever noticed how stepping through your front door can instantly change how you feel? In this episode of Your Home by Design, Nico explores the psychology of entryways — why this often-overlooked space has such a powerful impact on our stress levels, mindset, and sense of belonging.

From Japan’s genkan rituals to the layered warmth of French and Italian foyers and the quiet drama of Moroccan thresholds, discover what cultures around the world can teach us about creating a true moment of arrival. You’ll also hear five actionable design strategies to transform your own entryway — from defining your threshold and layering light to introducing rituals that calm your nervous system.

Because crossing your threshold isn’t just about walking into your house — it’s about shifting from doing to being.

🎧 Listen now to rethink the most overlooked space in your home — and design a better way to come home.

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Website: https://www.yourparo.com

Resources:

Free Living Room Know How. Free Bathroom Serenity Guide. Get the Free Guides Here! https://www.yourparo.com/free-guides

Digital Course: Design Your Home for Better Living https://www.yourparo.com/course

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From Japanese kitchens to Tuscan farmhouses, today we step into the world’s kitchens, and the psychology behind how they’re designed. We unpack what Japan’s precision, France’s layered romance, Scandinavia’s light-filled calm, Germany’s engineered order, Italy’s tactile luxury, and North America’s hosting-first mindset can teach you about your own space. You’ll learn the five make-or-break design factors (flow, storage, light, materials, details) and how to borrow country-specific ideas - like zoning tools to tasks, letting natural light lead, mixing old-world pieces with modern lines, and choosing hardware that feels as good as it looks. This is design with a PARO lens: grounded in neuroaesthetics, centered on everyday living, and tailored to help your kitchen support better cooking, connection, and well-being. Listen in for practical moves you can implement this week.

• The 5 foundations: nail flow, storage zones, layered lighting, durable/tactile materials, and quality touch-point hardware.
• Japan: reduce visual noise; zone tools to tasks; embrace ma (purposeful negative space).
• France: mix old + new; open shelving, patina, marble/stone; prioritize quality over quantity.
• Scandinavia: maximize natural light; lighten materials (oak/pine); create calm, social nooks.
• Germany: invest in engineered organization (inner drawers, tall pullouts, corner solutions) for effortless ergonomics.
• Italy: let stone lead the palette; design for hosting and shared prep; balance rustic + modern.
• North America: treat the kitchen as a multi-use hub; use scullery/butler’s pantry intentionally (define what lives where).
• This week’s micro-moves: swap in warm dimmable bulbs, add one drawer insert per zone, edit 10 unused tools, and upgrade one daily-touch handle or faucet.

Support the show

Website: https://www.yourparo.com

Resources:

Free Living Room Know How. Free Bathroom Serenity Guide. Get the Free Guides Here! https://www.yourparo.com/free-guides

Digital Course: Design Your Home for Better Living https://www.yourparo.com/course