Mental wellbeing, my home and me: Hali Mason’s bright, minimalist home

For this ‘Mental wellbeing, my home and me’ we’re heading to Manchester, Didsbury to be exact, to meet fellow interiors enthusiast Hali Mason in her bright, minimalist home.

I first met Hali on Instagram (of course) and then later bumped into her at a Fredericia event for London Design Festival. Like me, she has an eye for simple design and considered craftsmanship, preferring to live with little but invest in quality. I greatly admire her ethos for steering clear of throwaway trends in favour of timeless pieces that you can cherish in your home for years to come (I just wish I could commit to living with a little less clutter!).

The minimalist home that she shares with her husband and newborn baby, is bright and airy, with white walls, streamlined furniture and eye-catching designs. Just from the images I get a feeling of serenity, a sigh of relief at those clutter-free surfaces and bare walls. It feels like a space where you can just breathe and rest the mind. Indeed, having worked in a fast-paced, high pressure job, Hali’s home became her refuge, the clean, calm and minimal environment helping her to relax.

Here I talk to Hali about her journey to minimalism and the little ways she seeks calm in her simple, pared-back interior, from the importance of a green space to having a good, old clean to get things back in order! If you take one thing away from this interview it’s choose less and choose well. For those choices will have an impact on not just your mood, but the environment too.

All images courtesy Hali Mason

Hey Hali, how are you feeling at the moment?

Hi Cate, I’m doing really well – all things considered. I am currently 8 months pregnant and getting excited to meet our first child. It is quite daunting but at the same time we are thrilled. The first 6 months were a complete write off due to terrible sickness, which I was completely unprepared for, I felt extremely overwhelmed and unable to do anything apart from sleep. Thankfully the sickness has now subsided and despite being quite heavy, I’m now feeling energised and motivated. At the moment my husband and I are busy getting the house organised and ready for the new arrival.

(I should say this interview was carried out in July, so congratulations on your new bundle of joy Hali!)

For those who don’t know you, can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you do?

Hello I’m Hali, I was born in East Africa and I moved to London when I was eight years old. I studied in the North-West of England and now live in Didsbury with my husband. I used to work in the legal sector but I left in order to focus on exploring my passion for interiors/design and I am excited to see where the journey will take me.

How was lockdown for you – what has brought you comfort while you’ve been spending more time at home?

I have spent most of the year at home due to my pregnancy sickness and the pandemic, so I have technically been living under lockdown for seven months!

This time has been more positive than negative for me as it has allowed me to reflect on a lot of things in my life and I can say that my mental health has actually improved. I love the fact that my husband and I have been able to spend more time together. We’ve been lucky enough not to have faced a lot of the tough challenges that lockdown has created for many people. We are also fortunate to have a garden where we can enjoy outside space safely.

Apart from enjoying day to day life, we have also managed to complete a backlog of tasks around the house which has kept us quite busy. One example is a previously unused space which we have transformed into a walk in wardrobe and is a storage dream for a minimalist.

What first drew you to minimalism? Have you always been a minimalist?

I have not always been a minimalist. In my family home my parents always cherished objects and never got rid of anything! I held on to this belief system and used to have lots of colourful objects in my own homes, all on display.

I have always been interested in styling my home, so I would be constantly shopping, buying mass produced furniture and furnishings. I can’t remember exactly what first drew me to minimalism but I do recall one evening when tidying my living room, I took everything off my coffee table and other surfaces in order to dust etc. I realised it looked so much better with about 80% less clutter.

This created a kind of model for me that I replicated in different rooms and developed over the years which resulted in my signature pared down look. Also, attending design events such as Milan Design Week, Stockholm Furniture Fair and 3 Days of Design (among others), has really given me an appreciation for good quality design over mass produced copies. This has also impacted my minimalist approach as I am investing in forever pieces rather than trendy, throwaway items.

Do your minimalist surroundings have an impact on your mood?

Yes, absolutely! I used to work in the legal sector in a fast paced, high pressure environment. I would often work late and even on the weekends with little job satisfaction or fulfilment. This had a huge effect on my mental health and it was during this time that I first experienced anxiety and depression. Home was my only refuge and so having a clean, calm and minimal environment really helped me relax.

Thankfully I no longer work in that industry, but I have held on to the minimal surroundings which positively influence my day to day life.

What makes you feel most calm at home – is it a certain object or corner, or is it more an ambience or feeling you’ve created?

The area that makes me feel most calm in my home is probably the master bedroom. I have purposefully designed it to be the most minimal room in the house. The bed faces a large window which looks out on to our garden and all you can see is green foliage. There is an elder tree very near the window and every morning I wake up to the sight and sounds of squirrels, robins, blue-tits, finches etc.

What little rituals help you feel uplifted and inspired in your home?

The first ritual which I always do is making sure that the kitchen is completely clean every evening and the dishwasher is on before going to sleep. You really cannot beat waking up to a tidy home and a clear kitchen worktop.

At the beginning of the year my husband and I tackled our back garden and planted lots of different evergreen, flowering plants. It has become an almost daily ritual to walk around inspecting each rhododendron, lavender, bay tree etc. for any minute growth which we immediately celebrate. It is so wonderful seeing something you planted thriving. Thankfully our garden isn’t overlooked or we might look a bit odd to our neighbours!

What’s the one thing (which isn’t a person or a pet) that you couldn’t live without in your home?

This is a tough question. I would probably say that I couldn’t live without music in my home. Whether we are working, cooking, eating, relaxing or entertaining the one constant is music. We play vinyl records and also use streaming for playlists. There is nothing better to instantly improve your mood and to increase motivation.

What’s the one simple piece of advice you’d give to someone looking to embrace minimalism and create a more pared-back home?

One tip would be to go for quality over quantity and try to avoid trends. I aim to invest in pieces that I consider to be timeless and therefore will be in my home for years to come. Following trends as they come and go can lead to accumulating a large amount of furniture/furnishings or to waste when things are replaced in quick succession. This is not conducive to a minimal home and is not economically or environmentally sustainable.

Thank you so much for chatting to me Hali and letting us peek around your minimalist home! Finally, where can people find you online?

You can find me on instagram @hali.mason and I recently started Pinterest, search: Hali Mason.