If you’re looking to get in better shape, boost your mental health and improve your overall physical and emotional well-being, you no longer need to go to the gym or an expensive spa. All you have to do is walk through your front door.

“Wellness design focuses on the interior environment with a holistic approach to incorporating health and wellness,” says Shelly Lynch-Sparks, founder and principal of the boutique New York City design firm Hyphen & Co.

Timed lighting and temperature settings that sync with one’s circadian rhythm, tranquil color palettes, air purification systems, houseplants and using outdoor elements inside are some of the wellness-promoting features topping current home trends, Lynch-Sparks says.

Whether you’re completing a construction project from the ground up, or simply want to add wellness features to your existing home, these are some elements to consider:

Fresh air

Many wellness-focused designers make air quality a high priority. Although houseplants such as spider plants and aloe vera can remove toxins, including formaldehyde, from the air, specific design features can clean the air in a home as well. “Adequate filtered air in every room is necessary and a building code standard we abide by in every project.

An HVAC system controlled and timed with an app like Nest is energy-efficient and allows for consistent air flow,” Lynch-Sparks says.

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Natural light

Light can be a game changer when it comes to mood. “Light is absolutely key,” says designer Kate Lester, owner of Kate Lester Interiors in Hermosa Beach, Calif. “Open spaces with natural light are (among) the most important benchmarks of each and every one of our design concepts. We often incorporate skylights, transoms over doors or glass-paned doors to add visual division without blocking out light.”

Purified water

Although it isn’t an outward aspect of the home, purified water is important to designers who specialize in wellness spaces. “We work with our clients to have their water tested and add a water filtration system for plumbing throughout their home, whether they are drinking it or using it for bathing. Reverse osmosis filters in the kitchen are our go-tos,” Lynch-Sparks says.

Healthy eating

Designers are integrating thoughtful details that encourage healthy eating. These components can include adequate counter space for meal prep and room for families to wash fruits and chop veggies together.

Veronica Schreibeis Smith, founding principal of Vera Iconica Architecture in Jackson, Wyo., and founding chair of the Global Wellness Institute’s Wellness Architecture Initiative, specializes in what she calls the Vera Iconica Wellness Kitchen, “which brings the same level of convenience the 1950s brought to the kitchen, but this time, it’s centered around nutrient-rich, whole foods,” she explains.

“In the 1950s, there was a proliferation of appliances and food that were brought on to the market designed to save time as more and more women joined the workforce — for example, microwaves and TV dinners.

At the time, the industry focused on the benefits of things like preservatives, highly processed carbs, sugars, thickeners, emulsifiers, etc. The unintended consequences of all this was not just adding undesirable things to our food and ultimately our bodies, but also depleting our nutrient intake,” Schreibeis Smith says.

On the flipside, Schreibeis Smith’s health-minded kitchens showcase environmentally friendly touches that also support good nutrition and include refrigerators with windows that provide instant viewing of healthy foods, large islands that act as prep stations and cellar-like storage geared toward root vegetables.

Workout ready

From cardio sessions to mindfulness moments, wellness designers are careful to include spaces dedicated to healthy activities.

“Creating a space for meditation or fitness is key. An area that is quiet and outside of busy areas in your home is a great place to carve out a spot for your cushion or yoga mat. We like to keep them in areas that are seen every day, so they aren’t forgotten,” Lynch-Sparks says.

Natural surroundings

Nature has been scientifically proved to lift moods and ease depression, and it can be captured indoors.

“When placing windows, we consider how to align them so the users will have a view to nature as well as get enough daylight into all areas so that the spectrum and quality of light benefits eye health as well as healthy hormone production,” Schreibeis Smith says.

Lester, who believes that “plants are life,” always incorporates at least one tree and one potted plant into every room she designs.

Lynch-Sparks prefers air-purifying snake plants for her bathrooms and bedrooms “because they require little light and do not need to be watered often.”

Clean materials

In addition to being eco-friendly, many of today’s building materials strive to ensure healthy bodies. If you’re moving into an older or historic home, Schreibeis Smith advises removing any toxic materials such as lead that are original to the structure and to be mindful of materials that can cause mold and moisture issues.

“Work with a professional to ensure that the bones and hidden cavities of your home are setting you and your family up for success,” she says. “Next, when selecting new materials, a simple rule is the closer to nature the material is, and the less adulterated it is, the healthier it will be for you and the planet.”