DECATUR - After moving into her Decatur home with her husband a year ago, Amy Brammer took on the fun-filled but busy task of decorating and transforming each room into a model of her unique ideas.

Brammer had three Asian-inspired art pieces and a.;piece of artwork a friend brought back from Fiji that she knew she wanted to use as decoration. She also knew she wanted to paint one room in "earthly, serene" colors.

After finding a deep brown bedspread and golden-colored sheets, using some ideas from magazines and putting her creativity to work, a space in one of her guest bedrooms emerged into what Brammer has dubbed her "Zen room."

"I tried to keep the room very simple in decor and used pieces with clean lines," she said. "The accent pieces I have in the room came along as I saw something interesting, like green vases. Before I knew it, it all just came together. I really love the whole.;feel of the room."

When decorating a home, more can be taken into consideration than just what picture to hang on the wall or what pieces of furniture to order. There are several simple things that can be done around the house to keep you and your family healthy by reducing stress and inducing serenity, as well as preventing illness and infection.

"Your home is a huge component of a healthy lifestyle; it can make such a tremendous difference in your health and your life," said Mellanie True Hills, founder and CEO of the American Foundation for Women's Health and author of "A Woman's Guide to Saving Her Own Life: The Heart Program for Health and Longevity." "Your home is a retreat and a way of getting away from the rest of the world; it can help alleviate stress."

For example, who wouldn't want to walk into a home and be greeted with a breath of fresh air? Air cleaners relieve stress and help you sleep more restfully by providing white noise that blocks out background noises. Additionally, the clean air helps to reduce illness and infection in the house, Hills said.

Air fresheners, on the other hand, may not solve the problem and actually make it worse, said Michelle Miller, founder and researcher of SaferBuilding.

com, a Web site that provides construction and remodeling research from a health perspective and offers educational materials about safe household maintenance.

"Instead of freshening

the air, (air fresheners) interfere with your ability to smell," Miller said, "and a lot of them contain toxins. They can affect other people, like second-hand smoke, and the residue can remain on the walls."

The same goes for some pieces of furniture, which can contain toxins, and most paints, which contain volatile organic compounds that evaporate and can cause health problems such has heart, lung and kidney damage, according to SaferBuilding.com. No-VOC paints can greatly reduce the risk of exposure to toxic chemicals, Miller said.

The actual color of the paint should also be given strong contemplation to keep a serene atmosphere, Hills said. Bright and deep colors or bold and busy prints are more stressful, making it harder to get to sleep, she said.

"You want soft, neutral colors, which are really soothing," Hills said. "They are more restful, they help dissipate stress and help you sleep better."

Along with the colors in a room, light music and candles are used by many as calming forces.

"I love candles; I find them very relaxing and a great way to lightly scent the house without being overbearing," Brammer said. "Besides, they are an easy, economical.;way to add color to a room that needs a little something."

Painting and decorating, as well as updated flooring, are some of the most popular undertakings as do-it-yourself projects to enhance the home. Hardwood floors with area rugs are a better choice over carpeting, which provides a home for pesticides to settle as well as other harmful substances that can get tracked in from the outdoors, Miller said. If installing hardwood flooring, it is important to remember to cut the wood outside or vacuum up the shavings to eliminate wood dust, which is a human carcinogen, she said.

Keeping a clean home doesn't just stop with chores such as vacuuming or dusting, however. Organization puts your mind and body at rest, Hills said.

"Unfinished projects and stacks of things sitting around are weighing on your mind constantly and can actually increase your blood pressure," she said. "A movement to simple living helps to manage stress and promote healthy living both inside and out of the home. Having order and fewer things in the home can make a huge difference."

Courtney Klemm can be reached at cklemm@herald-review.com or 421-6968.

Ideas

Additional tips for a clean and carefree home:

* Use unscented candles to reduce exposure to artificial chemicals

* Decrease noise with drapes or shades on windows, overstuffed chairs or fluffy comforters or pillows.

* Mix one part vinegar with three parts water as an alternative to traditional cleaners, which can contain toxins, to clean kitchens and bathrooms. Don't use on stone or wood, however, as the vinegar will stain the wood or remove the sealant from the stone.

* Simple, functional furnishings and surroundings promote order and are more restful and less stressful.