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Anyone who’s ever attended a concert understands how music connects and uplifts people, and just like those good vibes live bands deliver, recorded music enriches our lives in so many ways. It not only transforms moods, but also greatly enhances homes.  

For one thing, it can help accomplish household chores — spring cleaning or otherwise. In 1937, “Whistle While You Work” accompanied Snow White as she cheerfully tidied up her home, with the help of her animated friends. These days, you can find Spring Cleaning playlists throughout the internet (see box) to make the time fly as you sparkle up your home.  

A 2019 survey by Jelmar, a cleaning product manufacturer, found that 80% of Americans listen to music while cleaning, and 94% of them reported positive feelings while listening to music and cleaning. Music stimulates endorphins in the brain and can distract you from any physical or mental strain, “making it easier to keep going for longer periods of time. Especially if you’re dancing while cleaning,” according to GoodVibesClean.com. 

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Returning home to a clean home from a long day working, on the slopes or running errands helps promote a sense of relaxation, but so does simply walking into a home that welcomes you with uplifting or calming sounds. Kasia Karska, owner of Kasia Karska Design in Eagle, recommends leaving soft (or favorite) music on while you run errands so that when you return, your home envelops you with wonderful sounds.  

And, playing music throughout your day while you’re at home allows you to alternate between tuning into a specific song or simply letting it run in the background. 

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“It enhances the atmosphere in a variety of ways,” said Rys Olsen, owner of Sheltering Sky + Design in Vail. “It has the power to evoke emotion and a sense of comfort and relaxation, and it can boost creativity. The right music can provide a soundtrack for the house. It creates a holistic sensory experience … It for sure enhances our daily life.” 

While some people fill silent voids with television chatter, people like Olsen prefer the harmony of music. 

“I can’t imagine cooking dinner without music, and it can create a festive mood when entertaining guests — you almost have to have it,” he said. 

Well-designed audio and video systems allow you to play music in certain rooms or throughout your home — inside and out — with a touch of a button. They even allow you to stream different genres in different rooms.  

All-weather audio and video technology lets you listen to music outdoors on your deck or in your hot tub. High-end sound systems include a subwoofer, which incorporates satellite speakers that direct sound toward the entertainment area, rather than neighboring borders. Speakers can be installed under eaves or stand in the form of natural-looking rocks, as well plant containers or whimsical creatures, like frogs. 

How design mimics music 

Elements like color, texture and materials form the basis of home interior design, and Olsen views the process of designing a home much like making music. 

“The (musical) artist, producer and designer are uniquely similar,” he said.. 

Just like producers closely listen to and work with musicians, designers collaborate with clients to expand their ideas and create something innovative.  

Olsen explains that most of the best music stems from combining genres — calypso and blues to produce reggae, African beats and Delta blues to create rock, etc. Likewise, he believes timeless design results from combining styles like modern and mountain or traditional “in a way that’s better than any of those two elements. That’s where I plant my feet firmly — in the middle. There are so many options available to us today. … Design is continually evolving. There are lots of different genres (to work with).” 

On the flip side, some designs — just like much of today’s commercial music — simply copycat, he said. 

“There’s a ton of music, and some of it is awful,” he said, extending that metaphor to design. 

Like quality design, inspiring music sets the stage for pleasant living circumstances and even stress reduction. As Michael Franti stated when he opened the summer season at Ford Amphitheater after pandemic shutdowns: 

“Something I learned about during the pandemic was just that sometimes when you get so stressed out … You got to just go out in the woods and scream. You gotta run. You gotta put on some Michael Franti and Spearhead music really loud and jump up and down.”  

Similar to interior design, music includes all kinds of elements that can reduce stress, enhance mood and get us going: Choruses transform into mission statements; verses tug at heartstrings; melodies make us feel like we’re soaring; and beats become part of our rhythm of life.