Art as Therapy: 8 Relaxing Household Objects to Paint This Weekend

Summary

• Art therapy offers a simple and effective way to reduce stress, express emotions, and improve overall mental well-being through creative activities.

• Everyday household objects like vases, mugs, bottles, cupboards, and candles can be transformed into meaningful art projects that promote mindfulness and relaxation.

• Healing does not always require complex solutions; a few colours, a paintbrush, and creative expression can bring calmness, joy, and emotional balance into daily life.

We live in a world full of stress and uncertainty, where people are constantly juggling responsibilities, expectations, and emotional burden. While children are struggling with academic pressure and social expectations, adults are battling career anxieties and financial insecurities; the elderly often grapple with loneliness, health concerns, and emotional neglect. Amid the chaos, people have forgotten how to pause, breathe, and simply exist without feeling overwhelmed.

Anxiety and stress are no longer emotions that should be taken casually. They are major health concerns now. That is why people take occasional breaks to destress themselves. For some, a short vacation feels like the perfect escape from the monotony of daily life. Others seek comfort in music, shopping, meditation, or spending time with loved ones.

Contemporary artist and painter in India, Shantala Palat, however, believes that there is a much simpler solution waiting right inside our homes. How about using art as a therapy? Sounds strange? Well, perhaps not.

What is Art Therapy and How Does it Work?

In simple words, art therapy is a healing technique in which people use paintbrushes, colours, shapes, etc., to express their emotions. Sometimes various emotions like grief, anxiety, loneliness, trauma or fear remain buried deep inside us, and art becomes a medium of releasing those emotions in a calm and comforting way. It allows people to express what they often cannot put into words. It need not be a perfect artwork. Here, the sole focus is on inner healing, self-discovery, and emotional release.

Let’s take a quick look at the benefits of Art Therapy:

1. Stressbuster - It reduces cortisol levels, our body’s primary stress hormone, and keeps our mind calm and relaxed.

2. Stimulates Cognitive Abilities - Art therapy works wonders for your brain. It keeps your brain engaged and focused, thereby allowing the brain to heal and restore itself.

3. Improves Self-esteem - Art Therapy improves your self-esteem by helping you express yourself freely without the fear of being judged. You feel a sense of pride in the work you’ve done after going through a lot of challenges.

4. Pain Reliever - Yes, it helps you forget your pain by keeping you distracted from the stress, anxiety and painful thoughts.

“Art therapy reminds us that healing does not always begin with words. Sometimes, a simple paintbrush, a splash of colour, and an ordinary object can become a quiet refuge where stress fades, emotions find expression, and the mind rediscovers peace.” — Shantala Palat, Contemporary Artist, Abstract Painter and Fine Art Painter

Shantala Palat shares 8 household objects that we can paint as part of Art Therapy:

1. Flower Vase

Let’s start with something as simple as a plain flower vase that’s kept at the centre table of your living room. Pick up a brush, dip it into the colours of your choice, sketch delicate petals, and add little details with every gentle stroke. Slowly, your mind begins to drift away from stress, overthinking, and the noise of everyday life.

As you focus on blending colours and creating something beautiful, a strange sense of calm takes over. Sometimes, emotions that are too difficult to express in words quietly find their way onto the canvas, making the entire experience feel deeply soothing, healing, and wonderfully therapeutic.

2. An Old Wooden/ Metal Trunk

Think of that old wooden/ metal trunk that is a family heirloom and has been kept carefully somewhere in the house. Simply add some colour to it. Turn it into a beautiful piece of art. The process would ultimately help you rediscover yourself.

Every brushstroke, every colour you choose reflects a mood, a memory, or a hidden part of yourself. The process is calm and relaxing. The intricate details of the trunk tell a story of your ancestors. Let this be little treasure chest filled with memories, gratitude, and healing.

3. Old Glass Bottles

Yet another household item that quietly doubles up as a beautiful form of art therapy is the humble glass bottle. Painting old bottles at home can feel surprisingly calming after a long, exhausting day. The simple act of cleaning, choosing colours, and brushing paint across glass slows the mind and gently pulls you into the present moment. There is something deeply satisfying about turning a discarded object into something lovely and full of life again. It not only sparks creativity but also brings comfort, patience, and a quiet sense of emotional healing without the pressure of being “perfect” at art.

4. Candles

Painting candles can work like a gentle form of art therapy, helping you slow down, breathe, and escape the constant noise of daily life. The soft brush strokes, soothing colours, and quiet focus involved in creating your own designs can ease stress, relax the mind, and even help unspoken emotions flow out naturally, making the entire experience feel deeply comforting and strangely therapeutic.

5. A Tea Mug

Have you ever thought of painting a simple tea mug that you probably use every day? Surprisingly, this tiny creative activity can work like a gentle form of art therapy at home. As your brush glides across the mug and colours slowly come alive, the mind begins to quieten, stress starts melting away, and you feel more present in the moment. There is something deeply comforting about turning an ordinary object into something uniquely yours, something that later holds not just tea, but also warmth, calmness, and little pieces of your heart.

6. An Old Cupboard

How about you add a touch of colour to your old, boring cupboard and turn it into something beautiful? Painting an old piece of furniture can be surprisingly therapeutic. The simple act of sanding, brushing on fresh paint, and watching a dull cupboard slowly come alive brings a strange sense of calm and satisfaction. It lets your mind slow down, keeps stress at bay, and gives you the joy of creating something with your own hands.

7. A Window Pane

Painting a window pane at home can turn an ordinary afternoon into a deeply calming form of art therapy. As colours glide across the glass and sunlight filters through every brushstroke, the mind slowly begins to quieten. Since the artwork is temporary and washable, there is no pressure to be perfect. It becomes a beautiful, carefree way to express emotions, relax the nervous system, and transform your living space into something warm, joyful, and comforting.

8. A Wooden Spoon

The wooden spoon has been lying in one corner of your kitchen for years, unnoticed and ordinary, until a few strokes of paint quietly turn it into something beautiful. Painting a wooden spoon at home can feel surprisingly therapeutic. It slows the mind, encourages mindfulness, and leaves you with not just a painted spoon, but also a lighter heart and a quiet sense of joy.

In a world that rarely slows down, art therapy gently reminds us to pause, breathe, and reconnect with ourselves. Sometimes healing does not require grand solutions. A paintbrush, a few colours, and ordinary household objects are enough to bring calmness, creativity, and comfort back into our lives, one soothing brushstroke at a time.