Back from vacation, but please not back to everyday life

Sep 06, 2026

Here in Cologne, the summer holidays ended on Tuesday. This means, officially: summer is over and most vacationers are now back home. For some, this means finally having their own bed, their own shower, and order in their closet again.

For many, however, it means: opening the door, unpacking bags, starting the washing machine, and suddenly all those undone tasks jump out at you. Science even has a word for the post-holiday slump: Post-Holiday-Syn

drome. And the weather in Germany seems to have understood that too, as it's currently just raining.

However, the first step through the door after a vacation also gives us that rare moment of being able to smell our own home. And with the scent, something else returns: the outside perspective.

I find this moment very useful because you can perceive your home in a completely different way for a few moments. When I

then stand in my own apartment doorway again, I look at my apartment like a guest for a few minutes. At first glance, you see what you actually like or dislike. Before everyday life completely catches up with you again, it's worth holding on to this moment briefly. Because who says that the relaxed feeling of vacation can only be enjoyed when traveling?

The fact that we immediately feel more relaxed in a holiday hotel also doesn't come from nowhere. Experts even have a word for this, namely "Servicescape" or sensory design. This involves the conscious staging of a space that appeals to all human senses to specifically create a certain mood. And that truly is a science in itself.

For example: warm, indirect light instead of harsh overhead lighting, or a signature scent that always remains the same so that the brain eventually

automatically associates it with relaxation. Plants, which are proven to reduce stress, natural materials like wood and linen instead of cold surfaces. Tidy, empty surfaces, because clutter measurably raises cortisol levels – i.e., the stress hormone. Textiles you want to touch, like wool blankets or terry cloth, and, very important for hotels, a seating area at the entrance to settle in, so that the brain is immediately re-tuned to pause instead of rushing through upon entering.

And even if none of this helps and we have to say goodbye to the holiday feeling for now: the cozy season is coming soon. I'm already looking forward to autumn, to coziness, to "making oneself comfortable," which is much easier when the sun isn't shining outside. Preferably with a cup of tea in an armchair where you just want to sit for far too long.

In the end, it's as architect Frank Lloyd Wright said: "What does a person need to live? A place to sleep, a place to eat, a place to love." We would add: and precisely this one armchair.
With us, you'll find plenty of choices for just that, and we've picked out some recommendations for you.

Recommendations for being at home: