It’s safe to say there’s a difference between living in a house and living in a home. But what can you do to create that special, homely feel in your own four walls? Follow these simple tips to make your house feel like a home you’re truly happy to come back to.
1: Furniture Arrangement
The arrangement of your furniture is one of the most important things you can do to make a space feel like a home. If you think about it, that’s what a room is – a group of pieces of furniture put together into an enclosed space to live and interact in. It’s always best to arrange them around people – for example, not to put a large, heavy piece of furniture right up against the wall so it blocks people from sitting or walking around. It should be possible to move freely and do what you want, whether it’s watching TV on the sofa, sitting at the table for dinner, or playing with your child on the floor – all without knocking anything over!
2: Keep It Clean and Tidy
Once you’ve arranged your furniture to be functional, the next step is to keep your rooms clean and tidy. A home without any mess feels light, open, and free. And don’t forget an untidy room can actually cause stress – in Japan, there’s even a word for the feeling you get when you see something messy that needs tidying up, which is “hitsuyou na kibun”. Ultimately, a home without any clutter feels more inviting and interesting, especially when you consider buying some storage furniture to keep your things in. And if you can’t keep on top of this yourself, it’s wise to hire a maid cleaning service to do the work for you.
3: Personal Touches
One of the most important elements of making a space feel like a home is to put your own personal touches on it. This doesn’t mean you need to redecorate every year with the most current trends (although it might be fun!), but having your own style and decorating ideas is important. This means everything from hanging up family photos, putting plants on the windowsill, or buying pillows for your sofa that express what you like. If you can create one room in your house that truly feels like it’s yours, it will definitely help the other rooms to feel more comfortable and familiar.
4: Liven Up Your Walls
Your walls are probably one of the most important parts of making a room feel like home – think about how much time you spend looking at them! So why not let them do some of the talking? You can liven up your walls by adding some mood lighting to create a warmer, cozier feel. And don’t be afraid to get creative with where you put lights – such as using light boxes in your hallway or stairs, or putting fairy lights in branches and suspending them across a room for a magical, dreamlike effect.
5: Let in the Light
Light is one of the most important factors in making a room feel comfortable and inviting. This means you should avoid painting your rooms dark colors because they absorb too much light. Make sure there are plenty of windows so natural lighting can come through. And if you’re not blessed with large windows for lots of sunlight, don’t be afraid to decorate with lamps around the room to create cozy pockets of light that will give you a warm, happy feeling.