Have you ever walked into someone else’s house, and instantly felt at home? Maybe it was your grandmother’s house, or your great aunt’s, or maybe it was the house you grew up in. It felt warm. Inviting. Cozy. Personal. Interesting. Unique. Familiar. Just…good. Just…HOME.
Maybe it was bright and airy, filled with houseplants, teapots, and floral paintings. Or, maybe it was dim and snuggly, with blankets draped on a squishy sofa, just waiting for you to come cuddle in. Either way, it felt like a place that someone created over time, adding their personality, their collections, their treasures, their life experiences – both happy and maybe even sometimes heavy. And maybe you glanced around and thought, “where did they GET that amazing piece of pottery…and what is the meaning behind this strange but intriguing trinket that’s perched so proudly on the kitchen window sill?”
You know that feeling, don’t you? It’s a feeling I aim for in my own home, and it’s a feeling that I hope I can help you achieve in yours. To walk in to your house and feel at home is a feeling like no other. So, let’s add these details to your house that, when you walk in the door, make you feel happy, and relieved, and refreshed, and warm, and peaceful, and fuzzy, and comfy, and content, and… and… and …HOME.
Now, I am going to share some suggestions for making your house feel a heck of a lot more “homey.” These are small details that make a BIG impact on the overall feel of your home. With just a bit of thoughtfulness and effort, you, too, can have a house that feels like home.
1.Personalized Prints: Print them. Frame them. Hang them. Prints can convey SO much. Serene or bold. Bright or Subdued. Its all up to you, and this is where your personality comes into play.
You love horses but you don’t have a single photo of a horse in that house of yours? Get on that, girl. Because I LOVE shopping small, I always recommend shops on Etsy when I can. I chose this floral print for my living room gallery wall (found here). I just loved the daisies because they brought so much contrast in my otherwise light and mostly neutral space.
2. Comfy Cozies: And by this, I mean pillows and blankets. They aren’t just for beds, my friend! Seriously…who DOESN’T want a snuggly blanket or soft pillow to get comfy with on the couch at the end of a long day?
And how much at home do you REALLY feel without those things? It’s an absolute MUST in our home to have throw blankets within arms’ reach at all times. We keep a variety of lighter ones during the summer, for when the AC has been ranked for too long –ha! And in the winter, you can bet that I have got some super thick and much more couch coma-inducing blankets hanging around.
3. A “Drop Station” : The “hang your hat” and “kick off your shoes” mentality is not just reserved for when you are a guest in someone else’s home –I promise! Having a place to offload my shoes, coat, and bag/purse is really an important aspect of our home. It not only helps keep things tidy and a little less chaotic, but its basically equivalent to a heavy sigh of relief when I walk in the door. I take the weight off, take a deep breath, and I am home. Work or school or errands will resume tomorrow. I love to make our little drop zone personal with a few details, like a chalkboard and something happy, like greenery, to greet us when we come in. This is also where my kids hang their backpacks and where they leave their stinky shoes. Win-win!
4. Unique/Quirky Details: Remember your aunt’s house that we discussed earlier? Her house felt the way it did, not because it was perfectly decorated, but because it had character. It had her unique style and her quirky personality! And, friend, quirky is GOOD. Say it again for those in the back: QUIRKY IS GOOD. We aren’t trying to style up a house that feels like someone else’s.
That warm, fuzzy feeling comes when we put a piece of us into our homes. So…that elephant bowl your daughter made you in second grade? Display him proudly on your guest bathroom counter, holding her hair ties and bobby pins. The cactus your dad gave you last Mother’s Day, that you’ve never been sure where to put because, frankly, its kinda weird looking but you love it anyway? Find a place for ol’ Prickly TODAY. Because these are the things that make our story and these are the things that should make our home!
I am 100% NOT advocating that you keep every trinket, Happy Meal toy, or math work sheet that your child brings home from school. But I AM encouraging you to take the things that hold meaning and sentiment to you and do anything but hide them away. Find a way to fit them in, even if they aren’t perfect or stylish according to the trends. Oh, and its also ok if they aren’t meaningful things but just kind of cool, interesting, or unique! That old, chipped paint by number you found at the thrift store – the one that called to you – bring it home if you love it, and let it become a part of the story your house will tell. There are also things that can be done so that these things “fit in” with your other décor, but that is for another post 🙂
5. Lighting: Don’t run away. I know lighting is a topic that freaks some people out, because we automatically think “expensive” and, if you are like me, you are probably also considering just how many dang options will be out there to choose from and make you all confused and anxious (or is that only me? Hmm…). But fret not. When I say “lighting,” I am talking ambiance. YES, big expensive lighting fixtures can make SUCH a…well…BIG difference in a space, but this post is all about the LITTLE details. So let’s focus there first!
Consider adding puck lights, twinkle lights, mini lamps, floor lamps, and candles (love battery operated candles especially!) to your rooms. I PROMISE they will make you feel all comfy cozy and at home, even in the summer time when it might feel counter-intuitive!
