A home can be a house, but a house is not always “home.”
Your house shouldn’t feel impersonal…it should be a beautiful, functional and relaxing place that leaves you feeling refreshed at day’s end.
Interior designers know how to use colors, textures and other design elements to transform a house into a home.
If your house doesn’t quite feel like home yet, the following interior design tips are a good place to start the transformation:
Floors
Sound is an often overlooked feature of making a house feel more like a home.
If you’ve ever walked into an empty house you may remember the echo of your footsteps that greeted you as you entered. The sound can feel uninviting…perhaps even to the point of making you feel uncomfortable.
Textiles and furniture absorb sound, making your home quieter and much more inviting.
To help your house feel more like a home, add features that mean something to you. Whether it’s your grandmother’s Persian rug, an auction find that you got at a steal or even something you crafted yourself, choose something for your floors that makes you smile.
Also, consider your lifestyle.
If your dogs will be living in the home with you, real hardwood floors might not be a good idea as accidents can soak up deep into the flooring and their nails can scratch the surface. Something such as laminate wood floors might be a better option.
Babies or young kids at home?
Deep, plush carpeting would be a good choice…it’s much softer than wood flooring on little hands, knees and feet.
Lighting
Poor lighting can make you feel as if you’re living in a dungeon, so unless you’re going for an “Addams Family” look, you need to make sure your lighting both sets the mood and provides ample lighting for your needs.
Lighting tones vary, ranging from yellow to daylight. Yellow adds warmth and daylight creates a soothing feel.
Lighting choices for common rooms:
- Office space – natural lighting
- Bedrooms and lounges – warm lighting
- Kitchen and bath – natural lighting
Light fixtures can make a statement about your home. Want a crystal chandelier? Use one – it’s your house! Love your grandfather’s hand crafted lamp from the 50s? Use it – even if it doesn’t match the rest of your decor’ – because it’s part of your heritage…and it can make your house feel like home!
Artwork/photos
For millennia, people have decorated their homes with artwork that they love or that means something to them.
Much more than simply paintings, artwork can also include murals painted on a feature wall, shadow boxes filled with things found in nature (e.g. shells or stones) wicker baskets or bone china plates…whatever you like and enjoy.
Family photographs can also be considered artwork and can make a powerful statement about what’s important to you.
All of these things bring an element to your space that is uniquely yours as it shows your interests and what you find beautiful.
Special areas
A window seat with fluffy pillows tucked behind satin drapes, a silver floor lamp hanging over a plush chair and footrest, with a large wicker basket on the floor stuffed with balls of yarn…special areas really make a house into a home.
Paint Color
Finally, an obvious way to make your house into a home that you love and enjoy is to choose a color that speaks to you.
While a realtor would probably advise you to stick to modern, neutral colors (to help you sell the house if you plan to sell it in a few years) this is your home, so choose those colors that inspire you and make you happy.
This one simple thing can easily transform your house into a home that you love and look forward to returning to every day.
