5 Hacks to Make Your House a Home

What’s the difference between a house and a home? Besides the obvious answers like having all your stuff there, having family pictures up, and the fact that you sleep there every night, you might assume this topic could get a little abstract.

“Home,” isn’t exactly a theme or a style that we can design — or is it?

If you’re looking to make your house aesthetically feel more like a home, whether you’ve just moved in, or you’ve been looking around and feeling like it’s not quite right, I have good news; it’s entirely possible to do this!

Here are some design hacks that will make your house feel more like a home:

1. Start with Lighting: Nothing is more important than having good light to create a feeling of “home.” Start by looking at your lighting situation. Figure out how many lights you have set up and ask yourself, “am I lighting my house with overhead lights?”

   If you are, you should immediately change that. Overhead lighting creates a feeling of distance that can make a room feel impersonal and aloof. It’s better to focus on having clusters of Illumination.

   Also, look at what types of light bulbs you are using. There are warmer light bulbs and cooler light bulbs. Use warmer light bulbs around 3000 Kelvin and stay away from the cooler light bulbs, which are 5000 Kelvin hue light bulbs. Cooler light bulbs are used in more office-type areas, whereas warm light bulbs are going to feel more inviting and cozy.

   Candles are another lighting option. Of course, you shouldn’t light your entire house with candles … Too many candles could become a fire hazard. However, a few candles spread throughout the house will make night-time feeling more relaxing.

   Bonus-tip: scented candles are an excellent way to accentuate your home. The fresh smells have a way of putting the mind at ease.

2. Use Flowers and Foliage: Living things like plants and flowers have a unique way of breathing life into space. Perhaps we humans are just inherently drawn to nature in some way. You’ll find that strategically placing plants around your home will instantly transform the space into something that welcomes you in and makes you feel like you belong there.

   If you don’t want real plants or fresh flowers because of how expensive they are, you can go faux. You should, however, avoid silk faux and instead go for plastic faux — they last forever, and there are some very realistic options nowadays.

3. Add Rugs: If your house has laminate, tiles, or hardwood, chances are that in the winter, it’s going to get chilly under your feet. Having cold feet is not conducive for that “ah, it’s nice to be home feeling.”

   Rugs will help bring more insulation to your rooms, making them a bit warmer. You might also consider rugs in other non-primary rooms in your home, like in hallways and kitchens, and bathrooms.

   Another thing that rugs are great for is reducing the echoes in larger rooms. You may have noticed how a room that’s large and prone to echoes immediately makes your house feel less welcoming, and therefore less like home. Rugs are your best friend if you’ve got a room like this.

4. Consider Your Windows: Drapes keep your heat in the room in the winter, but they also add an extra layer of softness to your rooms. Hanging drapes also reduces echoes, so apply this tip in your larger, echo-y rooms as well.
5. Hang Artwork: You want to try to avoid blank walls. It’s not cozy when you walk into an empty room with nothing hanging on the Wall. You can have one single piece of artwork hanging on a big blank wall, but make sure that if you do, it’s an intentional choice and not just that your artwork was an afterthought.

   There are many affordable options that you can get online if you’re not in a place where you can buy original artwork, or if you’ve got an artistic streak. You feel comfortable displaying your art, you might consider making some with certain rooms in mind.

With these house-hacks in your arsenal, hopefully, you’re feeling ready and inspired to transform your house into the home of your dreams. If you’re looking for more advice as far as goal-setting and home-planning, or if you’d like to start looking for your new home … give me a call: [ai_phone href=”+1.301.208.2288″]301.208.2288[/ai_phone] Or email me: [mail_to email=”[email protected]”][email protected][/mail_to].