Using FEELINGS To Turn A House Into A Home.
You can’t use your feelings to dictate your decisions, but you can use them to create a haven to live in. Because “Home is a feeling.” Think about how you feel when you smell a campfire in the wind or hear the song you fell in love to playing in the grocery store. Our sensory experiences define our perceptions. Incorporating elements that speak to all five senses will make your home a place that you can’t wait to come back to. A place where friends and family want to gather. Not because it is elaborately decorated, but because it makes them feel something. Consider these simple tips and see if you don’t start feeling better about life just by being home.
1.) Always have a sound source to fill your space with soft background music. Music has a way of connecting a space to an emotion so play music that brings you comfort. Leave it playing softly in the background any time you are home. I love to play the John Mayer station when I’m cooking or have guests, Elton John when I’m cleaning, and praise and worship while I sip my morning coffee. Find what makes you feel inspired and make it a regular part of the experience in your home.
2.) Find a candle that you love and LIGHT it! I buy mine at Bath and Body Works because they are highly fragranced and affordable. My favorite scent for fall is Leaves because it fills my entire living area with a scent that just makes me feel like going to a pumpkin patch. In the summer, I choose a beach scent because it smells like suntan lotion and salty ocean air. I burn Sandlewood in my bed and bathroom when my hubby is traveling because it reminds me of his cologne. For the holidays, it’s Fireside and Pine because that’s just the perfect solution when you have a gas fireplace and an artificial tree. These scents make me feel things simply by association.
3.) Our sense of touch is awakened by texture and we feel more alive in a space that hasn’t ignored this element. Be sure you have some textures playing off of each other. Maybe a natural fiber rug is mixed with a fluffy fur pillow on a velvet or linen covered sofa or bed. A soft woven throw casually draped over a leather chair or fabric ottoman topped with a metal and wood tray. A wall of rough brick, a smooth wood floor, a jute rug, and an elaborate crystal chandelier can combine in a dining room to encourage hours of lingering conversation and laughter. Juxtaposition of texture is key to creating a house that feels like home.
4.) Lamps and dimmer switches are game changers. Visual stimulation in the form of lighting can ruin good design, and even make the most bare space more appealing. Cool white halogen bulbs will make your space feel more clinical than comforting. Go for a softer, warmer bulb and use dimmer switches everywhere possible to tone things down when you don’t need task lighting. They are simple to install as a DIY project that can be done in less than five minutes. I have them in every room, including my bathrooms. Lamps strategically placed throughout a home will provide ambient lighting and instantly make the space feel cozier and more appealing. If you have to use high wattage bulbs for reading, you can also put dimmer switches on your lamps- they simply plug into the cord.
5.) Finally, buy a pretty cake saver for your kitchen island or a cute vintage candy dish to set on your hall table. Fill them with your favorite things and keep them stocked. Nothing says home like a chocolate chip cookie or a little wrapped chocolate. These small details of taste association become a signature that makes your home memorable because it just feels good to be there.
Start simply and apply these guidelines to one room at a time. Go create your BEAUTIFUL LIFE.
