Dorothy certainly knew what she was talking about when she said: “there’s no place like home”! The best kind of homes beckon you inside and make it very difficult to leave again. They also inspire a combination of wonder and envy amongst your guests! Though the summer months may be upon us, it is still a great thing to have somewhere to come back to that eases your stresses and allows you to unwind in peace. Even if you have a family that does’t make it easy to relax, that doesn’t mean that your environment has to be working against you as well! So, here are a few ways that you can make your home more comfortable and inviting.
Set the Tone from the Front Door
When you arrive back home, you want those first few steps up the driveway to feel like a weight is being lifted off your shoulders. You can set the tone straight away with a nice, tidy porch area and some bright colorful flowers – either potted or in hanging baskets. Also, a freshly painted front door and a welcome mat can really give you a warm feeling before you actually step inside. Making sure the entrance to the house is free of clutter helps to ensure that you aren’t stressed out thinking of tasks you need to do when you get further inside.
Make Your House Easy to Navigate Around
One thing that can certainly make you feel frustrated is if you are constantly tripping over furniture and other items around the house. Small homes tend to be more difficult to manage in this regard, so you may need to be more creative with your storage systems. The main aim is to make walking around your home a straightforward task rather than one that requires you to run an obstacle course! Avoid pushing oversized furniture together and try not to block off walkways with floor pillows, bean bags and other items.
Get the Temperature Right
There is nothing more off putting than walking through the front door only to find that the place is too hot and stuffy or freezing cold. There are plenty of temperature management systems out there these days and Assured Comfort offer heating and air conditioning services if you find that your home doesn’t feel right. Modern systems even allow you to control the temperature using your smartphone so you can get it right before you even step through the door.
Stock Up Your Living Room with Plenty of Soft Textiles
It may seem like an obvious idea, but piling your living room up with soft textiles will really make it difficult to want to leave. Deep furniture with plenty of fluffy cushions is a good starting point, but you can complement your regular sofas and chairs with soft ottomans and floor pillows. If you want to complete the effect, you could go for some plush rugs that even give you a comforting underfoot experience.
Invest in Some Creative Storage Solutions
As we have already talked about briefly, clutter is one of the main enemies to a home that is inviting and comfortable. If you have a great number of items in your house that you no longer need or use, it is quite a cathartic experience to get rid of these either by selling them, donating them to charity or throwing them away. For all the things that you do choose to keep, you should look for storage solutions that keep these in a way that is effective and space-saving. Your ideal storage systems should take up the minimum amount of room while also storing the maximum number of items at the same time.
Personalize Some Items
The whole point of having a home is for it to be somewhere that you can put your own stamp on rather than looking like it has just been taken directly out of a catalogue. If you have a lot of furniture that you have bought from popular retailers, you could try reupholstering them in a fabric you like. Beyond this, you should also look to display items that have great sentimental value to you. For example, you could put up some ornaments that you bought from a memorable holiday or have some more photos of your friends and family printed out and displayed.
Put Your Mirrors Up Strategically
Mirrors are a very valuable tool in making your home look more spacious so they should be used effectively. If you have a particularly narrow hallway, a strategically hung mirror can really make it feel much wider. Alternatively, you could hang big mirrors in small rooms to give the illusion of space.
Bring Life Indoors
There is nothing like a few houseplants for quite literally bringing some more life indoors. In fact, since plants release oxygen during photosynthesis, you may literally find yourself breathing easier. On top of this, they also have the obvious aesthetic value. However, you should remember to take care of them well as seeing some dying plants when you get home is likely to have the opposite effect of the one you were going for!
Let There Be Light!
First of all, during the summer months, you want to encourage as much natural light into your home as possible. You can do this with big windows that are kept clean. If you have a garden area, you can blur the line between indoors and outdoors with some big screen doors that lead out to a decked area. After dark, you also want to make sure that you get your artificial lighting sources right as well. Lighting that is placed directly overhead can often feel a little intrusive, so try to see what a difference lighting around the sides of the room could make. You should also have some alternative light sources like lamps scattered around the place.
Soften Out Straight Lines
Straight lines in a home can often seem a little harsh, so try to include some more rounded rugs and curved edges where possible.
