There are some homes that feel like a warm embrace or an old friend, familiar and welcoming. We look around and wonder, trying to distill the secret and use it in our own home. Hmmm, maybe it's the couch and we make a mental note to look into that model for our own home. No, that's not it. It's a modern space, clear and uncluttered. But then we walk into another home that's plump with knickknacks and that theory goes out the window. What is it? What are those intangible elements that makes one home work while another doesn't? Some thoughts and questions to ask yourself about your own home, after the jump...
From House to Home: 5 Elements That Take Your Place To The Next Step
- Easy to be in: whether it's a throw on a couch that lets you know that this is a place you can curl up for a while, a good reading light near an Eames chair or a bowl of fresh lemons on the kitchen counter, subtle clues let you know that this is a home where people live not just exist. How is your home when you're alone? Do you have a comfy space to read or talk on the phone that's not your bed? How about when you have a guest? Can two or more people easily be comfortable in your home?
- Good lighting: You know how you feel on a beautiful day when you want to be outside frolicking in the sunshine and then how you feel at night, during magic hour, when the sun slips down below the horizon? Bring those feelings into your home. Your home should have light for many moods from reading to romantic. Make sure some of your lights can be dimmed and pay attention to the kind of light that the bulbs you use emit, whether cool or warm.
- Ambiance: After lighting, scent and sound contribute the most to a home's feeling. You can smell the scent of a home that gets used, from the warm smells of cooking or baking to the fresh scent of a just cleaned space. Sound adds another layer, whether its the sound of crickets or traffic or your own soundtack. Can you play music throughout your home?
- Restful: Take a look at your bedroom. Do you wake up in the morning feeling truly rested? If not, it may be time to take a close look at your bedroom. It should be a shrine to resting and recreation. Maybe it's time to indulge in some great bedding or clear off your night tables or get yourself in the habit of making your bed.
- Organized: A good home "makes sense," whether it's where to put down your coat or where to find the glasses. Take note of where guests put things or look for them. What about your private spaces? Is your clothes closet organized enough that you can get dressed in a few minutes?
[image: Jora and Bryan's Midcentury Organic Remodel]
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AT asked a good question: whence comes the sense of warmth and comfort in a given apartment? It's not the style of the furnishings. What is it?
I think it's a combination of two things: 1. aesthetic sensibility, 2. social grace.
view ebanfield's profile
Nice suggestions, sadly, my home fails at 2 of those areas, one being the bedroom and 2 I often forget to play music and that's been a long standing thing for the past several years.
I don't have dimmers except on the chandelier in the dining area and the 2 paper lantern pendants in the bedroom but almost all of my lamps are 3 way and one is a vintage early 60's floor lamp that gives both direct and indirect lighting depending on how I aim the shade.
the space when lit from within is quite nice.
view ciddyguy's profile
Abby brings up good points - but even more basic are scale and proportion, use of space as well as a mix of styles and materials.
Little chairs aren't at home next to giant oversized sofas - neither are lots of little tchotchkes scattered everywhere without some larger pieces to unify them...
Traffic patterns need to be allowed for so that it's easy for people to move within the room without dodging lamps, tables and chairs - and there's no need to fill every inch of a room with furniture or a wall with art: the eye needs a place to rest.
Too much of one thing is just too much: Mix wood with metal, glass with stone and ceramics, painted finishes with natural, smooth fabrics with textures, matte with glossy, traditional with contemporary.
view bepsf's profile
this sounds corny but I think "comfort, pride, and love" is the key to a making a place feel good.
view denise123's profile
At the moment it is completely silent in my home, except for the clock ticking, and I like it a lot. Sometimes I love listening to music, sometimes I like to have nothing.
When I watch photos from various homes, the ones that I am drawn to tend to be really welcoming, warm. What makes them that way? I think one, when the sitting arrangement suggest comfortable conversations with friends - all seats turn to each other (and not all facing a third object - tv or fire place), some pillows, a throw... Personal objects - a few photos, some tchatchkes (not too much), something that opens a window into someone's personality, individuality. When furniture and art don't look like out of a catalog all rigorous in one style.
I guess also when I feel that the person who lives there is really happy and comfortable in that place - doesn't try to prove something, and doesn't wait for approval.
view Offtza's profile
These are good suggestions and I would add these:
A living room orientation that compliments conversation. In many living rooms the furniture is oriented toward the television, which is fine for Super Bowl parties but awkward for conversation.
A good host/hostess transcends the limitation of their apartment. Be considerate, welcoming, and relaxed. Take coats, offer drinks, food, and have fun.
Teach pets and children manners suitable for company, or you will spend all visits stressed out about their behavior.
Lighting appropriate for the event. Sunlight and fresh air for brunch, low lamps and candles for drinks, and light just enough to see the popcorn by for a movie party.
It's mentioned above, but be aware of odors in the house, particularly if you smoke, have pets, or small children. Air out the house, clean thoroughly, bake something. Be conscious of possible irremediable odors in carpets and furniture and edit when necessary. Don't simply light candles and plug in deodorizers as many people find those smells as irritating or worse.
view Matilde's profile