If there's anything that Apartment Therapy readers (and writers) know, it's that a beautiful, healthy home is more than the sum of its parts. We can discuss furniture placement, art hanging and wall color until we're blue in the face, but those elements of a home, the ones we see with our eyes, only tell half the story.
We humans have five senses, and we use all of them to experience that which we call "home". Keeping in mind those less tangible qualities of a space, there are a few things we can do to improve our homes' "brand", making it a more inviting, comfortable and healthy space to be.
Cleanliness
Sure, cleanliness is a visible state too, but I'm not just talking about everyday clutter here — rather the feeling of having a clean home, and its impact on happiness and stress levels. Taking the time to clear up at the end of the day, dust regularly and use an air purifier (worth considering if you live downtown in a large city) can pay dividends. Personally, the the act of puttering around my home barefoot, without a layer of grime attaching itself to the bottom of my feet, sends a clear and immediate message to my brain at the end of the day: you're home now.
Scent
If you've got the cleanliness aspect down, then you're halfway there on this point. Every home has its own unique scent, be it the pine trees outside, cooking smells, or the family dog. Ensuring that your home's scent is a pleasant one will not only make it a more enjoyable place to be, but will trigger your brain to recognize home whenever you walk through your front door.
Whether you choose to intentionally manipulate your home's scent is up to you — I like scented candles in the colder months, and nothing but fresh air from open windows in the summertime. Burning incense, using fragrance sticks or just splurging on fancy cleaning products are other ways to go.
Sound
Anyone who's had to deal with traffic sounds or noisy neighbors will agree that the ambient noise of a home can have a big impact on how comfortable you feel there. If your home's frequency is less than aurally pleasing, there are a few things you can do to limit its effects: absorb sound with lots of textiles (heavy drapes, rugs and upholstered furniture), and consider adding in new sounds as well (music, the radio, a sound machine). My parents keep the kitchen radio on nearly constantly when they're at home, and to this day the sounds of CBC Radio 2 mean home to my ears.
I'm curious about what intangible qualities your home has that make you love being there. Share in the comments below!
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I find cooking in my space helps me feel more grounded there, as does making my bed every single morning. Showing care for it in different ways - cleaning it, USING it by sitting in different places, appreciating it - really bonds me with my space :-) <3
Having empty space - in drawers, on shelves, on walls and floors = calm and peaceful feeling.
Cats.
My little red lamp in the kitchen tells me I'm home. Also, open windows and plenty to read.
I live on a main road in a smaller city and find the buzz of traffic going by incredibly pleasant and soothing.
Books, books, books, books and books.
My garden. I come home from work, do a loop through the yards and check in on everything. Then I'm all reset to home mode.
Yes, all this. Plus the sound of a kettle whistling before I make a cup of tea, and the pillows that smell like me on my bed. I've found I can make home from very little, so long as I feel safe.
For me it's CBC Radio One, and that all important 1 PM time signal beep beep beep .... BEEP
Changing seasons mean my house changes - I redo slipcovers, pillows, planters, rugs, candles (fragrance) ... and move things around. I'm amazed by the energy I get from coming into my old spaces--reinterpreted.
What surprises me most is the reactions from others. Visitors in previous seasons exclaim how the space "feels comfortable. Did you do something different?" Though they may not point exactly to differences of arrangement of spaces, smells, or texture, people DO respond to my pleasure in renewal. peacefulones.blogspot
For me its the scent of lemongrass essential oil in the oil burner, and the tealight flickering away inside. Being just the right temperature is important too, in my previous old art deco apartment the winter cold seeped in every door and window and the summers turned the place into an oven. Now, being able to choose the perfect temperature seems so luxurious and homely. Don't forget having the curtains/drapes/blinds adjusted to filter the light just right!
Music and smell.. Every time when I enter my house I drop my stuff and turn on the iPod. When i shifted to a new place, i could only finally sleep after i got myelf a fragracnce diffuser for somethig i can smell can can put a name to. It is then I feel like I'm home
I love pleasant music through out the house during most of the day. In the evenings it turns a bit edgy with rock.
I love the smell of baked goods in the house. Or a stew in the oven. But when the cooking is done and the food put away, I cannot stand the smell of food. Especially pungent food.
Incense sticks are a hit-or-miss for me. Some I love and many I cannot stand.
I randomly squirt a freshener into the air filters so that the fragrance is mellowed out further is carried into each room with the air.
All these stimulants take a completely different tone when I have guests though.
Warmth.
Scent is a big thing for me. When I was in college, I used to burn a candle while I showered. This was always before I went to bed, so by the time I got out to get dressed, my room was warm and fragrant. I still haven't adjusted to moving back in with my parents because I miss the abundance of my preferred scent. Sounds weird, but my sense of smell is strong.
Having several houseplants is a must for me, not because of design, but more because of the warmth that the plants bring to the space.
I am currently in college and living in the basement apartment of my parent's wartime home. For the last ten(ish) years we have been renting out this apartment, but before that my grandma lived down here. To still feel at home (even though really still at home) in my apartment, I kept some things the way my grandma used to have them. That way I can get used to having my own space that's different then where I grew up but I never get homesick either.