Your home should be a place that feels warm and welcoming. Somewhere to relax, kick back and let the cares of the day fade away. For most of us home is a sanctuary where we’re safe and secure, in the company of people we love. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to make your house feel like a home, particularly when you’re restricted because you’re renting or sharing. There’s no shortage of design ideas to make your house feel like a home. However, the first stage of sorting your living space out is to work out why it doesn’t have that feeling of comfort that a good home should have. A West Hartford area decorator should be able to pinpoint the reason or the faux pas.
Why doesn’t it feel like home?
Very often, it’s hard to put your finger on why you don’t feel content in your home. In some cases it could be more to do with other areas of your life, for example, if your health isn’t too good, you’ve got relationship problems or trouble at work. It’s important to identify the cause of your feelings, otherwise you could invest a great deal of time and money into your project and find you don’t feel any better afterward. Addressing these issues will not only improve your health and happiness but will make you feel more content with your surroundings.
Life changes
A relationship breakup can be a difficult and traumatic time, made even harder by the presence of so many reminders of the person who’s left. Redesigning your home can be a great project that will help you get over your broken heart by occupying your mind, removing all the reminders of your lost love, and giving you a fresh start. Begin by gathering together all the belongings your ex has left behind and returning them. Then look at how you can rearrange your furniture and decor to make the space feel like a home.
Bereavement
Bereavement is another traumatic life experience that can be aided by redesigning your living space. If certain pieces of furniture or particular possessions remind you too much of someone who’s no longer there, sell or donate them to Goodwill. Now you can replace them with different pieces that have no emotional association.
Moving
Moving can be a frequent cause of major disruption and upheaval. It can take a while to adjust to new surroundings. The key to making a new house feel like a home is to unpack and get your familiar possessions out as soon as possible. Living out of boxes can make you feel like you’re in limbo or not belonging in your new space. Whereas getting everything organized and unpacked allows you to make a smoother, quicker transition to feeling at home.
How to tackle a redesign project
Your primary goal is to make your living space feel more cozy. Therefore, your planning needs to focus on identifying the elements of your surroundings that make you feel comfortable and relaxed. Think about how you feel in other people’s house. What it is about the places you like that makes them feel so welcoming? Colors have a significant influence on mood, so go through some paint color chips and see how each of the varying shades make you feel.
Colors to make a house feel like a home
Blues and greens are thought of as the cooler colors, with reds and yellows being warmer. That doesn’t necessarily mean you should paint your house neon orange in an effort to make it more welcoming. Blues could be perfect if you want something calming and reflective. You can always add splashes of warmer colors such as having yellow cushions and curtains. If you share with someone else or rent, you need to consult with the people concerned. It is best to make sure your plans are acceptable to them. Discuss any ideas you’ve got with your housemates to make sure they’re on board. Then check any restrictions you have on making changes to the décor in a rented home.
Room layout
Once you’ve settled on your color theme, you need to look at how the furniture will fit in. This will dictate where you need to make changes. Sometimes simply rearranging your layout makes the difference. For example, shift the couch from the back wall into a central position in front of the television or fireplace. If you’re not sure how to go about rearranging the room to feel comfortable, you could try using an approach such as Feng Shui. It is the ancient Chinese art of designing living and working spaces to optimize positive energy. Whether you have a spiritual leaning or not, the principles behind Feng Shui are ideal for designing a room that flows and looks good. If you want to know more about Feng Shui and how to apply it, check it out on the web. Doing so, will give you tips on making it work for you.
Decluttering
One problem with many living spaces is that they become filled with possessions and clutter. This fills up the space and makes a room feel too busy. Being surrounded by piles of paperwork can be stressful. It’s like having a constant reminder of all the tasks you need to get done when you’re trying to have a rest. It also makes keeping things clean and tidy a lot harder. The more bits and pieces you have in a room, the more dusting you’ll have to do. If you can sort out as much as possible for recycling, reusing, donating to charity, or selling, you’ll feel a weight lifted off your mind. Your space will have a far more relaxed atmosphere in the home. It’s a great task for clearing your head as well as your living space. If you want some ideas on successful decluttering, you’ll find plenty of helpful advice on my blog.
Make a house a home with personal touches
The last part of your redesign to make a house feel like a home is to add all the touches that make your home a personal space. Photographs, artwork that you love, decorative items that have personal meaning and that bring you happiness when you look at them. These will all make the space personal. Surrounding yourself with items that make you feel good is vital to achieving a homey feel. Then all you need is the most comfortable couch you can find, and you’ll feel completely at ease.
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