Welcome Home Transform your house into a welcoming home with a few simple steps…
It isn’t difficult to transform your home from just a living space into somewhere you love being in. It’s very often the small, simple changes that can make the most difference – the light, the smell, the feel.
LET THERE BE LIGHT
A room filled with sunlight is a positive, energising place, somewhere you want to spend time in. you can instantly improve the feel of your home by maximising the sunshine, consider adding an extra window or installing a skylight if you need to.
Artificial light can also be used to transform a gloomy space if it used cleverly and subtly. Don’t be tempted to go for a single overhead option, think instead about creating layers of light - some glowing lanterns in a corner or a cluster of candles. Lamps add instant atmosphere and will make a space feel cosier and more intimate. A bit of sparkle can also make an interior, such as a pretty chandelier
THE POWER OF SCENT
The most evocative and nostalgic of the sense, smell can activate instant emotions and trigger long-forgotten memories. A house filled with familiar and comforting aromas – log fires, baking breads, cut grass – will make us feel instantly at home. Scenting the home is effective, inexpensive and incredibly easy. Fir an instant scent-fix, bring in a bunch of seasonal flowers; for a more consistent perfume, use room diffusers, pot pourri, scented candles or scented sprays.
TOUCHY FEELY
Touch, the most physical of all the senses, holds the key to comfort and relaxation in the home. There is no point in creating a room that looks fantastic if it doesn’t feel that way. Choose natural textures you feel in tune with – wood, linen, marble, slate, wool and cashmere. Opt for quality and feel the difference. Mix different textures together to bring out the contrasts: waffle knits with cables; taffetas with silks, coarse hessian with smooth velvet.
FLORAL FOCUS
If you do nothing else to your home, bring in some fresh flowers. Living fragments of the world outside, they connect us back to nature and inject life, colour, scent and sensuality, into even the blandest of living spaces. Avoid, fussy, structured arrangements. Choose blooms you love and don’t feel you need to spend a lot of money. A few inexpensive flowers can be beefed up with greenery from the garden to give a fantastic result.
ADD A PERSONAL TOUCH
Even the most beautifully decorated home won’t be atmospheric unless there is a good dose of you in it. Places with personality can’t help but feel warm, personable and inviting. The most obvious way to add a personal touch is with photographs if you don’t want to hang them on the wall, invest in a few beautiful frames and create a collection on a mantelpiece or tabletop.
PICTURE HANGING TIPS
- Framing a disparate collection of photographs in identical frames is good way of making them work as a group. You can’t go wrong with black or white.
- To soften the look of a tabletop or mantelpiece, bring in a curvy frame in twisty metal or scrolling plaster.
- Float your photographs in a mount. They will have more space to breathe and look all the better for it.
- Silver frames will add sparkle to a tabletop collection of photographs and go with everything,
- Black and white photographs are easier to display. They always look smart and sophisticated and they won’t clash with your colour scheme.
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FIRST IMPRESSIONS COUNT
Make the front of your house look as appealing as possible. Pull up any weeds; sweep paths and steps and stick a couple of pots of flowers or ornamental trees ay either side of the door.
MAKING AN ENTRANCE
The hallway of your home hints at what’s beyond, so it’s important that it sets the scene and feels warm and welcoming. Try to keep the area free of mess, invest in a coat stand or boot rack for example. A hall table is a must, however small, but don’t let it get cluttered with junk mail! Candlelight will always warm up a hallway, alternatively, place a room diffuser or a bog bowl of pot pourri on the hall table to fill the house with a subtle scent.
BEDDED BLISS
A precious sanctuary at the end of a long day, the bedroom should be blissfully comfortable, calming and inviting. Buy the best bedlinen you can afford and choose textures and colours that are in tune with the season. In winter use lots of coy layers; a fleecy blanket; a soft cushion; a furry throw. In summer switch to paler shades and lighter weaves to make the room look and feel fresh.
SPLISH SPLASH
Transforming your bathroom from utility space to relaxation zone is easier than you might think. Declutter and decant should be your bathroom mantra. No-one can feel relaxed in a messy space, so make sure you have enough storage to house towels, soaps, toothbrushes etc… many lotions and potions come in beautiful packaging; those that don’t can be transferred into beautiful lass bottle s-s impel trick that will make a huge difference. Texture is key. Natural materials such as wood and stone feel wonderful underfoot, but even a super-soft bath mat can instantly transform a bathroom. Nig tactile towels are a must. Finally, dim the lights or use candles to scent the room.
| Tips taken from How to Make Your House a Home by Chrissie Rucker Available at The White Company, £6.99 t: 08456 678 8150 http://www.thewhitecompany.com |
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