For a majority of us, the goal in interior design is to make our space look attractive. Many interior design magazines and social media post online make it clear that an attractive space is a top priority. However, what some of us forget to do when decorating the inside of our house is ensuring it will be something we can truly call home.

But what really is the difference between a house and a home? Well, a house is a structure, a building that we reside in. On the other hand, a home is a place where we belong physically, mentally, and emotionally. Home is where our heart is. It’s the place we always want to return to no matter how far we stray.

Here are some ways you can ensure your house isn’t just a house but also a home:

1 - Select The Right Flooring

Upon walking into an unfurnished home, perhaps one of the things you might notice is the flooring. The flooring can indicate a lot of things for a house. It can indicate the age of the house and how much it has been lived in. However, the type, color, texture, and temperature of the flooring can say a lot too.

For instance, in an unfurnished house with tile, some may find that it makes the space very echoey. In response, some may not consider this to be a home. Some may even find that flat flooring is cold, uninviting, and not comfortable enough for their tastes. However, others may find that carpet is not an ideal aspect of a home, especially if they have allergies or simply feel dirty with carpet underneath their feet. Find the right flooring color, material, and the like that suits you best.

2 - Set Up A Special Area In Your Space

One of the best ways to turn your house into a home is to make sure there is an area in your house that is special and personal to you, somewhere where you can go when you’re feeling creative, stressed, sad, unwell, bored, or angry. Let this be a section in your home that is encouraging for you and helps you evoke change, curiosity, and a positive mindset. But what exactly so we mean by creating a “special area” in your space?

By this, we mean a little corner, nook, room, or area in your home where you can spend doing what you want and what you love. For instance, maybe that “special area” is a relaxing seating area filled with plants. Maybe it’s a craft room where you can make jewelry or paint a picture when you’re feeling creative or bored. Decide what it is your home needs.

Sometimes we need more than just bedrooms, bathrooms, a kitchen, living room, and dining room in our house. For some of us, having a special place to escape and be our true selves is what really makes a home worth living in. After all, homes shouldn’t just meet our basic needs but also our wants. We do want to grow and flourish, don’t we?

3 - Decorate Your Space With The Intention To Share It

Humans are social creatures. While sometimes we might consider ourselves and others to be selfish, we also are generous and love to share. Sharing our home with others is one way we can entertain and connect with those we are the most fond of. In fact, decorating your house with the intention to share it with others can help you turn your house into a real home. Sometimes it’s not until you think of others that you realize what you might also need for yourself.

When it comes to decorating your house with the intention to share it with others, you might do this by adding plenty of comfortable seating, attractive colors and patterns, and multifunctional furniture. For some people, entertaining guests is an absolute must. Thus, they may decide to add items in their home that can provide that atmosphere for company.

As a result of decorating your space for others, those memories you will form in your space with loved ones will always come back to you. When sitting in your space alone after everyone leaves, those fun memories and great talks in your home will always be in the back of your mind as you scope around your space at different furniture and décor – that recliner that Uncle Johnny always sits in, that purple rug that your sister loves as it’s her favorite color, and that foosball table that all the males in your family gather around every Friday night for boy’s night. The formation of fond memories is exactly what a real home has.

4 - Choose Lighting That Means Something To You

Like flooring, we tend to make judgments on a space with the type of lighting it currently has. Minimal lighting tends to make us feel eerie, anxious, or melancholy whereas too much lighting can seem overwhelming or agitating. Additionally, warmer-toned lighting is viewed as relaxing while cool-toned lighting often boosts our creativity and productivity.

In the end, your job as a homeowner is figuring out what type of lighting your house requires to make it into a home. Maybe it’s a warm-toned lamp on the nightstand next to your bed, or maybe it’s brighter recessed lighting in your office space. Apart from selecting the right tone and amount of lighting, it’s important to find light fixtures that look appealing to you. Maybe a fun pendant light says “home” to you. Perhaps instead, an antique-styled barn light might seem homelier.

5 - Be Patient With The Process

The best thing one can do when it comes to turning their house into a home is being patient. Working slowly, step by step, to ensure a home is put together one piece at a time can be the best way for a homeowner to really assess what it is their home needs to truly be considered a home in their eyes. This is especially true for first time homeowners who haven’t really had the opportunity decorate their very own space. Sometimes it takes a while to decide what home means and how to achieve that.

Being patient with the process can also help you save cash. Sometimes when we move into a new home or are in the process of redecorating our space, we are eager to jump straight to the end – you know, where our home is 100-percent complete. But by doing this, you are merely going to make decisions based on what might work or what might look good rather than what will make your house a home.

Just like you should never go grocery shopping on an empty stomach (or else you’ll end up buying the whole store without actually considering the price or quality of the food you’re purchasing), you should never shop for furniture and décor when you are impatient to get your home completed.

Conclusion

Turning a house into a home for some people might seem simple. For others, the task seems intimidating. Nevertheless, with the right tactics, you too can turn your house into a home that you and your loved ones can enjoy for many years to come.

Making a house a home is all about selecting the right flooring, setting up a special area that’s personal to you, and decorating your space with the intention to share it with others. It’s also about choosing the most relevant lighting, and most of all, being patient with the entire process. It’s with these tips that can help you ensure your house is as comfortable, functional, and as homely as possible for you and your guests.

If you need more interior or exterior design-related tips and tricks, check out the rest of our blog posts.