Have you ever walked into a house and felt instantly ‘at home’?

Or maybe you had a feeling of lightness, euphoria, or even nostalgia, but when you go to your own home, that feeling isn’t there?

Or worse yet, you experience feelings of anxiety, heaviness, and withdrawal?

That friends means it’s time to make some changes. No, we are not therapists, but we are experts in home design and comfort. Here are some easy tips to make you fall in love with your space!

1. Layers of Textiles!

Blankets, cushions, area rugs, drapery all bring in that feeling of coziness. Have some fun with colors and patterns that reflect your personality and style. Embrace your inner Madonna and “Express Yourself!

2. Plant Life!

No experience needed. Just go out and get some! Plants are great for well-being and purifying the air. They boost mood, productivity, concentration, and creativity. They add life to a sterile space. And, maybe best of all they are therapeutic to care for.

3. Furry Friends!

If you made it past #2, you are ready to up your level of responsibility!

Animals bring purpose, improve your emotional and physical health, and can even help keep you safe. We’ve all heard stories where a cat or dog alerted their owner to something amiss and was even credited with saving lives.

4. Lighting to Set the Mood!

While nothing beats natural light, it isn’t always available to us. Proper lighting is not only functional, but it also defines the space’s purpose. It may be a room where we relax or it’s a room where work gets done. The style of lighting tells a story. String lights for example can bring fun and whimsy to a room. Accent lighting, on the other hand, can create sophistication and evoke feelings of meaning and importance to the image it displays.

5. Humidity

 One of the best parts of a winter holiday in a tropical location is stepping off the plane and taking a deep breath in. You can feel it, taste, and smell it. Ok, well it doesn’t actually have a smell, and if it does, you’ve overdone it! Proper humidity levels in the home improve your eye, throat, and skin comfort, contribute to a healthier respiratory system, and improve your sleep. You will enjoy an atmosphere that is cleaner, safer, healthier, and more comfortable.

6. Everything Having its Place!

Our brains are not designed for clutter. In the primitive brain, clutter can be associated with danger. Simpler is better. Organization decreases depression and anxiety and allows for a feeling of peace. Extra things attract dust, dirt, and even mold. Declutter to enjoy a simpler, healthier approach to life with more freedom to focus on what matters.

7. Everyone Having their own Space!  

Just as the things in your home need their place, the humans do too!

One of the biggest lessons learned during these home-based times, is that everyone needs their own area of the home to find solitude. A family can consist of multiple personalities, hobbies, and interests - all of them matter and all need nurturing.

Spend time to determine which area in your home cultivates creativity and passion, and really make it yours.

8. Organic Shapes

Don’t worry it’s not as complicated as it sounds. Organic shapes can be accessories or furniture that offer rounded, circular edges and mimic shapes we find in nature such as leaves, plants and animals.

Why should we use them, you ask? Well – because they create a calming, flowing atmosphere and can help soften sharp lines in other parts of your room.

Decorate with wallpaper, artwork, mirrors, and more to draw interest into a space. If you’re making more substantial changes, include bulkheads into your design.

Whatever you are doing, have fun playing with different shapes to create the perfect balance between minimalism and relaxation.

9. Colour!

Embrace it! Think about how you feel putting on a bold, red lip? The color red is known to be associated with passion, action and energy. It immediately boosts your confidence, makes you feel seen and ready for anything.

Now imagine what it can do in your home. It’s a powerful design tool that can make a room feel calm or cheerful, comfortable or dramatic. Tiny rooms can feel larger, and large ones can be made to feel more intimate. No moving walls required, remember we said simple ideas? While it seems like magic, it really isn’t. But it is a great was to establish a “feeling” in a space.

10. Fire!  

While not everyone loves camping, we can’t think of anyone who says they don’t love the campfire.

The feeling of warmth and comfort from a fire is like no other. We are not just talking temperature warm (although in Saskatchewan we will take the heat!), but more so we mean the feeling you get from having fire in a room.

Fire is something people have united around for thousands of years. It’s the perfect social centerpiece. It invites storytelling, belonging and connection.

So, light some candles, start your fireplace, or even flip the TV station to the fire burning channel and let new memories be made.