This week I spoke to a new client whose problem was three-fold. Lots of clutter so they needed sound storage solutions. They didn’t know what their interior style is and their home doesn’t feel ‘homely’. So here are some tips for that homely feel.
What is a homely home?
What makes a home homely actually varies for everyone. The basis of making your home feel like home is defining your personal interior style goal or aesthetic.
Let’s say, for example, your preferred style goal is French Provincial. One of the key design features of French Provincial is a shabby chic component. So, this would mean you include a distressed element into your home.
Similarly, if your preferred style goal is Boho, then you would include lots of textures.
Homely interior design elements
From an interior designer’s perspective there are key interior design elements that contribute to a homely feel. I think key interior design elements for a homely feel include; a curved line, texture, light, and colour.
A curved line is important in a space for softening existing straight lines. It helps to counter balance the natural straight lines already present.
Curved lines can be found in furniture such as an oval coffee table. But a curved line can also be found in vases, art and other ornaments. Therefore, for a homely fee add some curved lines into the space.
Textures in a space are things you can touch. For a homely home, consider the difference between a marble coffee table and a timber coffee table.
The timber coffee table is a natural material. It immediately communicates warmth. Therefore, it can feel more homely than a marble coffee table.
To create a homely home, add warm textures to a space. Use soft and natural materials like wool, cotton, linen, jute, rattan, and timber.
Making your home feel homely also involves getting the right light into the space. Both natural and artificial. For some of my clients a homely home is a dimly lit space, which communicates a certain mood.
For other clients a homely home is light and bright with lots of natural light streaming through the window.
The important thing about lighting is ensuring that it suits the space’s function. The wrong light can compromise the space’s usability. A bright space can strain the eyes and a dark space could make people feel uncomfortable.
We know that colour impacts mood so colour is an important aspect to creating a homely home. There are warm and cool colours. Once you choose your colour scheme the key to using colour for a homely feel is balance.
Therefore ensure the way you apply colour in your room is balanced and even.
Personal interior design story
There are other ways to make your home feel homely. You can display photos of your family. Include some art on the walls. Use natural materials.
Getting that homely home feel is about creating a feeling of comfort, love and a welcoming environment. A space that you want to come back to and look forward spending time in. A space that feels safe.
