What makes a house a home? We explore the latest research and ideas into what makes a house a home, right here. Read on to discover what people typically consider a home.
When does a house become a home? If you ask this question to your friends and family, you might get a different answer from each of them. For some, it might be the perfect reading nook to escape from a busy day. For others, it might be a pool table in the garage or simply a comfortable chair, a family portrait on the wall and a hook to hang their hat.
Yet, despite their obvious differences, all of these theories and visions have something in common. They acknowledge that a house is a building, whereas a home is a feeling. It’s a feeling of tranquillity away from it all, a place of entertainment, security or something entirely personal.
Research Into What Makes A House A Home
A survey into what makes a house a home was recently conducted on our British friends across the pond. Researchers asked 1,000 homeowners what made their house their home. Many of the respondents’ answers had nothing to do with the building itself. Some popular answers included a fridge full of food and the smell of tasty meals cooking on an evening. Other top answers were items of comfort such as comfortable sofas, fluffy cushions and rugs.
You might want to consider these softer furnishings if you are ever trying to sell a home.
Yet, these varied answers don’t provide us with a definite answer to what people think makes a home, which goes to show it’s a matter of personal taste. But it does suggest we don’t consider the building itself as part of the home. For the most part, it’s what we put in it. Thus, interior design can play a significant role when transitioning a new build or renovation into a home.
Ways Interior Design Can Create A Home
1. Colour
Colour is so influential to our thoughts, feelings and our world perception. Therefore, the colours we decide to paint a room or the shade of wooden flooring we choose can greatly impact how it makes us feel – and if a house suddenly feels like a home. If you are thinking of painting a room a new colour, you might want to check out the Home Depot weekly ad, which includes great prices on the best paints and painting equipment.
The same ideas can be said about lighting. Some people prefer bright lights while others enjoy the cosiness of a dim light on a winter evening by the fire. Always consider how colour and lights make your spaces feel when trying to create your dream home.
2. Textures
The answers within the study above referenced soft furnishings as a way to make a home feel more comfortable. The feeling of comfort can be replicated in many ways, but adding soft textures to rooms is one of the most effective. You might add a throw to your reading chair, an extra pillow to the patio area or a new rug in the living area. These minimal but softer textures can transform modern aesthetics that can sometimes look cold and clinical into lived-in and welcoming areas.
3. Personal and Meaningful Art
Homes are very personal spaces, and they are made unique to you by incorporating meaningful art and personal items. Adding family photos or images of locations that mean a lot to you can instil a sense of ownership of the space. It is not the art itself that makes it a home but the story behind it, such as a child’s drawing on a fridge.
Some homeowners use art to make a home by collecting it on their travels or making it themselves. But it doesn’t have to be art or photographs; it could be anything with a connection to you and your family, from fridge magnets to calendars or an item you have inherited from a loved one.
The Importance of Security and Privacy
Our ancestors lived in caves because they provided ideal protection against other animals and the midday heat in warmer locations. These caves were a way to ensure privacy and security away from external threats or just other living mammals. Fast-forward thousands of years later, and the same can be said about our two-bedroom semi.
The feeling of a private and safe building is another key ingredient in creating a home. This can be achieved by a solid construction, good insulation, a lockable door and windows, and a solid roof to keep our bedding dry. But these are the basics. The feeling of security and privacy can be achieved further with technologies that safeguard against intruders, such as cameras and lights. And privacy is maintained with blinds, curtains and hedges – or clever interior design layouts.
Remote Working: A New Home Conundrum?
The global pandemic might be reshaping how we work. Many businesses were forced to adapt and offer remote working, and some are even sticking with it. As well as the big tech horsemen like Apple, Facebook and LinkedIn, lots of smaller businesses are rolling out remote working on a more permanent or semi-permanent basis.
This trend may influence where we decide to buy property, possibly away from big cities where we used to pay a premium for shorter commutes. However, it would also change the content and purpose of our homes with the need for home offices and designated working areas within private spaces. So, how will increased demand for home offices affect our views on what makes a house a home?
The jury is still out, but it could mean creating spaces with a clear divide between working life and private life. Complete rooms might be dedicated to working rather than make-shift spaces that conflict with our peace and private lives. To separate these spaces and aspects of life further, you may decide to decorate home offices completely differently from the rest of the home.
