the details that make a house a home

Since moving into our house two years ago, we have done some major updates such as our kitchen renovation, the entryway, our courtyard, our front yard, the living room, and dining room (yet to be shared – coming soon). But there are still a bunch of areas of the house we still have to tackle before it completely reflects us and feels like home. For instance, our master bedroom and bathroom suite, our guest bathroom, our backyard, our fourth bedroom, and the list go on. Another one of those areas was this corner niche space at the end of our hallway near our offices. It was so drab and depressing and was a smaller project that I wanted to tackle for a while. The seasonal change and cooler temps finally gave me the energy boost needed to tackle this space, at last, a couple of weeks ago. By simply swapping a few things here and there, this little corner instantly went from feeling flat to feeling fresh, cozy, and homey.

{The before look above isn’t so bad if you’re going for that minimalist clean look, but the after now gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling on the inside}

As the environment around us changes and the pace of our lives keeps us in what can sometimes feel like a frenzied state, our home is what keeps us grounded. Not just a house – that’s nothing more than rooms with furniture scattered around. But our home is the place where we feel comforted, a special place peppered with our own distinct touches that most clearly reflect our authentic self and nurtures our soul. And that doesn’t mean a full-on remodel or a ton of money to accomplish this. As can be seen with this area, the smallest details can make the greatest impact on making a ‘house’ a home. 

Here are the few pieces (already owned) that gave me a lot of bang for the buck:

A coat of paint. I can never emphasize this enough and now finally living in a savvy over-stylized era, I think even a caveman knows that a fresh coat of paint is one of the easiest, inexpensive ways to breathe fresh life into your home. And that was one of the first things we did as soon as we finished some of the renovations in the kitchen and living room.

A large mirror. The mirror shown here had been in our bedroom (also shown here and here) but wasn’t tall enough to serve as a full-body floor mirror, so we decided to see how it’d look above the cabinet in this corner. After the hubby hung it up, leveled and secured it (which was no small feat as it’s a pretty heavy piece and hard to hang), we both smiled at each other as we realized how much of an impact that small change itself made. We are so pleased with how it immediately opened up this area of the hallway so much – giving it an elevated, finished feel. 

A stack of magazines and books. I collected them throughout the house from shelves in my office and from the living room, specifically with warmer tones to serve as a warm background against the white cabinet and my off-white mini pumpkin as an ode for the fall season. Who does not like a stack of books and magazines on a surface? It’s a cornerstone of warmth and character that will cozy up any space.

A touch of greenery. I’m a true plant mama and all about having real plants in my house. Plants are a common staple in every space for so many reasons – they help reduce stress, purify the air, absorb noise, sharpen focus and a myriad of other health benefits. They Aesthetically and literally, breathe life into your home space. Can we all say, ‘win-win!’ This plant was this tiny little bitty thing when I first got it for my office. It grew so big into the current size you’re seeing now, that I had to transfer it into this bigger pretty stone container. I don’t think I’m going to keep it there though. I’ve been working on a fall arrangement for this corner. We shall see.

A natural piece of wood. Grounds any space as it makes us feel closer to nature. I got this piece of driftwood years ago from a friend’s front yard that was once in her boys’ fish tank when they were young. I’ve cherished this piece all these years and moved it from my entryway table to this corner space. It is simple and natural; it just adds that extra element of hominess. I simply added a few pieces of artificial greenery to it to enliven the piece. I Iove how it turned out.

Candle. Of course, there’s no faster way to make a house a home and achieve coziness without candles. It’s one of those touches that always make my heart flutter in emotional happiness. I’m one who would forego buying shoes or food just to buy my favorite scented candles. To say I’m candle obsessed is an understatement. 

The gold vintage reindeer. It was a wonderful score on Etsy a few years back and is one of our cherished metal animal pieces strewned throughout the house. With many of these momentos corralled here, nostalgia comes into play as they hold a story. Isn’t that what making a home is all about? 

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