Who doesn’t like to go home to a peaceful, relaxing, and cozy house? After a long day at the office or the chaos of the outside world, it would be nice to have a place where you can relax and rejuvenate.
Your home is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think about where you want to spend most of your vacant time in. After all, it’s where you get to sleep eight hours a day – and more, if you have the time. It’s also the perfect place to spend time with yourself or your family.
Unfortunately, many people don’t have time to maintain the quality of living in their homes. “Six in 10 full-time workers consider themselves too busy to clean their houses each week,” according to a British survey in 2015. However, cleaning is one of the first and easiest steps to make any place comfortable to stay in.
If you feel like your house isn’t as warm and welcoming as you thought it would be, here are five practical steps to turn your dull house into a cosy and lovely abode:
Consult a professional
In designing your own home, professional architects can help you come up with your dream house. The same is true with changing the design of your current home. It might be a good idea to consult with a professional interior design expert, who can guide you through the process of updating your home design and ultimately help you change the look of your place.
Personalise your space
One of the easiest ways to make yourself at home in your own place is to fill it up with things that you love. Apartment Therapy recommends putting in your home a few pieces of your history – say, an old chair that your mother used to sit, or a license plate from your very first vehicle. These things will instantly remind you of a homey atmosphere and bring you to a place that tugs your heart strings.
Think about architectural redesign
This tip may sound expensive and time-consuming, but the rewards are definitely going to make you satisfied. Consider having your home’s architectural design completely changed, if it’s still possible. This tip may involve something as simple as changing wall paint, something moderately complex like clearing out a blank wall to place a new window, or something totally grandiose such as installing a fireplace.
Be bold in mixing and matching
Who says you should follow a single colour and pattern scheme for your living room? You can go all out crazy and put in different combinations of colours and designs while being able to strike a balance between comfort and style. For instance, soft materials such as velvet and wool may complement hard surfaces like metal and hardwood, as discussed in Real Simple.
Clean regularly
Last but not the least (and arguably the easiest and most important of all), you should keep a regular schedule for cleaning. Whether it’s a quick vacuuming of carpets or a comprehensive cleaning job, keeping your house clean is absolutely important in maintaining a cosy home.
There’s no denying that maintaining a house requires effort and attention to detail. These five tips should be able to make it easier for you to update the style of your house to make it cosier and more relaxing to live in.