Unlike the rest of the country, late spring is when most Arizonans decide to hunker down at home as the weather swelters outside. In order to make your space more inviting, Yoselin Castro, senior interior designer at Phoenix-based Mackenzie Collier Interiors, discusses tips and tricks for a homier haven.
Let’s start with boundaries. If you are a person who has spent the last two years working from home, separating life from work can seem challenging when everything is done within the same environment. It’s important to assign one place in the home for work-related tasks so that it feels separated from the “at home, resting areas.” Whether this is in the bedroom, living room or home office, make it comfortable enough to be able to spend eight hours a day in and really define that area. This can be done by having a home office set-up including a desk, a chair and office accessories to really set the tone in this space and make it feel like this area is completely off-limits when you’re out of work.
Other design tips for making a house feel “homier” include:
Have furnishings or accessories throughout the house that have meaning to you. This can be a hand-me-down lounge chair from your grandmother or a housewarming gift you received a while back that still makes you really happy every time you look at it. Sure, having all-new décor is great and often desired by most people, but it’s those personal items that will really make a space feel very much like “you.”
Cozy up the space with various layered light fixtures. Try adding a table lamp on the living room entry table and bring in a floor lamp behind the sofa. Or perhaps you like to burn candles. Add a couple throughout the home and, when it’s time to wind down in the evening, turn off the recessed lights and light up the several ambiance options you have throughout the home and see how relaxed and comfortable it feels to be there.
Plants are a given when it comes to wanting to achieve a space that feels more “homey.” Of course, make sure to do your research before buying just any house plant to avoid killing it right away. There are lots of options that can be very forgiving such as pothos, ZZ plants (zamioculcas zamiifolia) and snake plants, and all will add that natural vibe into any space.
Accessorize with books! This is one of the best ways to make a space feel “lived in,” especially if you have a large collection of books. You can either put them on a bookshelf in various ways—vertically or horizontally stacked with a small accessory on top. Additionally, try scattering them throughout the common areas like the coffee table and even on top of the dining buffet, if you have one. Of course, always make sure it feels intentional and not like there is clutter in the space.
Photo credit: Mackenzie Collier Interiors