When you’re a kid, you picture moving into a new house that’s just yours and you imagine the rugs you’re going to get and the cushions you’ll have for the house.

You even picture buying the biggest, comfiest bed that you can. Your home is modelled in your mind and you stick to it your whole life, until you grow up and realise that the person paying for those pretty cushions and thick rugs is you, and they’re not cheap. The thing is, making your new house the homeliest place you’ve ever lived in doesn’t have to cost the earth.

Your home isn’t supposed to be the place that you use as a landing zone between shifts at work or between work and you social life. That’s what a pied-a-terre is for. You need to think of your home as your sanctuary, a place to unwind and relax from a very long day. It’s also supposed to be a place that you spend your time in happily, not a place that you spend your time hating. When you want your home to feel like that place, you do whatever you can to get it to that. Not just for you, either, but for those that you invite into your home to enjoy spending time with you. Guests need to feel that warm, invited feeling if you ever hope that they will come back again!

Your home should be a place you take personal refuge. As soon as you shut the door, you should feel rested and relaxed, ready to take on anything and you should feel safe. Your house is your safe zone, and if you have decorate it correctly, it’ll be a safe zone where you know who you are and what your purpose is. It’s something so simple, but filling your home up with things that make your heart sing is the way to tell whether you are comfortable or not. Creating that living space doesn’t necessarily have to be a bomb to your bank account. It can take some time to feel at home in your space, but filling it up with the accessories that are personal to you can help you to feel comfortable. There are SO many things that you can do for your living space to make yourself more comfortable, so take the time to plan ahead room by room. You don’t need to be an interior designer to know what is right for you in the home, so start planning and you can have the home you want in no time at all. Below, you’ll find 9 things that you can do to make your house a more homely, comforting place to be.

Layers – But Not Onions

As Shrek once said, onions have layers, but when it comes to your home, you need ideas that are a little less stinky and a lot more sensible. Layers in the home refers to the textures of the items that you have, such as curtains over blinds and thick rugs over carpet.

Adding layers to your home that are bold and and warm makes for a very inviting finish to a room that would otherwise look bare and cool. Adding blankets and comforters to the bed and cushions and throw pillows to the sofas can really help you to soften the home and add cosiness where before there wasn’t any.

Wall Colours – Go For Warmth

There is a lot to be said for white walls with accessories of bold colour. It’s a great trend to follow and so many do. However, it’s not going to warm the home and there is a psychology behind the colours that people choose for their homes.

By choosing warmth in the colours that you put on the walls of your home, you’re choosing comfort and the effects of the colours may seem subtle, but they’re also strong. Dull down the brightness of neon yellow with mustard instead, and you invoke an entirely different feeling in the room. Choose more autumnal plums and oranges for a warmth that you didn’t know that you could invoke.

Rugs – Soft & Thick

Patterned rugs draw the eye really well, and a rug that has a thick texture that you want to touch is something that you can add to any room for warmth and comfort.

There’s something satisfying about sinking toes into the thickness of a soft rug, and the rugs that you choose will keep the heat in really well. This isn’t just an eco-friendly way to keep the heat in the house, it’s adding layers into your space at the same time. Rugs can also be contrasting in colour, which can add a striking look to any room in the house.

Windows Deserve Treatment

Curtains are usually something that go out of style for people and remind them of childhood. However, while blinds have their place in the office or the home, they don’t have the same warmth that curtains do. Blinds have a function, and when layered with curtains give you that layered effect that you need, but curtains can transform the room into a comfortable and welcoming place that you want to spend time in. Darker curtain colours can make even the biggest room warm and cosy.

Lighting – It’s Vital

Ambiance can make or break a room. The mood of the area matters and if you sit in a room and don’t feel empowered by the space you’re in, the lighting is what could be wrong. Ceiling lights and chandelier shades can change the way a room looks, but you have such a huge number of lighting choices to choose from.

You have the spotlights, the lamps, the strip lights, the dimmer switches – the choices can feel endless. Plan each room as the individual rooms that they are. Lighting can only work if you are clever about it; lamps are great where you read, because they illuminate your individual space.

Setting A Mood

Candles are one addition to the home that you really need to have. Not only do they provide a comfort and a glow, you can buy scented ones that differ from room to room. Some people choose to light candles just for the romantic aspect, but you could choose to have candles that are scented in the hallways to make the home more inviting when people walk through it.

Candles come in so many different shapes and sizes that it can be hard to choose from, but the scented candle ranges that you can buy now can be used in any room in the house. There’s no limit to how many you can use, just ensure that you use them safely and avoid starting any house fires!

Artistic Flair: You’ve Got It

Every single house that is homely has elements of fun. Art is one of the biggest elements because it’s subjective. For some, it’s large images printed and bordered by a picture frame. For others, it’s a piece of eclectic art that sits on the window sill.

Most people love the idea of a gallery wall; a collection of fun pieces and family photos can make for a talking point. Personal effects like this make people feel comforted and at home when they walk into your house. They also surround you in the faces of the people that you love the most, which is why they’re so popular!

The Language of Flowers

It doesn’t matter how many types of flowers you love or in which colours, they’re beautiful. Flowers have a meaning and this link can tell you all about what each flower means. Fresh flowers bring vibrancy into the home and the scent can be comforting.

Your space feels far more welcoming with a large bunch of flowers than without them, and you don’t have to spend much. If you love flowers but just don’t have the time to look after them, think of going for plastic and faux flowers instead. They’re just as beautiful and they don’t die, so you can enjoy a display year round.

A Safe Space Matters

You need just one area in the home that you can go to, curl up in and feel comforted. Most of the time, people choose to build a nook in their home that has all their favourite comforts. Choose one cosy chair as your quiet space, with comforters and pillows that you feel enhance your feeling of security. Add a footrest, a cosy lamp and a bookcase (and mini fridge if you REALLY want comfort) and you have a space that is safe, secure and your own, away from the rest of the house.

Your home is always going to be the place that you get to sit comfortably and live happily. You don’t have to leave it bare and empty and devoid of all personality, especially when you can add your own artistic flair! Make some choices that suit you and you’ll have the comfort you deserve.