What little things do you do to make your house a home?

[Anonymous]

My house if filled with family antiques. I don't like new furniture. I like the look and feel of older pieces, scratches and all. None of our pieces really match, but they work well together. At least I think they do.

I don't use any overhead lighting.

I have curtains on all of our windows, but none that completely cover the window. I like lots of natural light.

I have wide plank hardwood floors with area rugs. Lots of throw pillows and snuggly throws.

I put away our wedding china years ago and only take it out for special suppers. I filled my china cabinet with a combination of blue willow and other blue themed dishes. My husband's grandfather made the china cabinet by hand.

Our fireplace is the center of our family room. I have two rocking chairs beside the fireplace. When people visit, they always choose to sit in those wooden rocking chairs over our much softer sofas and chairs.

Exept for the living room, our house is very casual. I know some people absolutely hate that style. But I spent every summer growing up at my grandparents' (both sides) farm and farmhouse. I think I've unconsciously tried to recreate that feeling.

[Anonymous]

Bake. Nothing says home to me like the smell of banana bread or chocolate chip cookies.

[Anonymous]

Lots of photos all over of lots of people, not just my kids.

[Anonymous]

Share name of etsy shop?

[Anonymous]

Can anyone recommend a good lightbulb that doesn't look too blue or fluorescent? DH keeps buying these awful energy efficient bulbs that make our home look like a Target dressing room. I find that bad lighting really brings me down.

Agree with others on reducing clutter, adding throws on couches, putting up artwork (and, for me, lots of art on the walls in little gallery settings makes me feel cozy in the house). Books also make me feel cozy, but I'm a bookworm. I have a basket of magazines next to the couch and books in almost every room.

[Anonymous]

Cropdust each room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone recommend a good lightbulb that doesn't look too blue or fluorescent? DH keeps buying these awful energy efficient bulbs that make our home look like a Target dressing room. I find that bad lighting really brings me down.

Agree with others on reducing clutter, adding throws on couches, putting up artwork (and, for me, lots of art on the walls in little gallery settings makes me feel cozy in the house). Books also make me feel cozy, but I'm a bookworm. I have a basket of magazines next to the couch and books in almost every room.

He just needs to use a lower wattage. I think we use 60 in our lamps.

[Anonymous]

Ditto with all the pps. Art seems to make a house most unique imo. When you make your own art or just have hand-made pieces around instead of stuff from stores it makes a big difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1104 again- I think area rugs do wonders for a room too.

I prefer floorcloths.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone recommend a good lightbulb that doesn't look too blue or fluorescent? DH keeps buying these awful energy efficient bulbs that make our home look like a Target dressing room. I find that bad lighting really brings me down.

You can now get CFL's in a wide variety of colors. The bluish ones are intended for areas like kitchens and work spaces where you want the brighter, colder light. For other spaces, like living spaces, bedrooms, etc, you can get yellower ones (often called warmer colors) that mimic incandescent lights. You can also get very bright ones that mimic sunlight. See this page for examples and tell your husband to look for better CFL's. I know that Home Depot and Lowe's both sell the full spectrum of these bulbs (that's where I tend to get them): http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls_color

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone recommend a good lightbulb that doesn't look too blue or fluorescent? DH keeps buying these awful energy efficient bulbs that make our home look like a Target dressing room. I find that bad lighting really brings me down.

You can now get CFL's in a wide variety of colors. The bluish ones are intended for areas like kitchens and work spaces where you want the brighter, colder light. For other spaces, like living spaces, bedrooms, etc, you can get yellower ones (often called warmer colors) that mimic incandescent lights. You can also get very bright ones that mimic sunlight. See this page for examples and tell your husband to look for better CFL's. I know that Home Depot and Lowe's both sell the full spectrum of these bulbs (that's where I tend to get them): http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls_color

Thank you! We have grey or blue walls in all our rooms, so the colder lights look even colder--even at 60W.