There is nothing like your family enjoying your home as a family. A house is not a home until a happy family is using it to the fullest. But sometimes, your home doesn’t feel like it is built to be a family home. Things get in the way, the design keeps people apart, and it doesn’t foster those family connections you crave. Well, there is hope. Here are a few ways that you can make your house feel more like a home for your whole family.
Create an Open and Inviting Living Room
Nothing will cut off the use of your living room like keeping it a cramped or uninviting space to exist in. if your living room doesn’t call out to your family to be used, lounged in, played in, relaxed in, worked in, then your family will find other places to do those things. Make sure that your living room is well lit, and has plenty of comfortable places to sit and relax. Decorate your living room warmly, and try to keep the space as open as possible. Too much clutter or closed off space and it will begin to feel too segmented for there to be a whole family gathering.
Add Family Photos
Pictures are worth a thousand words. Having pictures of your family around your house can help your family members identify with the home you are in. Feeling ownership over the space is important for every member of the family, and seeing their faces on the wall will help them feel that their home is theirs too. Hang family photos on the walls of hallways or stairwells, and put picture frames on tables in your dining room, kitchen, and family room so that the space is full of your family and happy memories every day.
Decorate the Kid’s Room
The most important thing you can do to make your kids feel at home in your house is to decorate their room.Better yet, let your kid have some say in how their room is decorated. Obviously you don’t have to give over complete creative control to your kids, you will be able to put together a cohesive design better than your young children – but letting make some decisions and guide the style and theme of the room will go a long way towards making your kid feel that your home is their home too. Let your kids pick the colors, or themes, or bedding that you put In their room. If they love their room, they’ll love the house.
Consider Some Home Additions
The truth is, sometimes your house just wasn’t constructed with the space your family needs to have a family space to spend time together. IF this is the case for you and your home, you should consider constructing an addition to give yourself the space you need. One of the best additions to increase family time is a deck. There are many ways to improve your home life with all the features you can add to a deck. Whether it is a full outdoor living room setup, an outdoor grill or kitchen, a fire pit, or simply a great little garden space, a deck is a smart addition to your home that can let your family feel at home.
Creatively Selected Candles
Smell is actually a very strong sense for humans, and is very strongly related to memory in most people. Smells can take people back to a certain time in their life, or a certain feeling and that can be very good. If you have some scents that you know your family loves or, if you’ve just moved, miss from your old location, try getting some candles around the home that give off those scents. A few well-placed candles that are the perfect scent can (maybe even subconsciously) help your family feel at home.
Decorate for Holidays
Nothing screams home like having decorations out for the holidays of any season. Whatever holidays you and your family celebrate, by putting up decorations, you send the signal that the home is a place of celebration, love, togetherness, and joy – like many holidays symbolize. It’s even better if you can get the whole family involved in decorating, helping them explore your house and liven it up. So invest in some decorations, or pick some up second hand, or make your own if you are looking to save money. The most expensive decorations aren’t necessarily the best, and you can make your own very lovely holiday decorations, and if you need some inspiration, check online for ideas.
Do Not Limit Activities Allowed in Shared Spaces
This one may be difficult, or impossible, to avoid , but the best you can do the better. Let your family do whatever they need to do in shared spaces. If you kids want to use the dining room table to do homework, let them. If your spouse wants to watch TV or a movie in the living room let them. If your kids want to bake cookies at 10pm in the kitchen, let them. Sharing the shared spaces and the use of the space with your family is essential for giving everyone a sense of ownership and a feeling of home.
Schedule Family Activities
The best thing you can do to make your family feel at home in your house is to spend time together in your house. If it isn’t happening naturally (yet) then put some effort into it. Schedule a family movie night, or a crafting evening, or watch a football game all together. There are tons of options, you just have to try one. Your family might really love it.
A house is not a home just by living it. A house becomes a home when you have filled it with love, joy ,and togetherness. While making your kids feel at home in your house may not be easy, these ideas are a great place to start to get everyone in the right feeling. Before you know it, you’ll have a home you can be proud of.
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