I have made no secret that my home is my haven. To me a home is all about a space you feel nurtured, loved and inspired by.

I believe to be truly happy you need a sanctuary, a space to recharge, to rest, and a space that reflects who you are. I want you to walk into your home and feel safe, loved and inspired to live the happiest life you can. 

Part of creating a beautiful, nurturing space is by filling it with things that reflect your own unique style and personality. Latest trends are great, but filling your home with them simply because they’re in a magazine does not make for an authentic home, or a happy you!

You don’t want to live in a show house, you want to live in a home! I can not stress enough how important it is to style for you and your loved ones you share a home with.

Do not style for friends who visit, or to please fussy relatives, this is your haven so make it feel that way. 

Only you can decide what makes your house feel like a home. My biggest tip is to only keep the things that mean something to you. Keep the

  •  things that nurture your soul,
  • the things that make you smile,
  • the things that bring you happiness, even if they are outdated or considered ‘ugly by others’
  • the things that offer comfort, and warmth,
  • the things that inspire you to live fully,
  • the things that reflect your authentic self.

Things that you resent, dislike, that conjure bad memories, or cause you stress DO NOT belong in your home.

Like I said above, only you can decide what brings you joy, and what nurtures you. But here I will suggest a few decor’ changes that can make your home feel more beautiful, and comfortable.

Frame artwork. Framing favourite pieces of art, sentimental photographs, or even your child’s drawings, and getting them up on the wall can instantly make your home feel happier and more personal. Don’t go out and buy a stock standard poster, or artwork because you have seen it on a renovation show, or every store has it. Art work is highly personal, and open to interpretation. So choose things that reflect you, that inspire you. If you are a talented artist paint your own unique piece, frame your own photos from favourite moments in your life. Like we have in the photo below.

Plants. Again it is no secret that I am a huge fan of greenery in a home. Bringing nature inside is the best way to add a pop of colour, freshness and happiness indoors. Whether it is an indoor plant in a gorgeous pot, mini succulents in pots, fresh flowers, or garden foliage you can’t go wrong! It really is an instant ‘happy mood’ booster, and even helps purify the air in your home.

A pop of colour. So many pole think we need a black and white palate to be classy, or stick with neutral tones of creams and browns to play it safe. These colours are fine as a base, but adding pops of colour will make your home brighter and happier. There are always trends of “in colours”, but don’t get obsessed by that. Think about the colours you are drawn too. And think about the mood you are trying to create in your home. Add some yellow cushions to lift your mood. Reds can add warmth, or blues for relaxation. Consider what colours affect your mood. There is plenty of colour chart information on the internet to help you get an idea about how colours affect mood. And don’t be afraid to ask for help and advice in stores. For me adding a bold wallpaper in my powder room, and kids bathroom made such a difference to an otherwise boring room.

Rearrange. If you can’t afford new furnishing, rearrange what you have. I am always moving things around, it gives everything a fresh feeling! Even just by rearranging books, plants, and flowers on your coffee table you can make a room feel more interesting, fresher, or vibrant.

Cushions, and throw rugs. A quick way to improve a daggy old piece of furniture is to cover it with a gorgeous throw. I love throw rugs and beautiful blankets as they add such a cosy feeling to a room, or piece of furniture. By swapping out some old cushions for new ones you can instantly lift a room, and make it feel more comfortable too. If your budget is larger you can recover furniture with new fabric.

 

Yes and even the dog enjoys a throw rug.

These are just a few tips that I hope help set you off in the right direction. Remember if you don’t know where to start don’t be shy to take some photographs of your room and take the shopping with you, that way you can ask the shop assistants for advice. I know many people say they can’t add things like candles, or vases with young children around, but just by adding a cute little pot plant and a lovely throw rug you can make a huge change. As a parent we often end up with rooms in our homes looking like a toy store, that’s OK they grow up fast and we should enjoy that stage of play and fun. But don’t forget that you matter too. So add some things that you love too, pop a few favourite books on your coffee table, or try and keep your bedroom a toy free zone. There are little spaces we can create amongst the  beautiful chaos of parenting.

Feel free to share any tips you have in the comment section, I love to hear from you xx

Thanks for joining me, love Mac xx

Don’t forget you can follow me on Youtube Reflectionsfromme where you can find extra videos that I don’t always share here .