If you stop and ask your friends and family what makes a house a home, you’ll quickly realize that it’s less about the building, or even material possessions, and more about the emotional connection and other residents. The saying ‘home is where the heart is’ is definitely true for most of us, with loved ones being a more important household feature than flat screen televisions or expensive furniture.
A home is somewhere that we can be most comfortable and content. Mostly a home is associated with an emotional connection and sentimentality rather than a specific exterior or interior property design. It’s part of our human make-up that we seek solace in private space behind closed doors.
LMU Environmental psychologist Simon Moore, believes that ‘personal space’ is ‘thinking space’ and home is somewhere that we can find this privacy and time to think or do whatever we wish – a place to be our true selves.
When choosing a new house, buyers or tenants will often be looking for the potential to turn a property into their own home sweet home so choosing the right building is important too, as it needs to accurately reflect and compliment how they live their life. Property layout is more important than décor, which can be changed with ease, but the most important element of finding a ‘home’ is finding somewhere that provides the right emotional response.
What makes a nice home will vary from person to person. Some individuals find they are sensitive to visual appeal, so how a property looks is very important. Yet others are emotionally unbalanced by the wrong lighting or noise pollution.
If you’re on the lookout for a new house, take time to consider what surroundings would really impact the way you enjoy yourself. If you enjoy peace and quiet, will the property offer a peaceful place to sit and unwind? If you’re a tactile person, does the property please you in its textural appearance?
When making a house a home, the key to creating a nice environment is to be ruled by your heart rather than your head. There is a primitive link to where we feel most safe. Some are comforted by minimal clutter-free spaces, whilst others need a little fuss around them to make them feel at ease. Making a home doesn’t necessarily mean re-creating pages from a furniture catalogue. A show-home interior is not practical to maintain.
Sometimes the psychological feeling of home can need refreshing. When you’re tired of your property and cannot get comfortable, take time to rearrange the furniture or freshen up the paintwork –changes can be stimulating and productive. If you really want to appreciate the comfort of your home, all you need to do is take a break for a week or so and make a note of how you feel on your return. If you’re lucky enough to feel ‘glad to be back’ even after the most relaxing break, you’ll know you’ve created a pleasing home environment.