Top life hacks to make your house a home

Home is where the heart is, or so that old cliche goes. And, unless you want to live somewhere cold and unforgiving, your home should give you the feeling that the wants of your heart are being met. To raise another cliche, it’s the difference between a house and a home.

But balancing a warm and friendly space with the latest styles is no easy feat. That’s why we’ve come up with a few tips to give you a home that will weather the changing tide of styles and still be comfortable from the moment you step through the door.

Life-Hacks

Find the ideal flooring

Have you ever entered a room and felt your feet curl up in disgust at the surface they’ll have to walk on? Whether it’s cold, hardwood flooring or a mustard carpet that looks like someone might have been sick on it, it’s not a pleasant experience.

Start at the entrance by purchasing a dirt-trapper mat that will get all the muck off your shoes and stop your flooring getting filthy. Then, make your carpeting a warm, inviting colour with a thickness that will allow your toes to get comfy without the need for socks.

Look to the past

“Vintage” has become the recent trendy buzzword, and it’s easy to see why – with the world of interior design focusing more on the idea of minimalism in the past few years, people are beginning to favour furniture and designs with a little more character.

It’s not difficult to track down vintage goods at a cheap price, either. Flea markets, specialist shops, auction houses and even the internet can help you find goods from any era to match your home.

So, whether you want a 60s pad akin to Austin Powers or a mediaeval fort like Henry VIII, look around for easy vintage finds.

Make nature your friend

If there’s one concept that never ages, it’s nature. The natural environment – especially with our increasing awareness of climate change – has been receiving our embrace and sprucing up our homes since interior design was popular.

Although you don’t want your home to resemble an overbearing greenhouse, dot a few plants around the place to bring a brighter, cleaner feel to every room.

If you really want to push the boat out, you could even vie for solar panels to line your roof and a garden full of organically growing fruit and veg. After all, what’s a home without a garden to tend to?