As the wind gets chillier, the ground gets frosty-er, and the trees bare their bark, we tend to spend less time enjoying the outdoors and more time at home, cozying up, trading in forest bathing for steamy baths and crackling fireplaces. Home can be the perfect ending point to any wild adventure. No matter how a day went, the consistency of a home-base is just like pressing reset, restoring, and getting geared up for the new opportunities awaiting the following day. Somehow, despite bouncing around quite a bit, I have been able to call many places home despite only staying for very short periods of time. If it’s not time spent in a place, then what is it that really gives a space the feeling of home?
Translating a space into a feeling should involve an appeal to all five senses. First, it’s important to decide on the intention of the space. The most important feeling that I want to derive out of my home is creative inspiration. Others might pine for a space that is calming, refreshing, or invigorating perhaps. Making the space fit for purpose is the best way to funnel all of your following choices.
How do we create the feeling of home?
Let’s talk senses:
Sight
Art - Try choosing art pieces that hold personal meaning. Framing a memory, a newspaper clipping, a photo, movie or train tickets can bring a personal feeling to your home! Even better than choosing art that you like, is choosing art that you’ve made :)
Lighting - according to the purpose of the space you can be intentional with the tone of lighting (cool lighting vs. warm lighting), playful string lights or heavier ceiling pieces. Of course nothing beats big windows letting in natural lighting.
Smell
Scented candles aren’t the only way to create smells! You can also use atmosphere mist sprays or woodchips to stir up scents. A natural way to fill a room with your hand-picked combo of scents? Boil water with your favorite fresh ingredients (sage, fresh apple, cinnamon, rosemary, evergreen, etc.) and let the steam fill your space. I usually stick a favorite scent in my drawers to make clothes and towels smell just right.
Touch
Textiles! Textiles literally bring all the feels. Go with a simple, perhaps monochromatic color scheme and then play with different textures in pillows, throws, blankets, and curtains. I like to layer different textured sheets and blankets on the bed for a more dreamy sleep and to be able to adjust according to daily temperature fluctuations. We can see textures too, so don't be afraid to hang a decorative rug on the wall or create a space divider, a door replacement, or a bed canopy with a sheer sheet.
Taste
Filling the home with ingredients is a great way to encourage spending more time being creative in the kitchen and therefore more time actually using your space for some of its more functional purposes. I’m also a big fan of a visually stimulating cookbook.
Hearing
You don't necessarily need to artificially add sounds like the sounds of waves or rain. If you don't have a fireplace, a crackling wick candle will also do the trick. Perhaps for you making home feel like your own space means curating sounds, blocking certain sounds out, or creating quiet by closing windows. Music, sounds, atmosphere, it’s all in the vibes :)
With all the best from our home to yours 
Léa