What makes a home lovely?

[Reinventingat40]

Having a family party in our relatively new home next week.. I want the house to look fab, have been cleaning non stop but now it's time for the finishing touches! In your opinion what makes a home lovely & gives a nice cosy warm feeling! Doesn't have to be anything major even little tips like caring for skirtings, dirty paint etc would be appreciated..

The people in it and generous hosts - with their time, conversation, plenty of food and drink. Somewhere clean and comfy to sit a bonus.

The rooms having been aired - I'm not against candles, but you can tell if they're covering up stale air

Fresh flowers

Plenty of food/drink

Thank you! We'll have plenty to ear & drink for both the grown ups & kids however it's more the interiors I want to get right & invest in, DH is fairly handy at DIY!

Make it smell nice, I use a diffuser, they aren’t expensive and use a mix of amber and ylang ylang, a few drops of each essential oil, the house smells soft, warm, cosy.

the other thing I’d say is soft furnishings, lovely throws neatly folded on sofa arms, luxurious cushions.

and no clutter, make sure the outside is inviting, plants either side of rhe front door, etc,

Some live plants dotted around always help I think. Also, maybe I'm weird, but seeing a blanket somewhere neatly draped or folded always makes me feel I'm somewhere welcoming.

Fresh flowers added to the list. The lidl in our town does gorgeous fresh bunches for a fraction of the price of a florist!

I think (aside from good hosting) it’s 50% décor and 50% not having clutter. Clear surfaces.

having a lovely home is a bit overrated if it makes you unrelaxed though. People feel that warm homely feeling when they’re relaxed, not worried about touching the wrong thing or whatever.

@HappyHappyHermit @Swimmingpoolsally great tips keep the advice coming, can see myself coming back over the months ahead for reminders!

Thanks, the decluttering bit has been done!

I like lots of greenery - either large statement plants or fresh foliage displays in stylish vases in light, open airy spaces to feel a connection with the outdoors.

Fairy lights and soft lighting in general, no harsh overhead lights. Clear surfaces, nice blankets and cushions. House plants. Nice smells.

I have a thing about people's toilets/bathrooms at parties.

I appreciate a toilet/bathroom which is gleaming.
A faint (not overpowering) smell of bleach or other cleaner.
Perhaps the window open a fraction.
Sparkling taps.
No bits or pubes anywhere.
No visible body towels.
No visible toothbrushes (I am really weird about teeth)
Nice-smelling handsoap and plenty of it.
No bar soap for guests' hand-washing.
A sticky-on gel thing down the loo, or something in the cistern to keep it fresh.
Plenty of loo roll and spares which are visible.
A bin.
A fresh, clean-smelling reed diffuser.

Can I come?!

People always say our house is cosy and welcoming (which is lovely of them and is exactly what I aim for!) Interiors wise I think what helps is:

Clear of clutter as much as possible

Comfy chairs and cushions

A couple of blankets folded over the back of the sofa and armchair in the living room

Candles

Smells nice

Huge rug in the living room

House plants, I'm relatively new to having plants indoors but now wouldn't be without them and have at least one in every room and often more than that.

Lamps so I can alter the lighting and have the room a bit dimmer if necessary

Depending on the gathering I might put on background music but not too loud. I like acoustic covers on Spotify for something inoffensive

Flowers, I separate out large bouquets into multiple smaller efforts, with a few sprigs from the garden, utilising small glass bottles and jars. Dotted around on occasional tables these look lovely.

Lots of folded flannels on a tray and a bin to put them in the bathroom to dry hands.

Diffusers - Neóm and white company are good for oil blends.

Lamps for when it gets darker, much nicer than overhead lighting.

Layering rugs, blankets, cushions for a put together look.

Decorative trays - one round tray on a coffee table with several items (candle, bottle of matches, decorative vase) placed on it. Like very “together”

Lamps rather than light from the ceiling. Go for warm
lit bulbs rather than harsh white light.

Candles

Fresh flowers and plants

Cushions

Throws/Blanket

A nice scented candle in the bathroom

A warm, relaxed atmosphere - plenty to eat and drink, comfortable seating. And no clean-freak anxiously watching in case anyone drops crumbs/spills anything.

No ludicrously un-people-friendly furnishings like white carpets!

A house containing things you chose because you love them and they mean something to you.

Comfortable furnishings. Soft textures to absorb noise. (We took a small pair of curtains down for painting and the sound difference is surprising)

Colour. Entirely monochrome does strange things to my eyes like it's hard to focus on unnatural light/ shade.

Definitely no clutter - but I see you already have that on your list! Somewhere obvious to put coats/shoes and plenty of places to sit! At my daughter's I have to sit on a dining chair as her sofa is too low and I can't get up from it. Not many people have room for loads of seating, we have some footstools which fit neatly under tables/ chairs when we're not using them and the children can sit on those, or more agile adults if there are lots of them and children can sit on the floor. If you have 'precious ' furniture and want coasters to be used - make sure there are enough and that they are obvious.

Aired
Clean
Clutter free
(personally i love the smell of bleach etc in the air especially thw bathroom)
Flowers

Nice soft lighting (side lamps rather than overhead lights)
No strong smells (candles and air fresheners can trigger migraines)
No pet hair on furniture
Liquid hand soap in bathroom
Plenty of seating
Places to set drinks while seated
Warm, but not too warm
Plants
Cushions

Clean, welcoming, with a brew on. And a roaring fire in winter. Good snacks. Comfy sofa.

Get tips, thanks mumsnetters🥰

Actually, not TOO clean, because it is a house not a laboratory.
Definitely no bleach - it's also not a hospital.
Lots of books & pictures, because they indicate that interesting & interested people live there.
No large TV screens (or at least hidden ones).
Generous catering & drinks.
Just a relaxed approach, e.g. nobody bothering too much if red wine spilt on the carpet!

Clean cups / glasses.
I hate it when there's a bit of residue from dish washer etc

unlike @KStockHERO I want bar soap in the loo room. Provide both. But a decent-sized bar with a subtle pleasant smell, and make sure it hasn't been allowed to build up residue wherever it sits.

Clean towels, hand-sized (I don't mind there being big towels there, but it must be obvious that the hand towel is for hands). Fluffyish is nice but make sure it's absorbent.

Simple and obvious bolt on the door, that works smoothly in both directions.

And yes, spotlessly clean (at least to start with ).

Apart from that: no cobwebs, dust, dirt, clutter. Obstacle-free path to obstacle-free seats. Ornaments and photos selected for display, not just crammed in everywhere. Any plants or cut flowers well-kept.

Room for guests to put their bags coats and shoes (if they're taking them off). Coasters placed near chairs. Fresh-looking cushions.

If there are children in the household, there should be tidy evidence of this - low bookshelf of their books, photos, their art on the pinboard, that sort of thing.

Incidentally, I have had a particular house in mind while typing this post. It's not mine.