What makes a house homely?

[Meta4]

Arrgghh. This frustrates me so much.

My house just doesn't feel homely to me, and I just can't put my finger on why.

So what makes a house homely - and what doesn't?!

[Littlepurpleprincess]

I'd say:

toys all over the rug in the lounge
a box of colouring pencils on the kitchen table
children's artwork on the fridge
books, lots of them
wicker baskets
rugs, blankets and cushions
curtains
photographs
a tea pot
mugs scattered here and there
candles that have actually been burned a bit, not just for show
soft lighting
a pear tree in the garden (quite specific that one)
the smell of cooking
washing on the line
a dog

I also agree about colour but unfortunately live in a rented house, so no colour, and no dog...oh and the bathroom is horrible.

[DonkeyTeapot]

Butternut I chucked it behind a chest of drawers put it in a safe place.

[housemum]

A friend of mine has a lovely album of photos on Facebook that she called "Home Things That Make Me Happy", I think the key to homeliness is having things around (which does not necessarily mean clutter!) that make you smile. Things I can think of that make me smile/make my house feel homely to me include the patchwork quilted throw on our bed, the nice bookcase full of children's books, our dining table, an Emma Bridgewater butter dish in the kitchen. Stupid things, but to me they are homely

[Ponders]

dust

[butternut234]

Ohhhh DonkeyTeapot I was given that cushion too. No idea what to do with it. Currently a pillow for a random soft toy I think...

[echt]

I second the unmatched look; none of our sofas and chairs match. Side lighting, not overhead. Rugs. Tons of books and quite a lot of art - paintings and sculpture. Flowers in vases. Big squashy sofas. Cushions. Lots of fleecy throws for cuddling up to watch the telly.

Oddly, despite being an avid gardener, no plants in the house, but they can be seen from the windows. Being in Australia means there's always something in flower and or leaf.

[racingheart]

Our house always looks 100% more homely when I give it a bit of love. Tidy everywhere, hoover and polish, fresh flowers, a bit more space and much less clutter and it shifts from looking dreary to looking beautiful.

Depends on the house though. Ours is old and knackered so keeping it looking bright makes a huge difference. If it was new build I'd do the opposite and soften the edges by growing plants up the outside walls and putting rugs down on the floorboards.

Then the atmosphere is up to you. A snoozing cat, fresh coffee and baking bread, radio on, warm laundry smells, toys in evidence but not dominating every room are what makes our house feel happy and welcoming.

[DonkeyTeapot]

Family, according to a badly embroidered cushion the MIL gave me when DD was born.

Before anyone jumps on me, it isn't a hand made cushion that she has spent hours pains-takingly sewing as a special gift for me, it is machine made and embroidered with the words "Family makes a house a home" but the letters are all different sizes. The cushion itself is only about 5x7" so also too small to be of any actual use.

Sorry to hijack, I just thought everyone ought to know the cushion's answer to the OP's question.

[Chumpalina]

Colour, and things that don't always match, and time to settle.

This sounds a bit mental but I found looking at rooms through a mirror (standing with your back to the room, looking into a mirror at the room) gives you a totally different perspective, 'new eyes', as if you were a guest, and things stand out - nice parts and bits that look rubbish - the wall with no picture on as there's a zig zag electric cable behind it in my case.

[33goingon64]

Agree with all this. DH's old house felt really un-homely. All the furniture was from Ikea (not knocking Ikea per se but there was just too much of it and it was all that orangey wood), no second hand stuff, awful generic prints on wall, no rug or lamps, cheap curtains, it just felt like an office not a home. Dsis's house is all very expensive sofas, cushions and everything matching and it has no soul. No books, no personal things anywhere. The other thing that many others have said is that you need warmth, the sound should be not bouncing off all the hard surfaces, it should be clean but not pristine and there should be personal things around to tell a story.

[MarshaBrady]

Good solid wood.
Tidy, clean
Warm. Very warm lighting not harsh at night. Many sources, lamps etc.
Sunny and light in the day.
Good paint on walls and thick sumptuous curtains.

[Sloobreeus]

The house being warm at this time of the year. No harsh, centre lights i.e. use standard lamps or table lamps instead. If your furnishings are shades of one dull colour, get some bright cushions. If no real fire, get something with a flame effect (there are some quite good electric fires that look like wood stoves, try Dimplex). Agree with whoever said a cat asleep on the rug or chair. Books. Lots of them.

[wasabipeanut]

For me, it's all about stuff! Rugs, throws, cushions, lots of older bits and pieces. I don't like lots of hard surfaces. I think if you buy stuff you love and don't worry too much about stuff matching then you won't go far wrong. I love my knackered, red Roberts radio too.

Several people have said they love our utility room - which is a bit odd. We use it as the main door and its full of boots, shoes, coats, school bags etc. plus veg rack, egg bowl and laundry stuff. It has a big red and white stripey rug (machine washable!) The cupboards are covered in soaked off wine labels - and one wall is a wine rack. People seem to like it because if you wanted a snapshot of our family, it's about as good a starting point as any.

The problem is of course that it takes time to build a house like this rather than go to Ikea, Next etc. and buy lots of cream and brown stuff.

I love the cats too. If we have been away and the cats are in a cattery, it doesn't feel like home until they are back.

[BoffinMum]

Funny, I have never thought of the teapot thing, but there's something in that.
I have a lovely Pink Plum Emma Bridgewater teapot and some outsize cups and saucers that I got for a wedding present that serves exactly that purpose!

[CeliaChristmasFete]

Warmth - a fire or central heating
Ambient lighting
Family photos on display
Personal nick nacks (not generic stuff from Next - it makes everyone's house look the same)
Warm colours - neutrals with a rich colour like plum, raspberry red or chocolate brown
Books/magazines
Enough "clutter" to look lived in but not messy
Rugs
Cushions
A feeling of "I can take my shoes off (or keep them on if I wish!!) and put my feet up here and RELAX".
I've been to friends' houses that are immaculate and beautifully decorated, but I can't wait to leave because I feel I can't move, breathe or sit back in case I muck up their cushion arrangement.

[countlessbabychams]

A few shoes about,newspaper and school books on the coffee table,a cat stretched out on the settee and a nice coal fire.
Warm colours and textures.
A bit of well loved scruffiness about the place.
Washing drying on the radiators.
Just a sense of people leading their lives.

[Janni]

Relaxed, contented people, smell of cooking, comfortable furnishings and rooms that aren't too pristine, clean toilets, plants/flowers, photos

[PastGrace]

All of the above, but especially photos, nice curtains, and rugs/cushions.

Also, it sounds silly, but I think investing in a few "nice" mugs (not necessarily expensive, but matching and big enough to wrap your hands around) and a teapot. A house is homely whenever there's a pot of tea and a mug waiting. And maybe a plate of biscuits.

My friends always used to comment that my student flat felt like a proper home - the only thing I did differently to anyone else was having a proper teapot.

[mumblechum1]

My house is homely. Warm colours, fires, woodburner, always have nice candles lit every night, huge sofas with lots of big cushions (sorry Getorf!), lots of lamps giving soft lighting. Big old rugs on wooden floors.

Went for dinner not long ago and I honestly thought they were in the middle of building work - laminate floors, no rugs, leather sofas with no cushions, no pictures, no curtains or blinds, only decoration a spiky metal fruit bowl, all white. Felt bloody horrible. And a bright ceiling light.

[MarTURKEYSTEWart]

I think all the above posts show it is subjective!

To me? Pets, a bit of clutter, foody smells.

[madmomma]

Furniture or objects that have history and meaning. I think homely homes have a sense of used-ness. Not too much new, or matchy matchy stuff.

[BoffinMum]

Shun flatpacks.
Contrive a fireplace and light the fire regularly.
Spit in the face of magnolia paint and choose colour instead.
Collect antique and shabby chic furniture at every opportunity. The local tip is your friend - I have got some amazing stuff there.
Avoid anything that looks like a Next or IKEA roomset.
Make your house appeal to each of the five senses.

[LoveInASnowyClimate]

Warm lighting. Books. Different textures in textiles.

[SardineQueen]

Not too pristine - having some things around that show that people actually live there.
Houseplants? I love houseplants.
Rugs
I like to have some unusual or colourful things about the place.

A bit of character I guess - to suit whatever your character is