How do you make it feel homely?

[House2home]

We bought our house a couple of years ago, got halfway through decorating it and then something came up and we ran out of money and inspiration. I think we've just got used to how it is now and can't see outside of it. However coming home from holiday I walked in and it felt so bare and empty, it didn't feel like coming home.

I don't have a big budget. Have about £200 I could spare this month. If I added some photos would anyone be willing to help with ideas on making it more homely?

Lighting is the biggest thing! It looks like you just have the big central light on in the evening, that never feels homely to me. I think a standing lamp beside the big sofa and a table lamp on the white table by the small one. Move the big sofa out from the wall a bit so it's not in the corner (you would need to for a lamp anyway. Ditch the blue beanbag, it's the only thing not in a warm neutral colour. Then as the others say, big rug, cushions!

I really like the grey squashy sofa in your play area, is it comfortable? I would also try swapping it out with one of the leather ones (which are more practical for playroom/dining room anyway) in the sitting room.

In the playroom you've got that nice wooden trunk thing in the corner. Trying putting it square in front of the sofa as a coffee table, which should be in the centre of the wall. White table can go in the corner with a lamp on it. I think maps are lovely for playrooms, pretty, inspiring and educational - Ikea had a good selection when I was last there.

I'm really envious of your "bare empty" house, you can have some of my clutter if you like

Oh and I agree with others the kitchen is absolutely fine, you don't want clutter in there. If it was me I'd probably try and squeeze a tiny breakfast table for 2 in by where the glass block wall is - but this attitude is why my flat is full of stuff!

Some great ideas here, thank you for taking the time to post. I'll read through properly later when the kids are less distracting.

Doje I can't remember where we got the table, sorry. It was a man on eBay who made it, I just can't remember his name.

When you say move the furniture away from the walls what do you mean?

I think you are referring to the posts that say move the furniture away from the corners?? We mean pull it out of the corners. You have the space and tucking the sofa up against two walls looks less good than giving them a bit of space.

Do you really need three sofas in that space? I would also put some mirrors in to bounce some light around:

How about a layout like this? The green rectangles are rugs. The kids crap is hidden round the corner from the main living room. You might be concerned about light shining on the TV but that will depend on your aspect and what you watch. You could flip the left sofa back to where one is now and put the TV in the top left corner of the living room on the arch.

For some reason the very top bit got cut off so the table and rug look a bit odd!!

I would also paint the wall opposite the small window in the dining/playroom with blackbord paint.

Your home is great op. I would choose a rug in a colour you like and work from there. Habitat or IKEA (habitat availiable through argos too I think)

Mine is sage green and grey - kind of tile effect - I love it. Then cushions don't match but are the same sort of colours. Different textures.

Lots of lamps - either a tripod lamp or Argos have a copper one that is very on trend and would look lovely with your wood.

It would take much to make your room cosy. A huge feature clock / mirror (Amazon have lovely clocks)

Your home is beautiful and you definitely don't need a new kitchen.

I think like others have said you just need a bit more stuff. A nice big fluffy rug, cushions, a lamp, photos or a picture on the wall, throws on the sofas.

Why not choose a colour you like and build a little collection based on that?

I like teal and duck egg so have lots of accessories in that colour.

You could have any colour you like, you got a great base to work on.

Yes move the furniture away from the walls/corners a bit.

You could fit a small breakfast table in your kitchen.

Get to dunelm mill. We have a similar look, wooden floors, cottage kitchen dining table in connected dining room. I would definitely get a bookcase or sideboard and some nice cushions. You need to pick a colour theme and then tone it all together. Get some bondage to take your curtains up easily, that helps too. You have a great basic set up, it just needs some softening x

Pictures. We have some from various holidays printed off a4 size and framed. They were only taken on a phone, but they look great. They're not ones with us in them, they're views, skies, things we saw - but they're very personal to us. One is the view from the place where we got engaged, for instance. The frames are just plain ones from Wilkos!

Try a super large lohal rug from ikea £75 ...its an absolute bargain for the size and though plain will give really nice texture to the room

We also love the Lake District so we have map of the area on a pin board in the kitchen, and stick a pin in every walk we've done. I have one colour, and DH has another - I need to get a third set of pins for DS too. You could do something similar with a world map or a map of anywhere, really.

Love how much natural light you have, though!

Thanks everyone, I can't tell you how much you've helped already!
I'm going to have a look on Pinterest tonight but have a good idea of what we need now.

Do you think the window in the sun room needs a blind of some sort? I don't know how I could get it to look right against the curtains though.

No I would move the furniture around (you can always move it back) and do all the stuff with soft furnishings and the pictures on the walls before I worried about a blind for the window.

I can't see why you would need one unless the light is shining too brightly on the TV or eyeline.

I'd go with painting the walls to start...something neutral but brighter. Ours were the same color and had charcoal gray curtains when we moved in. It all felt very dark. I painted a light blueish/greenish/gray (seems to change with the light!) and got rid of the dark curtains and just doing that made such a huge difference. Then definitely as everyone else said add some rugs, bright pillows, and pictures. You have a lovely home and it shouldn't be hard to tweak it a little to get the look you're going for!

Please come back and update with 'after' pictures OP

I like your place and don't think it would take much at all to make it more homely.

I think your leather sofas would look fab with a cosy knitted throw - this type of thing would look nice - www.thewoolcompany.co.uk/aran-knitted-throw.html?m=simple&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIz9CCu6301QIV4rftCh33-wOyEAQYESABEgIBGPD_BwE

I then might replace the beanbag with something like this - bit more structured but still soft and comfy - www.argos.co.uk/product/3576971 in a bright colour, maybe the yellow, for interest.

A lamp or two would be nice - wayfair often have some quite inexpensively. I like copper lamps as they're kind of warm looking.

A few cushions/rug would be good too.

Do you have an auction house near you? We do and if we go to a mid week auction when it's quiet I've been able get some really nice vintage stuff for hardly anything - a Georgian wooden framed armchair in reasonable nick with lovely red upholstery cost £35 (needs a small repair but that's fine). If you can do it without breaking the bank an accent chair would add interest.