Your home is your refuge. It is the environment that allows you to “relax, regroup, and reinforce the best of who you are.” Today let’s discuss tricks to create an inviting, cozy, super welcoming home for your family and your guests. How to create a space that no one wants to leave? Let’s begin with a few ideas from old posts and around the internet.
Design Trends for 2021
According to interior designer, Rachel Street, host of DIY Network’s “Philly Revival,” “Shiplap appears in nearly every TV home-makeover show, but there are so many other emerging ways of bringing texture into a space.” She added that tile, plaster, rattan, or living walls of plants are set to become more popular in 2021 instead. She predicts shiplap and other current trends like all white rooms will fade in the coming years.
Vibrant colors. wallpaper, and houseplants are going to be big the next few years. Feel free to add them in your linen and walls – things that you can change easily. I’d hesitate to say have an orange island in the kitchen unless you know you can replace it in the future. On a HGTV show I saw the flippers spend thousands on a huge orange island. From my experience in the 1970’s people get tired of orange really fast. If you add wallpaper, be sure to buy scrubbable and strippable wallpaper only. Old fashioned wallpaper is horrible to remove!
Photo Elle Decor
Make your home feel spacious
As we discussed last month in Create Space by De-Cluttering, creating space in your home doesn’t require an extension or completely removing everything. There are ways you can make a room look more spacious through decluttering. Tackle your home’s unwanted clutter and look forward to having more space to help you feel happy and relaxed in your home.
Rethink how you store items in your pantry, bathroom, and even your bedroom.

Photo HGTV Magazine
Create an inviting entrance
Creating a stylish entrance can welcome and pull your family members and guests into your home. Your home entry hall forms your guests’ first impression, so make it inviting. Whether you are blessed with a big entrance hall or even a cozy landing, your entry can be styled with art, a mirror or a great light. Accents that usher your family and guest into your home.

Photo via Kindredvintageco.com
Embrace the outdoors
Inviting and comfortable outside spaces extend your home and invite your family and friends to relax on those long summer days. As we discussed in a recent post on Hanging Plants, you shouldn’t just leave nature in the garden; you should bring it indoors to add warmth and life to your home’s interior. Get some more plants for rooms in your house and add some vibrancy, color, and life to your home. Houseplants have never been more popular than today and I say great! Of course, too much of a good thing can be less than ideal. You may love inviting nature into your household, but pests are not invited. You can use Aptive Environmental to prepare your approach to warding off unwanted critters, while still retaining a lovely, green, and welcoming home.

Photo Homes & Gardens
Add texture
One of the simplest tricks for a more welcoming home is texture. Texture may not be as obvious, but the impact can be just as dramatic. It adds dimension to a room, and appeals to our senses. Surround yourself with things you would like to touch like natural fibers, metals, or stone. Add texture on the floor with a rug, on the walls with a piece of art, in the room with a carved wooden table or a stone fireplace, and anywhere you use fabrics. Below I love the mix of pillows, throw, rug, and fresh flowers on the coffee table.
Photo DigsDigs
Warmth is crucial.
During the cold days of winter, your home has to be a warm and cozy haven. If your house feels too cold, you might want to think about making home improvements to conserve energy. Insulation in the walls and extra glazing for windows will ensure that your home feels naturally warmer without having to turn the heating up. This will of course save you a lot of money too. In terms of design, if you have a fireplace, make it the focal point during cold weather. Move favorite chairs close by. Add a throw to the couch or chair. If you home has no fireplace, you can easily create a fireplace ambiance. Purchase or make a mantel and affix to a wall. Add molding and a metal tray on the floor. Throw in some flameless candles and you’ve just created that warm ambiance your room needed.
Below is a faux brick wall and fireplace that really looks real to me.
Photo Seeking Lavender Lane
If you wish to add a real fireplace, BHG has a great article discussing all the pros and cons of the construction. Personally, I think the trendy TV stand fireplaces would be my choice. Nearly everyone has a wall dominated by a large TV. It’s hard to avoid that in our electronic virtual world today. That way it’s like adding a piece of furniture and not changing the actual architecture of your home. Plus I personally like the idea of an electric fireplace without all the clean-up of a wood fireplace. If you are like my sister and her husband who bought a house with a fireplace 40 years ago and love burning wood in the winter, electric may not make you happy. Gas is another great option for warmth and flames.

Photo Overstock.com
The kitchen should be cozy & practical
Warm colors can take the chill off a kitchen’s polished surfaces and can be combined in ways that suit every decorating style. Blend two or more warm hues to create a cozy kitchen. Remember to be practical in your choices for easy maintenance. Your inviting kitchen is in a real home where people live. If you have lots of cold metal surfaces, add copper to warm up the space. Start collecting vintage copper or copper painted pieces and display them on the wall or a shelf. Vintage touches throughout your home make it cozy and uniquely yours. Create smarter storage spaces. Put up shelves on the walls to store your crockery and other items. It’s all about creating a neat and clean environment for the family that also invites you to linger. I am mad about the kitchen below which I found on Instagram.

Photo via @the_whole_9_yards_design
I love the eggplant and sage color scheme with wood accents for the breakfast seating below.
Photo BHG
Color and lighting both make all the difference
Color and lighting are both important elements when it comes to creating the right aesthetic for your home. Starting with color, you might want to use bold and fun colors throughout the house, but you should start with an underlying neutral background to serve as a foundation for everything else. Paint the walls white or a neutral shade to serve as a blank canvas on which all your other ideas can go. When it comes to lighting, the white in your house will reflect light and brighten up your rooms. It’s all about creating that warm and vibrant feel in your home.
Photo HouseBeautiful
The combination of blue porcelain, mint green furniture and lots of light makes a subtle statement in the entry hall of a Norwegian house.
Add Multi-functional Spaces
Multi-funtional spaces are hugely popular now. Nearly everyone needs more storage space. Rethink your room layout and furniture. Offices can be used as guest rooms, ottomans can be used for storage, and Murphy beds are making a comeback in a big way. These are all great ways to maximize your spaces while staying on top of the latest trends.
A great addition to a room is a storage bench with the latest trendy look. Shanty To Chic made this for $25 and has a great tutorial for those who love DIY.

Photo Shanty to Chic
Turning two rooms into one is no small task. Sure, you can just drop a desk anywhere in your family room and call it a multifunctional space. Pinterest shows us how to hide a desk behind the couch. Now that’s a fabulous idea! When your family uses the room, the desk is out of the way and sight.

Photo Pinterest
Creating a welcoming living space isn’t all that hard — it just take a little time, planning, and attention to detail. The bonus is a place that is enjoyable and your home.
Photo Amazon

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…lot of creative ideas!
So many interesting ideas. I feel like I’ve achieved a small victory just keeping things clean. I’ll be glad when I feel comfortable going furniture shopping. It’s hard to find things that work in my house but I really do need a new sofa. Mama bear size — not too big, not too small, just right!
I agree with you about shopping for furniture and many other things require a visit to a store. To try on and to try it out. A sofa or chair needs to sat in – is it too hard or soft? Shoes are another thing I have to put my feet in. I was looking at chairs online and noticed how many attractive chairs had reviews that said not comfortable. Really isn’t that the purpose of a chair?
Lots of great ideas …. we just bought and installed an electric fireplace here in our Oregon summer apartment , since it has become our winter one also this year (hopefully just this year, but it is worth it no matter what, so much cozier).
I agree – the new designs are easy to buy and install. They look wonderful and cozy too.
These are really very, very beautiful inspirations, dear Carol!
Thanks and best wishes from Austria,
Traude
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2021/02/ausflug-in-den-nationalpark-neusiedler.html
thanks for the kind words and visit!
Such great tips. Now that the weather is changing and spring is almost here, I am inspired to take a fresh look around and make a few changes. The inspiration photos are gorgeous.
Amalia
xo
Beautiful pictures, the bedroom is my favorite. I think a welcoming home is not only wonderful for your guest but for yourself as well. Thank you for sharing on the Classy Flamingos blog party.
Such great ideas! Thank you for sharing at Party In Your PJ’s.
Pinning on several boards. Love the kitchen and the entry way, especially!
thanks for the pins Donna – that kitchen is divine I think!
I love all of these ideas so much. I really want to make our entry more welcoming, and my bedroom more cozy. I have been working on my art/craft space so much, but there are other areas in my house that definitely need attention. Thanks for sharing at Thursday Favorite Things!
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