Design Notes
Do you wonder what people think when they enter your home? Is it inviting? Do they feel welcome and find it easy to relax? As a host, these things matter; you want your guests to have a wonderful time, and often that begins with the atmosphere you set in the home. There are many elements that contribute to creating a welcoming home, including color, patterns, decorative pieces, and furniture. All of this comes together to paint an inviting space where guests leave feeling like family. Sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start or what pieces work best together to create the perfect look. Let’s talk about five ways to create a welcoming atmosphere in your home.
Think Like A Guest
While this may seem a bit odd, shifting your perspective from resident to guest is a great way to reevaluate your home and identify areas where it falls short in the welcome department. We live here every day, so it is easy to become accustomed to our surroundings and overlook how they may appear to others. Hands down, we’ve all looked through windows as we drive by other people’s homes or watched those home tours because we are curious. The same applies to our guests; the best way to determine if our home needs some revamping is to look at it with fresh eyes. Some good questions to ask yourself:
- What is the first thing that catches my eye when I walk through the door?
- Is the room open and inviting, or does it feel cramped?
- Would I want to sit down and relax in this space?
- What style is represented in this home?
- Is there a unified look throughout the home, or do the spaces operate individually?
Going through the motions as if you were a visitor can help you judge how the space makes others feel. Consider what you enjoy about visiting friends at their home and what you didn’t like about others that made you not want to come back. Understanding that can go a long way in knowing exactly what needs to change or adapt in your home and pave the way for a new, inviting space to welcome our guests.
Start With Your Favorites
We want our homes to be welcoming to our guests, but they should still be designed with us in mind, so think about the things that matter. Do you have a favorite color, piece of furniture, or artwork? Let that be your starting point for designing the perfect space. Consider painting an accent wall in the living room or using reclaimed wood. Both ideas add warmth and welcome. If you have a favorite furniture piece, build around it with accent pieces and color schemes. Do you have family photos or artwork that you must have in your home? Use that as a main feature for a hallway or living room wall. A home that is designed around the things that you love will have no problem relaying that emotion to all who enter, whether that is a resident or a guest. Don’t be afraid to incorporate your favorites into your home, as it is a great way for people to know what you value. Talk to your designer about the pieces that matter to you.
A Little Outside In.
There is a sense of peace and calm when we spend time outdoors, and by bringing some of nature inside, those positive vibes can be transferred into the home. There are multiple ways you can do this, such as:
- Have indoor plants
- Natural light
- Additional lighting sources
- Natural materials such as wood
Nature-inspired elements in the design immediately bring a sense of calm to any area of the home and can influence the overall atmosphere for your guests. The colors that indoor plants bring to a space are often enjoyed by everyone, though we recommend selecting ones that won’t cause allergic reactions, such as aloe vera plants. Lighting is a key element for influencing the mood, with natural light sending happy vibes throughout the space. When natural light is limited, make sure to incorporate plenty of other lighting, such as floor and table lamps; this accent lighting can help keep an ambient mood in the room. Including some of nature’s materials in the design also helps create a welcoming atmosphere. Wooden shelves or coffee tables are a great example of this, but there are multiple ways to achieve this. Your designer will have many helpful insights to assist you in creating a beautiful nature-inspired style.
Strive For Balance
Balance is a crucial element in design, as it helps create a space that makes everyone feel at home and at ease. Weight, color, and style all need to be balanced with one another to create the perfect atmosphere. Balance does not mean everything has to match or line up just so; it is about everything having a place and purpose in the room. If a guest enters your living room, which is awash in a rainbow of colors, or every piece feels like it does not blend with the others, it can leave them feeling a little overwhelmed, and their eye does not know where to go first. Think through the overall layout of the room, including the foot traffic, and ensure there are places for people to walk through easily, as well as ample room to be seated. Keep colors in some type of order, such as complementary or contrasting; both serve a purpose. Don’t let one side of the room look or feel heavier than the other, such as using dark colors on only one side. Strive for balance in the overall design of the room; any style or color scheme can be created with balance, and an experienced designer can assist you in doing just that.
Use Accent Pieces Correctly
Often, it is the final details that can have the greatest impact on the atmosphere of the room, which is why we always say that details matter. Some of them include:
- Backsplash
- Rugs
- Window treatments
- Flooring
- Artwork
- Pillows
These elements can help you extend a warm welcome to your guests, such as rugs that add warmth to a room and window treatments that elegantly frame a window. The things you choose to decorate your walls and tables with do make a difference, but don’t forget to let them have meaning for you as well. Accent pieces are designed to highlight the features already present in a room and, like a piece of jewelry, can enhance its overall appearance.
Greenbrook DesignThese products usually come in refillable, recyclable, or compostable packaging and containers. Some have no packaging at all if you buy them from your local health food stores. You can also switch to more sustainable cleaning products, such as vinegar and hot water. For toilet paper, look for options with compostable packaging. You can also switch to a bidet to achieve complete waste-free status.
Being eco-friendly is at the heart of minimalism. If you want to adopt this light, sustainable, and freeing lifestyle, making eco-minimalist changes in your bathroom is a great first step. For more tips on achieving an elevated lifestyle, visit us here at Greenbrook Design.
Walker Woodworking As one of the most used areas in the home for our intimate needs, the bathroom should be designed as a place of refuge and relaxation from the cares and stresses of life. This means that it should reflect your personality in every way, from color to pattern; everything should make it a place you enjoy using, rather than just serving a purpose. Design details matter, and with traditional rules being replaced with out-of-the-box thinking, it is easier than ever to accomplish this task. You deserve to have a well-functioning and lovely bathroom that is designed with you in mind. Designing a bathroom should be all about you!
Greenbrook Design It’s hard to believe that the farmhouse style has only recently become so popular, thanks to its warm colors and romantic charm. It was once a haven for those seeking to escape city life and return to simpler times. Nowadays, farmhouse design is about elegant simplicity in every piece of furniture. Whether you live in a bungalow or a mansion, incorporating modern farmhouse design into your home is easier than ever. Here are some tips to help you get started.
Greenbrook DesignWanting the custom kitchen of your dreams can be overwhelming and isn’t always budget-friendly. However, an easy, cost-effective way to have the kitchen of your dreams is closer to your grasp than you think.
Walker WoodworkingAlthough having a professional come in and assist is sometimes the best solution, there are certain things that you can do to get a head start or do it all by yourself. Clutter is a friend to no one and can quickly overwhelm and suffocate you. Although it is never easy to begin the task of removing piles of junk from a home, the end results are well worth the investment of time and effort. But that is only half the battle; the other is knowing what to do after it has all been neatly tucked away. Use these tips to organize like a pro—start with a plan and be deliberate about its implementation. As you regain control over your home, you will feel the stress melt away as you enjoy coming home again.
Walker Woodworking 
Walker Woodworking