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 DesignThe sofa is often one of the first things we notice when entering the living room since it tends to be the largest object in the room. We love to stretch out to watch TV or curl up under a blanket to read a book. Sometimes it also ends up being the quick solution to an additional place to sleep when in a bind. Designers have verified that this is a key piece of furniture for the living room, making it a sizable investment when the time comes for it to be replaced. As it is so important to the design, it stands to reason that there should be some things considered before making your next purchase. What things, exactly, should you look for before finalizing your choice, and what makes a sofa perfect for your home? Read on to find out some helpful tips that can assist you in picking your next sofa.
Home is the place where everyone can fully relax and be themselves. It is the center for all of our main activities, but sometimes we need a space that caters to our specific needs, especially when it comes to husbands and wives. This is why his and her spaces were invented: to give each an area to call their own, tailored to function just for them. From bathrooms to bedrooms and even the home office, having something that functions for your unique lifestyle routine can make a big difference in how you accomplish your day-to-day tasks with minimal stress and maximum success. When designing for these spaces, what should you include? What areas matter most, and how do you create the perfect his and her space within the same square footage? Let’s answer those questions for multiple areas within your home.
Walker WoodworkingPersonal Expression Through Design. There is no denying the truth found in the statement, your home is your castle, and who doesn’t want a custom castle? Now, more than ever, there are items available to help you completely personalize your spaces to reflect your unique personality. There is freedom to break the traditional design rules of the past and express yourself in so many ways by combining what you love into something new. Every area of your home should tell guests your story; it should speak to them of the things that matter most to you. By selecting colors, textures, patterns, shapes, and art that accurately reflect your individual tastes, you can achieve that goal. Don’t be afraid to step outside of the box and share what matters to you. At its core, that is what design is about: using a combination of varying elements to tell your story to the world.
Walker Woodworking While these inspirational photos spark our imagination, they can also raise a common concern—will that beautiful design actually work for our lifestyle, especially with young children or busy households? The good news is that designing for function in mind doesn’t mean sacrificing style. A luxurious, classy home can also be highly practical and comfortable for everyday living. By thoughtfully blending form and function, you can create a space that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. And the best part? Elevating your home’s style doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. Here are a few easy, functional ways to enhance your home while keeping it elegant and family-friendly.
Walker WoodworkingWhen it comes to most areas in the home, there are things that often get overlooked because they are thought to have little value or impact. The bathroom sink falls into this category, but it holds more value than you may realize. The right sink can add a touch of character to your bathroom space and enhance its overall appearance and style. We have come a long way since the caveman days, when sinks were made from whatever material was handy, such as wooden bowls or even a turtle shell. Today, there are numerous options available as manufacturers have explored various styles and materials to create sinks that suit each homeowner and serve different purposes. With such a wide variety, it can be challenging to determine which one is best for you and your specific needs. Today, we want to explore the selections offered and what they have to offer you.
Walker Woodworking 
Walker Woodworking