Buying a house you can picture raising your family in is one thing, but making that dream a reality is another. Here’s how you can do just that…
When you’re decorating a new house for your family, there are a multitude of different aspects to consider if you want it to work.
For those of you still in the market for a new house, there are lots of online property conveyancing services you can use to buy one and get started on turning it into a home. For those who already have their dream house, however, you’ll want to get started on turning into somewhere you can call your own.
From aesthetics to functionality, this post will give you all the advice you need to do just that.
How to Turn Your House into a Family Home
Turning your newly purchased house into a home can be a daunting task, especially when you want it to be perfect for your family. To help you through that process, here is everything you need to know to create the perfect home for your family.
1. Pick the right flooring
Floors are the first thing you need to think about, as it becomes more difficult to replace them once you’ve started moving in all your stuff.
It’s up to you what type of flooring you want to choose; whether it’s hard wood, tiles, or carpeting. You want to pick a warm, homely finish for the wood, or a similarly warm colour for the carpet if you go that route.
If you choose to go with wood flooring, adding a rug will help insulate sound and reduce echo, which can make a room feel much less empty and hollow. Also, having textiles in a room gives it a soft, warm feeling and makes it appear more lived-in.
2. Choose comfort
Speaking of warm, comfortable textiles, concentrating on comfort over edgy interior design is a must for someone wanting to design a family home.
You want each room – especially the living room and bedrooms – to be places where your family can relax and unwind. Also, they need to be able to use the spaces as intended, which is impossible in a home where the chairs are pieces of art that no human could feasibly sit on.
This doesn’t mean you have to ditch good design altogether, but finding the balance is key. You don’t want your living room to be one, big comfortable marshmallow but you also don’t want it to be all edges and fragile ornaments.
3. Think functional
Comfort is one of the many functions of a home, but there are many others. You want to make the tasks of everyday life easier for yourself and your family.
Creating good flow from place to another has the dual effect of making tasks in the home easier and making it feel more spacious. Having a home that flows is all about creating a logical, functional layout.
You can do this through architectural work, i.e., literally building everything into a functional flow, or through some good old furniture and utility rearrangements. For example:
- Measure your rooms and place furniture in places that leave enough space to move through the home with ease.
- When you fill drawers or cupboards, decide what items should go where for easy retrieval i.e., socks and underwear in the top drawers of your dresser, cutlery in the top drawers of the kitchen, crockery in the cupboard most in your face when you approach the kitchen counter, etc.
4. Invest in storage
Speaking of functionality, it’s hard to make a home functional if it’s too cluttered. People often focus on design aesthetics first and leave storage as an afterthought. Doing this will only mean you have to buy storage later and hide it away from sight.
Instead, why not choose storage that is aesthetically pleasing and install it ahead of time. You could purchase a time console, an open bookcase, or handmade baskets which enhance the feeling of a home without it treading on your careful design choices.
5. Manage the lighting
Installing beautiful light fixtures and chandeliers in your home is a great idea, especially if they emit a warm glow. Avoid fluorescent lighting and try to include some textured lampshades to turn your fixtures and lamps into art.
Also, don’t forget the best light source of all, the sun. You can’t necessarily control where your windows are located, but you can control where you put your possessions in relation to them.
To make the most of your home’s light sources, try the following:
- Avoid positioning furniture in a way that blocks the natural light or reflects it into your eyes.
- Hang your ceiling lights over central tables to make them seem significant and purposeful.
- Play with the colours and textures of your room’s design to reflect the light in the room nicely.
6. Showcase your memories
After going through the effort of carefully designing your home, you might be tempted to lock away all your personal items in photo albums and memory boxes instead of displaying them loudly and proudly.
To really turn your house into a home you have to reject that instinct. Frame up your personal photos, fill your walls with your children’s artwork, display their trophies, and make it your own.
You could even create a gallery wall with all your family photos, to remind yourself how lucky you are to share such a lovely home with an even lovelier set of people.
Are You Ready to Turn Your House into a Beautiful Family Home?
Only you can answer that question, but we’ve done our best to share everything we think you need to know to create a beautiful family home.
Hopefully this advice is useful to you and gives you the inspiration you need to make a home that’s fit for your family. If not, there are loads of tips out there waiting to be learnt, so don’t stop until you have the home you and your family deserve.
