8 Things I’ve Learned About Making a Home Feel Like You
Because the best spaces don’t follow rules — they follow you.
With any kind of art or style, I don’t really believe in following ‘‘rules”. That’s the beauty of doing this for yourself, YOU get to decide what feels right…unless of course this is for a client or a really intentional project.
But after years of rearranging furniture at midnight, collecting far too many coffee table books, and falling deep into my extreme home decor book collection or obsession for several years… There are a few pieces of guidance I keep coming back to..
1. Layer, don’t stage.
The most beautiful rooms don’t look perfect. They look like they’ve grown and moved with you — with history, personality, and a mix of pieces you’ve picked up over time. Layers are what make a room feel lived-in, not like it just came out of a catalog. Think about them like clothing — you wouldn’t wear just
a dress, you’d add a jacket, a belt, maybe a scarf, jewelry.
In a room, layers can be:
A rug under a coffee table
A tray on top of that table holding candles or a vase
A stack of books with something sculptural on top
A throw blanket draped over the arm of a chair
A pretty box or bowl to corral smaller things
It’s about building depth and texture so your eye keeps finding little moments in the space.
2. Be brave with color.
A bold wall or a hot pink chair isn’t scary if you pair it with grounding neutrals and cozy textures.
3. Mix your eras.
Your grandmother’s dresser, a sleek modern lamp, and a vintage rug? Yes. Always yes.
4. Light like you mean it.
One overhead light will never be enough. Lamps, sconces, candles — layer your light, and dim it whenever you can.
5. Make it personal.
Books you’ve actually read, art you really love, a dish you found at a flea market — these are the pieces that make someone walk in and say, “This feels like you.”
6. Leave some breathing room.
Not every corner needs to be filled. Let your space evolve — give it room to grow with you.
7. Style your surfaces.
A coffee table deserves more than a remote. Stack some books, add a candle, maybe a small vase of flowers — it’s the little things that add soul.
8. Comfort wins.
Pretty is pointless if you hate sitting on it.
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