What makes a house 'homely'?

raven83

I love a homely home, far better than a people that live in show homes.

For me what makes a home homely is personal effects, things that show little bits of your personality and a little bit of mess. Cats on windowsills too and hearing my dog bark as I come home. My house is very homely and I love it, I have friends that live in the less in more kind of house and that is painted the same colour all over to for me that is rather cold and clinical.

I would absolutely love a real open fire, that would be the icing on the cake!

mumps

I think it depends on the people who live in the house and how they use it. For me the grandchildren's bits that they leave makes it homely, their works of art, photos of my children/grandchildren, some of our books (we have alot so bookcases in several rooms) and definitely lamps as I have an eye problem and too bright lighting is uncomfortable.

My dog and cats were lovely but they are all long gone and I don't find it has made the house less homely.

My plants which have all been gifts over the years.

The most important thing is the people, I sometimes wish for an immaculate tidy house but wouldn't want that if it means my children/grandchildren weren't there making general chaos.

FatVonD

Ambient lighting, 'stuff' and squashy sofas.

Tinwhistler

I used to think it was things and a lived in feel. After minimalism I think it's the smell of home baking, the light flooding the rooms, lots of space and organised.

marisco_2

Family, friends visiting, the fun times building memories and my kids latest creations on my fridge door

splishsplash

Tinwhistler wrote: »

I used to think it was things and a lived in feel. After minimalism I think it's the smell of home baking, the light flooding the rooms, lots of space and organised.

Add some cats, the smell of coffee and vanilla and my answer would be exactly this.

jackomdj

I think it is the people in the house, having their things in it the way they want them.

Personally I don't like clutter, our living room is quite spacious, we use lamps rather than the big lights, we have a few candles, some pictures and plants, but not too much. Our bedroom and kitchen is the same, however the children's rooms and their playroom (originally the dining room) look like a bomb has gone off most of the time!

If there was clutter in the living room I wouldn't be able to relax, I would be up tidying it.

Interestingly both our parents homes are very cluttered!

lady1964

My family make our home homely, plus the family photos, the remote on a side table or coffee table, a couple of coasters just waiting for a mug of tea or wine glass to go on it! I like to have a newspaper to hand or the TV listings.

We have several nick nacks on units & the window sill which have come from holidays we've had, I think they reflect personal taste and hold good memories.

My home isn't cluttered but well lived in :-)

itsanne

It's wherever the people you want to be there are. Everything else is a bonus.

Metranil_Vavin

I agree that cats make a home 'homely'.

Our cat passed away suddenly a couple of weeks ago. My house is that little bit less homely