Turning the place in which we live into a flourishing home is really a process of seeing differently. Our culture of ‘more’ has stolen from us the things it promises to deliver – joy, peace and love. And as we seek these things from stuff, stuff soon becomes our master, dictating what we do, when we do it, how and with whom. If we wish to create homes that nurture, we need to take back control, and put stuff back in its place – both literally and figuratively! 

I could write all day about the finer details of creating a home, but right now I want to give you an overview – a big roadmap to get you from a house to a home. These are 10 practical steps that you can follow, that will dramatically change the space you live in, and the way you perceive it.

When everything in your house knows its job and its place, your home suddenly requires less of you, and you will be free to do more of the things you really care about. But be warned, if you want to see results, you need to be willing to put in the hard work. So, before you begin, make sure you have the time and headspace to see this through to the end. We are taking this one room at a time. Roll up your sleeves, and let’s get started:

Step 1 – Choose the room you want to work on, and ask yourself these questions:

• What is the purpose of this space? 
• Should this purpose change or stay the same?
• What activities will take place here?
• How many people must it seat or sleep comfortably?
• Are privacy and natural light levels appropriate for this room?
• What are the storage needs?
• What style/look/feel do I feel most at home in?
  • To help answer this question, collect several images of rooms that you like, and look for the common thread. Notice the colours, proportions, and styles you keep coming back to. Have these pictures on hand to guide your decisions later on. 

Step 2 – Quiet the room.

Move everything out of the room (unless it is too big to do so). Yes, everything; even curtains and rugs. This is the messy part, and will require somewhere for the contents of the room to move to temporarily, as well as the patience of other household members. However, the harder this stage is, the more you have to gain. Trust me.

Now spend some time in your empty space. You may have some unexpected emotions turn up, and that’s ok. They will head off again as you get used to this new view. Now that the other distractions are gone, you can start to see the room more clearly, and identify what it needs. 

Step 3 – Evaluate the problems.

Decide what your priorities are as far as upgrading or repairing structures and surfaces. Decide what needs to be fixed now, and what can have a temporary fix. Don’t worry about repainting yet, as it is better to choose a colour at Step 9. But now is a good time to make a note of what you need done, and the time frame you want to do it in.

Step 4 – Move the big furniture in.

Try moving the big things around, like the couch or bed, into all the possible places it could go. There is no better time to shift things than while the room is empty, and it is surprising how different the room can look with just a change of furniture position. As you shift things around, keep in mind your answers to the questions in step 1, as well as these three principles:

• Vista – what does the room look like from the entrances/other rooms, and what it the view from the furniture. 
• Flow – how will people move through the space
• Best – there is no perfect layout, but there is good, and better. Keep working until you find your best.  

Step 5 – Surfaces and storage.

Do not bring anything in just because it was there before. Carefully consider where you require surfaces and storage, and bring in only what you need. Then look at how they work together. You want the furniture to look like it wants to be together – not all matching, but sharing something in common. At this stage you will be able to identify any furniture you may need to purchase, and measure the space you have for it in relation to the existing furniture. Take your measurements and a photo of the room so far with you whenever you shop. Showrooms are deceptive in scale, and their displays all look so good they can easily distract you from your own style.

Step 6 – A rug or two to pull it all together.

Think of a rug as the link between furniture pieces. If you want them in the same conversation, make sure they have a couple of feet on the same rug. Bigger is nearly always better. In terms of colour and pattern, make sure it joins the conversation but doesn’t drown it out. 

Step 7 – Window furnishing.

There are many styles and types of window coverings to choose from, and it is easy to become overwhelmed. So, before you hit the shops, firstly consider your needs for:

• Natural light
• Privacy 
• Insulation

These three factors will cut down your options significantly. Next, take those options and run them through the filter or your style preferences, and what sits well with your existing home. If you’re not sure what you like, look back at those images you collected and you will find some clues. 

Now head to the shops armed with your list of needs and wants. If you need more advice (and lets face it, this is generally a big ticket item), shop around and ask the people with experience in the business. 

Step 8 – Lighting.

Lighting has a surprisingly strong effect on ambience in our homes. Think of the difference between a hospital room and a boutique hotel. Lighting can make a space feel cold and clinical, warm and welcoming, or high end. The location of lights is critical – there is nothing worse than a kitchen with poor lighting when you are trying to cook, or a comfy chair without enough light to read by.

If you are building from scratch, or planning to relocate the existing light fittings, I highly recommend getting the help of a lighting designer. A lot of lighting shops will deduct their fee from the cost of the lights if you buy them from the same store, so it doesn’t need to break the budget. And lighting is one of those things you won’t notice if it’s good, but it will drive you bonkers if it’s bad. 

As you look at your lighting, remember to consider the two main types – general lighting, and task lighting. General lighting is usually wired into the ceiling, and will vary depending on the type of fittings you use. Task lighting is usually moveable, and makes a world of difference for anything you need to see detail to do. Task lighting also adds an amazing amount of ambience.

Every home I’ve ever lived in felt instantly more homely once it had a lamp lighting up a dark corner in the evening. In fact, when I move into a new house, I make sure I get at least one lamp going from the first night, just to soften the blow of feeling not at home and surrounded by chaos. 

 Step 9 – Walls and art.

Now is the time to consider repainting, and to find a colour that will complement what is already there. Generally, we want the walls to fade into the background, rather than jump up and down and make a fuss about themselves. However, a well proportioned wall can become a piece of art in itself, as long as it isn’t fighting for attention with other things in the room. Go ahead and book in the painter.

Now that you have furniture, rugs, window furnishings and lighting in place, it is time to look at art. It is important to sort out all of the other big things first, because they all have an effect on the proportion of wall you have left. So now you can see what you have to work with, consider which walls would most benefit from something special. Keep in mind, bigger and less is better than lots of small pieces, and some empty walls are ok! Especially if they draw attention to one beautiful big piece of art, or a lovely view. And don’t forget to shop your house first – is there anything you have already that you love, and would suit the space?

Step 10 – Accessories.

Congratulations, you have made it to step 10! This is the step most people want to start with, but hopefully you have discovered by now that a newly decluttered space is worth protecting. So begin by deciding which areas need nothing more. It makes everything feel cleaner and more under control if at least a couple of surfaces are set aside as empty space. 

Then look at all those things you’ve taken out of the room, and decide what you actually love. Choose only the things that add to your life, and leave all the rest. Keep nothing out of guilt, as it will only inspire negative emotions when you look at it. The job of this home is to serve you, not the other way around. Also consider that it is better aesthetically to accessories with things larger than a pineapple. Smaller things generally just add clutter. So, let go of as many smaller things as you can. The trick to displaying small things without adding chaos is to group them with like objects, so that they appear to be a larger whole.  

Now have a look at the collection you have made of things you love, and look for commonalities between them. Perhaps there are lots of natural materials, similar textures, certain colours, patterns or styles. Take a photo, so that when you think about buying another accessory, you have your own personal style guide right at hand. 

Identify key surfaces in the room that would benefit from some extra touches, and accessories only those. Don’t forget pot plants or foliage, as these really add a fresh zing to a space. 

ENOUGH

Know when to stop. Donate any items you no longer need to your local thrift shop before they sneak back in to your beautiful new space. 

If you would like to read more about this particular method of crafting a room, this post was inspired by a book called “Cozy Minimalist Home: More Style, Less Stuff“ by Myquillyn Smith. I highly recommend it!