Purchasing your first house may feel like a daunting task, but making it feel like home doesn’t have to be. All you have to do is keep the following six tips in mind.

Happy Families Combine Styles

When you were searching for your first home in Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky, you probably had a particular style of architecture in mind: Cape Cod, Victorian, Colonial, Modern… And now that you’ve purchased your dream house, you probably want your interior décor to be consistent with its style.

While this is undoubtedly important, the key to creating harmony in your new home is giving everyone who lives there a voice. You may be a new couple just starting out, a family with children, or blending two families. Everyone will be much happier if they can bring something they love, whether it be furniture, decorations, or photographs, from their previous home. 

Make Sure Everyone Has a Place to Call Their Own

Successfully combining styles isn’t about creating a mishmash like putting a casual recliner in your formal living room. Rather, it’s about ensuring that common spaces represent the overall style of your house while giving everyone a space to call their own.

You may choose to put that recliner that your spouse loves in the family room where they can relax in front of the big-screen TV. The rest of the room can incorporate design elements that are consistent with your home’s overall style and other personal touches such as photos and mementos.

This article from HGTV provides great tips on marrying different decorating styles.

You can allow children to select their room’s theme. Furniture, bedding, pictures, and wallpaper should reflect their interests, such as unicorns, racecars, or nature. Encourage them to choose the color scheme as well. Any color can tie into your home’s overall color scheme as long as it’s the right intensity. For instance, if your child wants purple and the rest of the walls in your home are ivory, sage green, and dove grey, the perfect hue for their room will be lilac.  

Create an Inviting Communal Space

Every home should have a comfortable, inviting space created specifically for relaxing and entertaining: the family room. A warm, welcoming family room is more casual than the rest of the house and designed to handle lots of use. Select comfortable, overstuffed furniture in stain-resistant, woven fabrics in neutral colors. Leather furniture is another great option. It’s an investment, but it’s extremely durable. Find furniture that fits your style, so you can enjoy turning your first house into a home.

Add splashes of color with throw pillows. Kids love to play on the floor, so be sure to purchase fluffy throw rugs. And pick low coffee tables with rounded corners where they can play games and color.

Choose family room furniture that doubles as storage to keep unused toys and board games out of sight. Sleeper sofas can accommodate slumber parties and unexpected guests.

Display Artwork Proudly

Everyone likes to be recognized for their creativity. If your child draws a picture for you, don’t relegate it to the refrigerator. Consider framing it and hanging it on the wall in the family room. Allow tiny figures that they make from modeling clay to dry and display them prominently on the mantle or a bookshelf.

If you or someone in your family is an amateur photographer, frame their photos and arrange them prominently in the living room, hallway, or family room. This will delight the photographer and their photos will serve as great conversation starters.   

Decorate with Plants

Houseplants are the not-so-secret design tip to making any house instantly feel more like home.

From a design standpoint, all plants are stunning. Some have exotic, glossy foliage while others have colorful, fragrant flowers. Cactus and other succulents, with their unique shapes and textures, are in a class of their own.

Customize each plant by selecting a pot that enhances your décor. Planters are available in terracotta, ceramic, glass, and even concrete in every style and color imaginable. Unfortunately, some of these materials will scratch fine furniture and some are porous, so they will leak. So, water your plants away from your furniture and place a plastic saucer in a matching color under each pot to prevent water damage.

Don’t Forget Your Pet

Your dog or cat is an important part of your family, so keep them in mind while choosing the elements that will help make your house a home.

Consider the color of your pet’s fur when you purchase upholstered furniture. White fur contrasts with dark upholstery and vice versa.  

Pets, even those who sleep with their humans, like to have a comfortable place to call their own. Cushy pet beds are available in designs that complement even the most sophisticated décor. Place your pet’s bed in the family room so they’ll always feel included.

Conclusion

Turning your new house into your dream home should be an exciting, creative adventure. Following the six steps above will help you make it stress-free and fun.