How do you want your home to feel?

By Rebecca Wardon

Designing a home can be difficult decision after difficult decision. Sometimes you hit a wall, or a floor, or a cabinet, and just can’t continue. Have you ever tried thinking about your home in more abstract ways? Sometimes it’s better to stop thinking about the specifics, and instead think about how you want your home to feel.

BRIGHT

Fresh. Rejuvenating. Clean. A bright home will have you feeling the zen every time you come home. The key to a bright home, is keeping it simple. Busy patterns, heavy textures, and cluttered furnishings will take away from that crisp brightness you want.

LIGHTING: Lighting is key to literally and figuratively brighten up your home, so if your home has the right windows, this feel is for you. If you don’t have access to great natural light, fret not. A well-placed fixture or floor lamp with the right bulb will do the trick.
COLOR: Bright doesn’t have to mean white! Lighter flooring or lighter shades for cabinets and countertops will keep everything feeling bright and airy. Though, if you really want bright, white’s the way to go.
DETAILS: White subway tiling like this would look great in a bright home.

COZY

The perfect place to take your shoes off after a long day’s work. A cozy home will always feel like home. Unlike a bright home, you don’t need to shy away from textures. But be careful before your home feels more like an Up North vacation than a place where you actually live.

FURNISHING: Avoid modern and sleek if you’re going for cozy. Say goodbye to stainless steel and say hello to brushed brass. (I already told you it’s back!) Also, a cozy home is also a great way to showcase older, more rustic pieces. So reclaim, refurbish, and relax in your newly (and cozily) furnished digs.
COLOR: Color plays a huge role in making a home feel cozy. Earth tones have always been en vogue when it comes to coziness, but may we suggest an alternative? Warm grays are all the rage, and the warmth will make you feeling cozy after the first coat of paint.
DETAILS: Want the feel of hardwood without all the worry? Go with luxury vinyl plank instead.

BOLD

Fortune favors the bold, or so they say. So why not test your fortune and go for something that shows off your daring side a little more? A bold home will always be interesting for guests and fun for family.

MODERATION: Being bold is all about moderation. A couple bold pieces can look great. A lot of bold pieces, and you’re edging towards the danger zone. Make sure you don’t jump the shark and turn your home into a fun house.
COHESIVENESS: Similar to moderation, a cohesive style save bold from becoming garish. Make sure you extend that bold feeling throughout the inside and outside of your home, to create a unified feeling.
DETAILS: Did someone say matte black?