A Homey Home

How to make a home feel homey

Before I dive into this week’s topic, I would like to acknowledge those who have lost their homes and possessions in the recent Los Angeles wildfires. My family and I voluntarily evacuated a couple of weeks ago, but our home was thankfully spared. I cannot even begin to imagine losing everything and it is deeply saddening. My intention with this post is to inspire and share my thoughts. However, if reading this triggers you in any way, please skip.

Filling a vase with some mums I dried

I’m no expert on interior design, but since I’m (finally) decorating my space, I’ve been watching countless home tours on YouTube and nostalgic movies and have been taking copious notes. I know this is not an interior design Substack, but it’s about my life, and right now, my life is pretty consumed with decorating my space. So with that, I give you the tips I’ve picked up on how to make a home homey.

Let’s start off with how I would describe my interior design style. Fashion stylist Allison Bornstein has her clients describe their fashion style using three adjectives, so I’m going to do the same with my interior design style.

I would describe my interior design style as eclectic, lived-in, and intentional. I want guests to feel welcomed when they walk into my home. I want them to feel comfortable, at ease, and relaxed.

Take a minute to choose three adjectives for your home as well. It’s okay if your adjectives don’t match mine, but I’ll just move forward with how I’m making my home homey in my own style. Now that I’ve established my three adjectives, I can work backwards from there.

A home that is homey is it is not staged. It is curated, not decorated. It doesn’t look like you opened up a catalog and ordered everything all from one store.

My interior designer friend Christina DiStefano says, “If we nurture our home, our home will nurture us back.” A home that is homey is full of memories and stories. It’s a collection of antique and vintage items, tchotchkes, and mementos. Because of this, it takes time, years even, to make a home homey. I’ve personally found lots of success finding unique antique and vintage items on Etsy, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace.

Furniture
I would much rather purchase an antique piece of furniture that’s solid wood with natural patina than a new piece of furniture with a manufactured wood grain finish. Inherently, the former has that cozy, warm, lived-in (one of my three adjectives) look without you having to do a thing. Since your furniture are your anchor pieces, be mindful about your selection. This is where patience—and my adjective “intentional”—comes into play. If nothing strikes your fancy at the moment, don’t just settle on something you kind of sort of like but don’t love to fill the space. Sometimes, it’s taken me months until I stumble upon the piece I’ve been looking for. I’ve found most of my furniture from Etsy and Facebook Marketplace. Thrift shops, consignment shops, estate sales, and flea markets are all great places to look as well.

Anouk Armount, Paige Gilstad, Rikkianne Van Kirk, Kitty Cotten

Artwork
Antique and vintage artwork in old frames is going to look 1,000% classier than mass-produced artwork. I’m very into original artwork which you can find fairly inexpensive on Etsy (or even prints from artists on Etsy work too). It feels good to support small artists. Some of my favorite artists are Rikkianne Van Kirk, Kitty Cotten, Anouk Armount, Marla Gottschalk, and Art De Avalo. Have talented artist friends make you art! My friend Paige is sending me this beautiful print for me to lean on my dresser. And if you can, why not make some of your own art to hang on your walls? You don’t have to be Picasso to draw a quick sketch or abstract design and it doesn’t have to be perfect at all. In fact, the imperfection is what actually makes it homey. It makes your home feel more curated by you.

Memor Studio Mosaic Vase, Sézane Seated Woman Sculpture, Fornasetti Wall Plate (sold out, but here’s another one of my favorites), Munbeibi Ceramic Doll, Rolling Greens Floor Vase, all vintage artwork or made by me except for Seaside Chess Game by Anouk Armount, Picasso Three Musicians Print, and Hôtel Magique Print (sold out, but lots more options here), Afloral Terracotta Vase

Natural Elements
We all know that spending time in nature reduces stress and anxiety while promoting a sense of calmness and well-being. Bring nature inside your space with earth tones, plants, flowers, and natural materials like wood, marble, and sisal. If you live in a home that doesn’t get much natural light for plants to thrive, use dried branches and dried flowers. My home has northern exposure which means it doesn’t get a ton of light. I love to fill vases of dried eucalyptus, twigs, and dried flowers. I just filled a huge floor vase with mums I dried from this Etsy shop and am obsessed with the way it looks. If you don’t have the time to dry your own flowers, there are tons of places that sell dried flowers like this Etsy shop. Aside from plants and flowers, incorporating other natural materials sets a warm mood. Decorate with wicker baskets, wooden bowls, handmade ceramics, and antique pottery. Stones, crystals, and seashells can make excellent accent pieces. I have this half of a coconut shell I found on the beach in Hawaii that I use to display rocks a family friend gave me when I was a little girl. Get creative with the nature you bring in! Some of my favorite ceramists are Cosa Ceramica, Rachel Saunders, A Question of Eagles, and Memor. As far as shops go, I love all of Anastasio Home’s marble pieces and Olive Atelier’s antique pots and planters.

@tanyajonsson on Instagram

Textures and Layers
A home that is homey incorporates lots of textures and layers. Plants partially cover artwork. Table lamps and vases sit on top of stacks of books (note said stacks are not perfectly even). Blankets are draped over chairs and couches with pillows of different fabrics and patterns. Leaning pictures and artwork overlap with each other. I’ve seen rugs layered on top of rugs. Make your own photo mat with patterned or textured fabric or paper or make a collage using old letters, postcards, and other found papers. Swap out your lampshade for one with more pizzazz. Utilizing textures and layers create dimension which, in turn, gives a home a homey feel. I love these blankets from Cozy Earth (CE-MICAELAHOO for 40% off) and these reversible tapestry pillows from Twenty Third by Deanne.

Hooker Furniture Sabi Sands Sling Chair (currently on major sale!), Piloti Side Table (MICAELA10 for 10% off), RH Petite Candlestick Metal Shade Swing Arm Floor Lamp, Cozy Earth Bamboo Herringbone Tassel Throw (CE-MICAELAHOO for 40% off), Twenty Third by Deanne Adeline Tapestry Pillow, Ink + Porcelain Ceramic Ruffle Bowl, French Decorative Lace Tablecloth, TWOPAGES Warm White Linen Pinch Pleat Curtains

Tangent story: I had a panic attack when the above chair I purchased arrived and I discovered it was almost exactly the same color wood as this side table I already had. I thought the colors were way too matchy and monotone and that I had messed up bad. I got creative and decided to drape a small lace tablecloth asymmetrically over the table to break up the dark wood. I think it looks so much more interesting than if I had just left the chair and table as it was. This corner has quickly become one of my favorite areas of my home. It also circles back to the idea of adding textures and layers.

The side table is from an Etsy Shop, Maitoinen. It’s run by a very sweet girl based in Turkey, and she’s offering 10% off her shop with code MICAELA10 for anyone who would like my side table.

Pops of Color
Don’t be afraid of color. There is nothing more depressing than living in a beige or gray box. I’m not saying you need to splatter bursts of neon pink, but a well-placed pop of sage green or espresso brown or mauve or burnt orange or burgundy adds visual interest. I like to keep my anchor pieces like my furniture, curtains, and wall paint neutral but play with accent pieces like throw pillows, blankets, books, and flowers. They even sell taper candles in different colors which is fun.

Lighting
Think of every expensive restaurant you’ve ever been to. They never use overhead lights. Instead, they use candles and table and floor lamps. The ambient glow from these soft lighting sources is much easier on the eyes. I like to use a combination of taper candles, jar candles, and various antique and vintage table and floor lamps. Also, using all of these different types of lighting goes back to creating layers which creates dimension which makes a home homey.

@davila_home on Instagram

Mix and Match
Instead of buying matching sets, mix and match. This is the best way to achieve the lived-in, not purchased from a big box store look. This aligns with my adjective “eclectic.” When styling a room, it’s important to incorporate various pieces from various eras. If everything is mid century, it’ll look like a scene from The Brady Bunch. If everything is modern, it’ll look too austere. I once heard an interior designer say you want to have at least three eras represented in each room. Maybe you have a mid century lounge chair, but your side table is antique and your coffee table is postmodern. That, my friend, is the sweet spot. The key to mixing and matching without creating visual clutter is to mix and match within the same color palette. For instance, my home consists of creams, burgundies, and sages. If I brought, say cobalt blue into the mix, it would throw off the balance. As long as you work within your color palette, you will achieve harmony.

Think Long Term
Invest in pieces that will be with you for a very long time, maybe even passed down to your children and their children. Find a quality chair you can reupholster instead of throw away when it gets worn out. Buy a rug that is durable and can handle wear and tear. Get bedding that will only get softer with every wash. Whenever I’m about to make a purchase, I ask myself if what I’m buying will stand the test of time—both in terms of aesthetics and quality. This helps the environment, too.

Film still from You’ve Got Mail

Film still from When Harry Met Sally

Make It You
All of my other tips have alluded to this, but what ultimately makes a home homey are the special pieces you bring into it. Your home should tell the story of you. When you look at classic movies, they show the physical memories of a life well-lived. Showcase your handmade mug collection or display matchbooks you’ve collected from all over the world in a bowl or frame your favorite scarf or that 5,000-piece puzzle you finished and hang it on the wall. Same with your books. Don’t just get the same generic coffee table books everyone else has. If you’re into archery, get a book about archery. If you’re into costume design, get a book about costume design. If you follow a lesser known artist, get a book about him/her. One of my favorite books is a signed limited edition book of photographer Sally Mann’s work. She was one of the first photographers I was introduced to in a pre-college photography class I took in high school, and I just fell in love. I’ll purchase books from museum exhibits I’ve seen for not only the artwork, but also the memory attached to the book. Give your guests a glimpse into your life. Infuse your personality into your space. This is what sets your home apart from any other home. And most of all, it’s what makes you feel at home in your home.

I’ve done my best to link everything linkable from my home in the captions, but if I missed anything, everything should be linked in my ShopMy here (if I’m missing something, please don’t hesitate to reach out).

Some of my favorite Instagram accounts to follow for interior design inspiration are @davila_home, @westofmainshoppe, @luluandgeorgia, @twentythirdbydeanne, @hummusbirrd, @mycityapartment, @cgumin, @amberinteriors, @studioathenacalderone, @life_simplified, @meganlkarp, @prettyinthepines, @chalkwhitearrow, @linapartmento, @ninatakesh, @genevievelavelle, @christinadistefanostudio, and @chrislovesjulia.

Are you in the midst of decorating your space? What is your favorite part of making a home homey?

As always, you can follow my daily updates (home, chronic illness, business, fashion, life) on Instagram @micaelahoo.

Till next time.

xx,
Micaela