Is your home feeling a bit generic and crying out for some injection of life and love?
Well it’s time to get personal!
A tree artwork drawn by my hubby on an old chalk board, and an old number plate from my Grandpa’s farm truck make me smile every time I walk through this room…
It’s not as hard as you think to make your home more personal. All it takes is some intentional time and effort, but I’m here to help you with some simple ways to get started. We are all busy and often feel overwhelmed with the task of styling and layering our houses to turn them into homes. How do we tackle this challenge?
Here’s 4 tips to get you started.
My Grandma’s marble table lamp, mixed with ‘precious’ shells from many a beach trip, a paper flower made by one of my kids and a footprint butterfly artwork from when my daughter was a baby. That’s a lot of meaning right there!
Find personal items in your shed/garage.
Hunt through your shed, garage or storage room with fresh eyes.
Look for anything meaningful or interesting that you could display.
Brainstorm how your items could be displayed in a different way (e.g., a collection on the wall, stacked on a entry table or bench seat, leant up against a wall on a floating shelf, displayed vertically or horizontally, play with proportion and scale to make a feature).
2. Ask extended family for personal mementos.
Meet with relatives, grandparents or cousins and ask to see family photos/precious items.
Learn the story behind these pieces and ask if any could be gifted for use in your home.
Old photos, letters, vases or jewelry boxes, watch cases, clocks, embroidery, agricultural items - really any items used in your families personal/work life would bring so much unique meaning to your home.
Research ways to display these items in interesting ways to bring conversation and added homeliness.
A 60 year old copper buoy (don’t you love the patina?!) from a sheep’s watering trough. My Dad gave me this from the farm where I grew up, and it brings joy and conversation every time!
3. Don’t forget your hobbies and children’s items.
Love golf? Find some golf prints on Etsy to hang, source old photographs of your favourite golf course, ask a graphic artist to customise an artwork of the names of all the golf courses you’ve played at, pop some vintage golf clubs on the wall in your study or hallway (you can use these sorts of ideas for any hobby you have).
Dig out your children’s artwork and frame them to create a gallery wall in their room.
Use felt board from Bunnings or make a chalk board to display a meaningful quote for your family.
4. Raid your “too precious to use” cupboard.
We are all guilty of not using things in our home we deem too precious - stop that right now!
Challenge yourself to use your Grandmother’s cutlery or fancy platters for mid week dinners. Once you slowly adjust to this, you can branch out and use them daily. By doing this you are adding personality and meaning to your home at every mealtime.
Use precious/breakable items like vases or bowls in out of reach areas (if you have pets or young children). Floating shelves in your kitchen or lounge room work well. Otherwise pop them on your coffee table or side board, mixed in with your everyday styling items.
Ok, so I’ve shown you this little vignette before, but here’s the power of moving things around in your home. When you display things in different ways you appreciate them in a new light and it keeps things fresh in your home.
And there you have it, I promise if you use even one of these tips your home will more personal and homely in an instant! Put aside some time this week to find some things that bring a unique element to your home, and start displaying them. Having them out and on show is a great starting point, and before you know it you, (and people who visit your home), will feel that your home has a special meaning and personality all to it’s own.
I would love to hear how you are adding personal touches to turn your house into a home. What treasures did you find to display? I can only imagine the stories behind your mementos and the conversations they will start!
Enjoy the journey..