The New Essentials: Rethinking Comfort and Safety In Your New Home

It has been said that home is where the heart is, but in today’s world, the definition of what it means for a home to feel comfortable and secure has changed. Of course, creating a comfortable home is tied to making the space feel inviting and hospitable. However, it goes beyond mere trends and moves toward investing in how your home feels in other aspects to create a comfortable, secure home, which is of the utmost importance today. Read on for insight on the new essentials for homeowners who are rethinking comfort and safety:

The Indoor Air Has to Be Comfortable

Decades ago, the way a home “felt” inside would likely not have been that big of an issue. After all, air conditioning hasn’t even been mainstream for many generations, and there are still some parts of the country that don’t utilize it as much. However, a home should feel comfortable, not stuffy or humid, to offer the best and most hospitable atmosphere. Ideally, according to experts, a home’s humidity levels should be between 30 and 40 percent. Of course, this isn’t the only factor that contributes to the comfort level, but humidity levels that are too high can make a space feel sticky and stuffy. An HVAC system can work properly, but if the humidity levels in a home aren’t kept at ideal ranges, then it can be uncomfortable inside.

Home is Personal Expression, So Express Yourself

Another way to rethink comfort and safety in a home includes using the space for self-expression. While trends are fun to experiment with and obviously, smart technology can enhance many aspects of your home, having your home reflect you is even more important. It doesn’t matter if your home is spacious or cozy, and it includes the desired“white picket fence” or is instead situated in an apartment building without a yard at all; it can be the perfect space for you if you express yourself when it comes to furnishings. Choose patterns, colors, art, and more that make you smile. Don’t worry so much if it matches or is in trend. Instead, consider how these items make you feel. If you love it, it works, so just go with it and make the space your own.

Embrace The Natural Features of Your Home

Your home has some great things going for it. This is almost a certainty. Therefore, instead of looking at what you could improve in your home, contemplate how you could embrace and even enhance its natural features. This could include showcasing interesting architectural features or allowing natural light to shine through from beautiful windows. Natural light does increase the temperature in your home, so keep that in mind during the summer, especially if your city or town has rolling blackouts. Look at your home from an outsider's perspective and consider what makes it stand out from other homes. When you discover this hidden gem, embrace it and highlight it if possible.

Add Comfortable Fabrics and Fixtures

Another way to make your home comfortable is by adding comfortable items like blankets and comfortable furnishings with snug fabrics. It can also include altering the lighting in your home, upgrading what you have to offer to include dimming options, or changing harsh lighting to warm lighting. Adding curtains can also help, not only to highlight beautiful windows, but they can also aid in covering them up in the summer when you are trying to keep the hot air outside. Adding rugs to hardwood or upgrading carpeting to a more plush variety can also instantly make the space feel much more inviting and comfortable. Consider adding fabrics and comforting fixtures to your space to make it feel more welcoming.

Make Your Home Secure

In today’s uncertain world, a great deal of making a space feel comfortable is to make it feel protected and secure. This might look different for each homeowner. However, in general, adding motion-activated lighting, cameras, video doorbells, smart locks, and more can make you feel more secure when you are in your home. Many of these systems allow you to check your home even when you are away and ensure that you have locked everything up properly. Don’t think of installing a security system as something that means your home is unsafe. Instead, consider all the ways it can help you and protect all you love. Ideally, you will never have to use these features for security, but instead use them as a way to make life more convenient. These smart locks and cameras can allow you to open your home up for visitors, kids, or even deliveries, which can make life much easier. Some systems may even offer insurance discounts or tax incentives, adding an extra layer of value to your investment in security.

Declutter and Get Rid of What Doesn’t Make You Happy

Another way to make your home more comfortable and even secure is to get rid of excessive clutter. Clutter increases fall risks and can increase the risk of fire damage and even lead to loss of life. In addition, why have items on hand that don’t make you happy or add value to your life? Instead, spend some time going room-to-room and reducing clutter. Have a yard sale or donate unwanted gear to local charities or missions. You will be doing good for your community, helping others, and making your home more comfortable and secure, all at the same time. Having less clutter will also mean you have less to maintain and less dust accumulating in your home, leading to better air quality.

Bring The Outside In

Last but not least, to rethink comfort and security, consider bringing some of the outside inside by incorporating plants and flowers into your decor. Live plants, along with fresh-cut flowers, can help make your space feel more comfortable. They also enhance the indoor air quality and look amazing. You can change out fresh-cut flowers based on what is blooming to bring the outdoors in and brighten up even the most dreary indoor environment.

The New Essentials

Improving comfort and security for your home might look different today than in years past. Keep the elements listed above in mind to transform your home into a space that better represents your preferences, your style, and your overall personality. There are no wrong additions if they bring you joy, but keep comfort and security in mind when determining what changes you want to make. After all, that is the essence of making a space serene, truly embracing the idea of home. The essentials are no longer trends, but instead aimed at improving the comfort levels and functionality of homes, including making them more secure in an ever-changing and more uncertain world.

Megan Isola

Megan Isola holds a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and a minor in Business Marketing from Cal State University Chico. She enjoys going to concerts, trying new restaurants, and hanging out with friends. 

How to Turn Your Home into a Haven

No matter if you’re an introvert or an extrovert, you inevitably spend the majority of your time at home. It’s the place we’re happy to return to after a long day at work. It’s where we go to escape from the hustle and bustle of life, relax, and center ourselves. However, this is only possible if our homes are set up to create such an atmosphere.

The reality is that promoting relaxation and tranquility in your home requires intentionality and effort. It’ll be worth it, though, for what a peaceful home can do for your well-being.  

 Let’s explore tips for turning your home into a haven. 

Choose Colors That Promote Comfort 

Colors are more than just aesthetic preferences. They can influence us through our emotions, moods, and behaviors — enough that it has warranted an entire field of study dedicated to the subject of color psychology. You can use specific colors throughout your home to help you feel comfortable and serene. 

For example, relaxing color palettes made of soft blues, grays, and whites can ignite a feeling of instant calmness. Shades of green can create a relaxing atmosphere that helps put you at ease. Pinks can also promote tranquility. 

Which colors you choose to include depends on your personal taste and your mood preference. Whatever makes you feel serene, distribute those colors throughout your home. 

Bring Nature Inside 

One of the biggest people leave their homes is to immerse themselves in the healing properties of nature and have fun in other outdoor activities. Studies suggest that being in nature can decrease stress, relieve attention fatigue, and increase happiness and creativity. 

Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t have the luxury of spending time outdoors regularly. But that doesn’t mean they have to miss out on the benefits of being immersed in nature. You can bring nature indoors to support your well-being and create a haven at home. 

Start with houseplants. Be sure to only get as many as you can take good care of. Spread them throughout your home so that there’s a touch of greenery in as many places as possible. Look for local nurseries if you need guidance on which houseplants to incorporate and how to properly care for them. 

Make Your Backyard an Oasis 

You can’t forget about your backyard when turning your home into a sanctuary. When you need a break from being inside and don’t want to leave home, your backyard is a go-to. You get to interact with nature and enjoy refreshing yourself mentally and physically. 

A relaxing outdoor space can also be great if you like to invite your friends and family over for entertainment. If this is the case for you, consider how your backyard can suit your entertainment desires. Say you want something casual such as a BYOB party — all you need to provide is the food and the space and everyone will bring the rest. But you’ll certainly need the space and areas where people can sit or tables where they can eat. If you have a smaller space, you may be more comfortable hosting small get-togethers and dinner parties. 

No matter how large of an outdoor space you have though, there are certain decorations you should carry over in any space. Consider using string lights to give your backyard a warm, intimate feeling. Spend time on landscaping, incorporating gorgeous flowers and plants. Adding other calming accessories, like a waterfall and comfortable seating can be helpful as well. 

Create Dedicated Spaces for Relaxation

Most people think every room should serve a purpose. But not that many people think of the purpose of relaxing. Relaxing may look different for everyone. If you relax through your hobbies, use the extra space in your home for a hobby room. You can fill the room with all the tools you need to carry out projects. If you relax through exercise, you can change the space into your own gym or yoga/meditation studio.

No matter the purpose of the room, declutter your space first so that you have a clean, organized foundation to work with. Document exactly what you want to do with the room and what it will take to see the vision into fruition. Then, you can tackle your project timeline one task at a time. 

Making Outside Your Home as Comfy as Inside

As any homeowner knows, making sure your home is comfortable both inside and out is important. But sometimes, the outside can seem a little neglected in favor of the inside. After all, who wants to spend their time outside when it's cold or hot? However, there are ways to make your home exterior more comfortable, and today we're going to discuss a few of them. So whether you're looking to add a little bit of comfort to your outdoor space or you want to make it a true extension of your indoor living area, read on for some tips.

Pick the right plants for your climate that will also attract bees, birds, and other animals

As you plan the perfect outdoor oasis, don't forget to add elements that not only look great and will fit your climate, but also provide environmental benefits. Incorporating plants into your home exterior is the perfect way to make everyone happy - from you and your family to the local bees, birds, and other animals. While bees especially can seem intimidating, the majority of bee species are quite friendly! It's important to pick plants that are native to your area and attract beneficial wildlife, as well as ones that require minimal maintenance. Plus, adding these details can help cut down on greenhouse gas emissions by reducing energy use in cooling and heating your house. Make sure you do some research beforehand though so you know which species will be compatible with your environment!

Design and build a patio or awning to spend time under

Creating a comfortable space outdoors doesn't have to be complicated! By adding a patio or awning to your home, you can enjoy the great outdoors in the comfort of your backyard. Design and build the perfect place to sit back and relax – add some furniture, some plants, or even some outdoor games. If you want to get really fancy, consider getting a retractable awning, so you can have sunshine or shade depending on how your fancy strikes that day.  Whether you are looking for a shady area to escape the sun or just want to spend time outside with friends and family, having an outdoor structure will open up lots of possibilities. With the right design and construction plan, you can create an outdoor oasis that everyone will love!

Install a fire pit for gathering around in the evenings

If you want to create an inviting atmosphere outside your home, installing a fire pit is a great idea. Gather with friends and family around the warmth of the flames and enjoy some quality time together in the comfort of your own backyard! With the proper planning and installation, a fire pit can provide you with years of good memories, providing comfortable evenings no matter how chill outside temperatures may get. If you want to go a little more low-key, you can also purchase a small basin-style fire pit that you can take with you on trips as well. Don't forget to bring out the s'mores for an added bit of fun on cool summer nights!

Put up some string lights to make your outdoor space more inviting

To add a cozy and inviting atmosphere to your outdoor space, consider putting up some string lights. Not only are they beautiful and romantic, but they can also create a warm and inviting look to any outdoor area. String lights come in many styles to match any home décor – from modern whites to colorful twinkles – allowing you to really customize the look of your exterior space. After that, all that’s left for you to do is sit back and enjoy!

Get an outdoor rug to define the space and make it more comfortable underfoot

Sprucing up your home's exterior is a great way to make it inviting, but don't forget the details either. One of the easiest and most impactful tactics for improving comfort outdoors is to invest in a quality outdoor rug. Not only will this help define an otherwise undefined space, but an outdoor rug underfoot helps in making sure that you won't have to walk on cold hard surfaces (especially important when temps drop). So, if you're looking for an easy fix to improve your home's exterior ambiance, it's worth considering investing in an outdoor rug!

By following these simple tips, you can make your home exterior more comfortable and inviting for you, your family, and your guests. You’ll enjoy spending more time outdoors while also boosting your home’s curb appeal. So take the time and consider the comfortable future that awaits for your home's outside!

Guest Post - Just Bought a Home? Here are 12 Things You Need to Make it More Inviting

Why is it that, no matter the potential, a new home often feels cold and uninviting? To warm it up, it takes life—people, excitement, conversation, dinners! And to achieve all of these things, your home has to be a place where your friends and family want to congregate. Luckily, we’ve got a great list of brilliant ideas, all of which say “come on in and stay awhile” without saying anything at all.

A Well-Stocked Bar Cart—One of the things that makes guests feel welcome in any home is a beverage. Having a well-stocked bar cart—complete with lots of wine, of course—signifies to them that you’re happy to whip up a special drink to make them feel welcome. You don’t have to invest in anything too expensive, just make sure you have the basics, like vodka, gin, tequila, rum and whiskey plus a few good mixers.

A Personalized Welcome Sign—What better way to literally make your home more inviting than to hang a sign that says, “Come on in!” right at the door? Whether with a personalized address sign or front door plaque with your name on it, this is an awesome way to add some personalized pizzazz to the casa so everyone feels warmly welcomed. 

Great-Smelling Candles—We don’t know the exact science behind it, but there’s something really real about the way certain smells make you feel. For whatever reason, lighting candles or burning aromatic oils can immediately elicit strong feelings of comfort and coziness. Go for spicy, sweet and seasonal scents—anything that warms you to the core! Clean smells of cotton and linen can also encourage a fresh start.

Some Kind of Fire Element—In the way that candles warm you up psychologically, fires do so physically. You don’t have to have a raging wood-burning fireplace to achieve that delightful fireside feel. You can recreate it with the help of a tabletop electronic fireplace (yes, these are real and they are actually amazing) or, if you’re looking for something easy and free, play a full HD fireplace YouTube video on the TV.

Lots of Cozy Blankets—The last thing you’d want is for your guests to enter your home and be overcome with a stiff, cold or formal vibe. Peppering some super-soft wool blankets around the living area is an awesome way to encourage guests to kick their shoes off, get comfy and hang out. This one is crucial if you plan on hosting any binge-watching get-togethers.

A Nice Set of Drinkware—We’re not saying you have to roll out the red carpet for your guests, but there is something sweet about serving them with some nice glasses and dishes. We hate to say it, but it may be time to upgrade from your mismatched glasses from college and invest in some pieces that actually go together. Don’t worry though, you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg on fancy new glassware and dishes. You can get some really nice stuff on sale or second hand at the thrift store or flea market.

A Personalized Cheese Tray or Cutting Board—There’s something so sweet about kitchen decor that is practical and meaningful. Take the personalized cheese tray or cutting board, for example. These accouterments add a personalized touch to the kitchen while setting you up to create amazing charcuteries and appetizer spreads for your grazing guests. Give one as a housewarming gift to yourself!

Plush Rugs and Furniture—As crazy as we are about minimalist, modern and industrial design styles, they just don’t scream comfy. You can still get the ultra-chic and mod vibe if you go with upholstered furniture featuring contemporary silhouettes and soft, shag rugs with a high pile. If you’ve got the room, select oversized, overstuffed furniture in soft materials. Few things are more welcoming than a big, comfy couch!

Music That Sets a Chill Vibe—One of the first things you’re going to want to do when you move into your new home is to set up those Bluetooth speakers in all the primary living areas. Make sure you’ve got one anywhere guests tend to congregate, including the living room and kitchen. Just make sure to choose tunes that are relaxing and welcoming, and play them at a lower volume. Jazz and lo-fi hip-hop are two of the best options. 

Lots of Personal Photos and Knickknacks—You know how they say to de-personalize the house when you’re selling it? Now’s the time to re-personalize it with your most cherished photos and mementos. Get creative about hanging your favorite photos. Consider having those photos printed on home décor items like throw blankets and pillows or spend an afternoon designing and creating a show-stopping gallery wall.

A Stash of Snacks—Don’t ever let your guests go hungry! Make sure to keep some easy snacks and finger foods on hand at all times to ensure that you’ve got something to offer whoever comes through the door. Create a snack basket that you can bust out anytime you or your guests feel their bellies rumbling. Stock it with crackers, nuts, dips and a few sweet treats.

Good Lighting—Do not overlook the power of good lighting! Nothing makes a space feel colder or more sterile than too-bright lights. Make sure to swap out all those old, energy-hogging incandescents for warm-toned (2,500 to 3,000 Kelvins) LED bulbs. If you’re making any upgrades, consider installing dimmers on your lights so you can control light levels at all times and create warm, cozy or romantic environments on-demand.

Bonus: Friends and Family

The most important thing you need to warm up your new place is loved ones to share it with! Whether you host a big housewarming party, invite your closest friends over for game night or go all-out with a meticulously themed dinner party, it’s the love and joy from those around you that will make the space feel special and warm. Happy hosting!

Author Bio: Ashley Peterson is the Director of Marketing at GiftsForYouNow. Her favorite part of her job is connecting others with sentimental and personalized gifts that foster lifelong memories. Ashley is also a mother of 2 and enjoys spending time with her family exploring the outdoors.