List #60 - 5 things that make a space feel lived in, not styled
Lists are composed of five things that caught my eye in the past week- from brands to food to clothes.
There’s a difference between a house that feels “curated” and like you don’t want to sit on their couch for fear of messing it up, and a house that is beautiful but grounded and truly feels like a home (corny, but accurate). Here are the things I find make a home feel lived-in, not overly styled.
Cookbooks
I stand by cookbooks as being the best type of coffee-table books, and I’ve been proven right on many an occasion. Even if you don’t cook! They show so much about a person. They just feel more personal to me than an art book that has never likely been opened.
Rugs
Layer them! Not only does this add texture and depth, but it makes your home feel cozy and chic at the same time. You see a lot of different rug textures and color in House & Garden UK, done extremely well and without feeling overwhelming or without taste.
Art
This really should be number one, but artwork makes a HUGE difference. Don’t buy a new piece of furniture until you invest in some artwork first. And by invest, I don’t mean spend thousands of dollars. Just go to a thrift store or start looking on Etsy. I promise it will make a bigger impact than a $5K armchair.
Souvenirs
Souvenirs are memories and make a home feel less sterile. While they can verge on the side of clutter, I do maintain they are nice to see out when it doesn’t feel messy or overwhelming.
A little bit of mess
Not really a “thing” but a little bit of mess shows you actually live in your home. I’m not saying go crazy here, but its unrealistic to expect an Instagram-picture-perfect clean home every day. Not dirty, but sometimes a little bit of mess can be comforting and if it leads to more creative time, I say go for it.