How To Make a House Feel like Home

Creating that ‘welcome home’ feeling

A client, who had just moved into his new Blackshaw designed home came to me the other day and asked: “Sally, how did you manage to take our family house of 20 years and give it a ‘feeling of home’ it never had before?”

I started to think about it and there are so many aspects that go into creating a warm home feeling, that I can’t really tell one thing. However, my goal is always to design a home that aligns with the client’s lifestyle and creates a welcoming feeling. Today, I am sharing with you some examples of how the Blackshaw team has created functional yet elegant homes for different family dynamics.

Kitchen is the heart of the home

Not always, but for most of my client’s, kitchen is one of the most important areas, where the family starts their day together. For this Modern Andalusian Villa in Benahavis we used sliding doors to allow the living room to gradually become a spacious kitchen with a granite island that serves as a breakfast bar as well as a practical preparation station.

Common area, that brings the family together

We designed this Contemporary Family Villa with open plan living area for a growing family. The 5 bedrooms of the house provide privacy and space for all family members. However, the entertainment area with bespoke carpentry, fireplace wall feature and TV unit, is the place that brings everyone together.

Play with light and space

This Contemporary Family Home in Nueva Andalucia is a fine example of how playing with space and light can create a warm atmosphere. The open plan living and kitchen area with windows to the pool and garden area allow for an abundance of natural light when cooking or spending family time, while the mountain views create a beautiful backdrop. Also, this property with a 3-bedroom villa and a separate 2-bedroom apartment under the terrace was designed for a comfortable everyday living for an extended family, making sure that everyone has their privacy.

Warm colour palette

This Luxury Holiday Home boasts a unique distribution, with four main bedrooms and two children’s rooms, tailored for comfortable everyday family life. We used porcelain flooring with wood effect, pendant lighting solutions and bespoke bed benches to give this family home a touch of modern-day elegance. The colour scheme is a warm mixture of chocolate browns, decadent golds and sophisticated greys, which give a feeling of warmth and security.

These are just a couple of aspects that go into creating a welcoming atmosphere for your home. I hope you got some new ideas for your home and in case you need some more ideas, contact us for a complimentary consultation.

Lastly, to answer my client’s question, the secret to designing homes not just houses comes from our ethos “Design for living” and user-centred design focus. We put our clients’ desired lifestyle at the forefront of each project and design spaces that facilitate the clients’ well-being. We value personal connection and empathy, and we take the time to fully understand our client’s aesthetic preferences and functional needs.