Simple Ways to Add Comfort and Beauty to Your Home

One of the reasons I adore Hobbits so much is that they're all about comfort and their homes are a reflection of this ideal coziness I aspire to have in my own home. Your home should be a very personal space, a place where you find refuge and solace from all the going ons of the outside world. I'm sure it seems trivial to some, but for you and I, dear reader, we are creatures who love the comforts of home and are very affected by the environment around us. 

I will also guess that you might be a bit of a homebody, much like myself. So to both you and I, home is very important. Home is where we go to enjoy the simple and quiet pleasures of living. And much like Bilbo Baggins at the end of The Hobbit, home is where we return after an adventure to rest. 

So what are some simple and easy ways to add comfort and beauty to your home? 

1. The Little Details

Pay close attention to the small details and start from there. Adding beauty and comfort to your home doesn't have to cost a lot of money. It could be as simple as having a pretty vintage porcelain soap dish for your bathroom or putting your kitchen utensils in a pretty antique crock. If there is a little area in your home that you feel you can spruce up just a tiny bit to make it a little more lovely, then do so. You can easily find pretty vessels to use in new ways at thrift shops and antique malls.

2. Flowers

Throughout the year I have flowers all throughout the house and plenty of dried flowers and leaves too. Some may argue of course that dried flowers are bad for my chi, but I take that info with a grain of salt. If it brings me joy to look at it, I'm pretty sure that the bad chi is negated. Hehe. Make a point to have fresh flowers in your home. Purchase flowers that are pleasing to your aesthetic sense. At Trader Joe's they sell seasonal flowers and my favorites are usually the farmer variety like Queen Anne's lace and Waxflower. They're simple and delicate and I love seeing them on my coffee table or in a little antique vase on my vanity.

3. Use Candlelight

I love using candles and I have lots of vintage brass and bronze candlestick holders all over my home! I have a few in my bathroom (I take most of my baths by candlelight), several on the fireplace, a couple in the bedroom, and even a some in the kitchen. I think mixing a variety of candle heights look really lovely and poetic. I tend to purchase only neutral colored taper candles because they look classic and timeless.  

4. The Scent of Home / Part 1

My mother would always tease me that I have a nose like a hound. When I was in preschool I apparently had sniffed out where the freshly baked breads were hidden and smuggled some away before dinner. Anyhow, all that to say, that smells and scents are very important and really help create the mood of your home. Now, I have to add another personal tidbit, I grew up in an Asian/American home and there are some kind of funky smells when it comes to Filipino cooking (and some really delicious ones too!) but if the home wasn't kept up with, these smells start to linger. Augh, gross. Now, some homes are just going to have a certain smell. My home is an old house from 1910s...there are certain smells about it that are just part of the nature of the house. However, other smells can be controlled and should be controlled before you light up scented candles or incense. Those just mask the odor! Keep your stove clean and the area around it wiped down. Don't let dishes pile up in the sink. Wipe down the tub and shower once a week with anti mildew and anti mold cleaner. When you vacuum empty out the vacuum container as soon as you are finished... you get the point. Don't allow nasty house smells to accumulate basically!

5. The Scent of Home / Part 2

When purchasing scented candles or incense for your home, make sure you are purchasing scents in the same notes. For instance almost all the candles I purchase have either a slight floral or woodsy scent. I love scents that are a bit green and smell fresh. But during the colder months, I tend to purchase scents that have woodsy tones but also a bit of warmness to them like vanilla or cinnamon.

6. Wrapped In Cozy

I love when homes have blankets and cozy looking wraps laying by the couch. It makes me feel like I could just nestle up and get my hygge on. I tend to shy away from wool blankets, unless it's a blend, because they don't feel nice against the skin. Whenever I have purchased blankets and throws for my home, I've always asked myself "Would I wear this if I had a bodysuit made of this?" If the answer is yes, then it comes home with me. Have a few throw options in a large basket by your couch. Pick throw blankets that have slightly different weights to them and in colors that match the color scheme of your home. Mine, as you can guess, are all neutral greys and creams.

- - -

So, that is all! I know, this was a really long post! When I first started writing it, I thought jeez what tips do I have about adding comfort and beauty to your home? Then I felt like I couldn't stop. Haha. Look for more tips on simple and beautiful living from yours truly (who in no way is a home/decor/organizer guru, but has lots of fun trying everyday to live a simple and beautiful life)