Decorating
Easy Hacks to Make a New House Instantly Feel Like Home
Members of the Houzz Australia and New Zealand teams share their favourite tricks for settling in to a new home after moving day
Everyone’s done it: arrived at a new house and felt slightly aghast. The last time you saw it, it was in all its styled glory – music playing, candles burning, doors flung open to the view. At the very least, it had some furniture in it, no matter how scrappy. Then you move in. The place is empty and has been shut up for a few days. All you can see are the marks on the walls and the scuffs on the floors, and you start to wonder quite what you’ve done.
Everyone settles in to a new space a little differently – here, the Houzz team share their tips on how to make a place feel like home right away.
Everyone settles in to a new space a little differently – here, the Houzz team share their tips on how to make a place feel like home right away.
Freshen with flowers
“If the bathroom’s plain or grey, I like to add a little colour. I usually pull out some antique Japanese or Turkish bowls, fill them with water and float either frangipani or camellia flowers from the garden (depending on the season). I also add a couple of drops of rose oil to the water for scent.
“If I don’t have any flowers for the living room, I cut two or three large Monstera deliciosa leaves (also known in Australia as the fruit salad plant due to its tropical-tasting fruit) and put them in the tallest vase I have. I’ll sometimes crunch up a little mint and add it to the vase water for a mild waft of tangy freshness.”
– Susan Redman, Editorial, Australia
“If the bathroom’s plain or grey, I like to add a little colour. I usually pull out some antique Japanese or Turkish bowls, fill them with water and float either frangipani or camellia flowers from the garden (depending on the season). I also add a couple of drops of rose oil to the water for scent.
“If I don’t have any flowers for the living room, I cut two or three large Monstera deliciosa leaves (also known in Australia as the fruit salad plant due to its tropical-tasting fruit) and put them in the tallest vase I have. I’ll sometimes crunch up a little mint and add it to the vase water for a mild waft of tangy freshness.”
– Susan Redman, Editorial, Australia
Create stylish storage
“For kitchens that can’t be changed too much, I take upper cupboard doors off, paint the insides a dramatic colour and style everything like crazy. I’ve done that for practically every friend and relative I’ve helped move house. Then I add hanging rods, racks, shelves and hooks for pots and pans. No wait, that’s not temporary. I’m still living like that 10 years later!”
– Catherine Smith, Editorial, New Zealand
“For kitchens that can’t be changed too much, I take upper cupboard doors off, paint the insides a dramatic colour and style everything like crazy. I’ve done that for practically every friend and relative I’ve helped move house. Then I add hanging rods, racks, shelves and hooks for pots and pans. No wait, that’s not temporary. I’m still living like that 10 years later!”
– Catherine Smith, Editorial, New Zealand
Rug up
“Whether you’re renting or buying, it’s always a bit jarring on moving day to walk into a bare living room with four walls, and only four walls – this can be a bit disheartening if the last time you saw the place was when it was displayed to you proudly (and fully furnished) by the real estate agent.
“The first thing I do is put a rug on it. A big and beautiful rug is not only a great cover-up for shoddy flooring, it’s also an instant colour and texture injection and it will help you configure your room layout.”
– Jenny Drew, Editorial, Australia
“Whether you’re renting or buying, it’s always a bit jarring on moving day to walk into a bare living room with four walls, and only four walls – this can be a bit disheartening if the last time you saw the place was when it was displayed to you proudly (and fully furnished) by the real estate agent.
“The first thing I do is put a rug on it. A big and beautiful rug is not only a great cover-up for shoddy flooring, it’s also an instant colour and texture injection and it will help you configure your room layout.”
– Jenny Drew, Editorial, Australia
Bare your bones
“I’d rather see the bones of a space than hide it behind cheap fittings – you know, the ones that come from the hardware store, which owners put in to ‘modernise’ a house for sale or rental. When we moved into our house a few years back, it had been a rental for a long time: the first thing I did was take down the too-short patterned curtains and the light fittings (the huge 1980s mirror is another story) and put up some simple bulbs. It made the space feel airy and simple, and much bigger than before. (And forced us to get new blinds. Eventually.)”
– Simon Farrell-Green, Editorial, New Zealand
“I’d rather see the bones of a space than hide it behind cheap fittings – you know, the ones that come from the hardware store, which owners put in to ‘modernise’ a house for sale or rental. When we moved into our house a few years back, it had been a rental for a long time: the first thing I did was take down the too-short patterned curtains and the light fittings (the huge 1980s mirror is another story) and put up some simple bulbs. It made the space feel airy and simple, and much bigger than before. (And forced us to get new blinds. Eventually.)”
– Simon Farrell-Green, Editorial, New Zealand
Clear the air
“To make a place feel like home, I have a bit of a routine, which starts with vacuuming and washing the floors even if cleaners have been through the place. Air plants in terrariums, meanwhile, are a great addition to the kitchen – they inject a bit of instant greenery to a new space.”
– Luke Buckle, Community, Australia
“To make a place feel like home, I have a bit of a routine, which starts with vacuuming and washing the floors even if cleaners have been through the place. Air plants in terrariums, meanwhile, are a great addition to the kitchen – they inject a bit of instant greenery to a new space.”
– Luke Buckle, Community, Australia
Keep to the classics
“For our household, a simple black-and-white photo in a crisp black frame goes a long way – it’s amazing how small, classic things like this can personalise a space.”
– Matt Corry, Marketing, New Zealand
“For our household, a simple black-and-white photo in a crisp black frame goes a long way – it’s amazing how small, classic things like this can personalise a space.”
– Matt Corry, Marketing, New Zealand
Do it yourself
I like to make some DIY storage – rentals never have enough, and the best way to address the problem is with pallet timber, a hammer and some nails.
That’s what I’m doing at the moment in my new place – there was zero storage when we moved in, so I built a wardrobe and a shelf for the bathroom. It instantly makes the place feel like home – and you have somewhere to put all that clutter.
– Deirdre Smith, Editorial, Australia
I like to make some DIY storage – rentals never have enough, and the best way to address the problem is with pallet timber, a hammer and some nails.
That’s what I’m doing at the moment in my new place – there was zero storage when we moved in, so I built a wardrobe and a shelf for the bathroom. It instantly makes the place feel like home – and you have somewhere to put all that clutter.
– Deirdre Smith, Editorial, Australia
Make room for furry friends
“Whenever I move into a new house, discovering the best morning sun spots for our beloved pooch (and Houzz’s resident K9) to laze in is top of the list. That, and putting up a Mezuzah – it’s a Jewish thing!”
– Tony Been, Marketing, Australia
TELL US
How do you make a new house or apartment feel like home when you first move in? Share your tips in the Comments.
MORE
How to Prioritise Home Projects After a Big Move
Moving to a Smaller Home? Here’s How to Downsize Happily
10 Tricks to Make Your Rental Feel Like a Home You Own
“Whenever I move into a new house, discovering the best morning sun spots for our beloved pooch (and Houzz’s resident K9) to laze in is top of the list. That, and putting up a Mezuzah – it’s a Jewish thing!”
– Tony Been, Marketing, Australia
TELL US
How do you make a new house or apartment feel like home when you first move in? Share your tips in the Comments.
MORE
How to Prioritise Home Projects After a Big Move
Moving to a Smaller Home? Here’s How to Downsize Happily
10 Tricks to Make Your Rental Feel Like a Home You Own
“When I move into a new place, I always add lamps. Most rentals have really terrible overhead lights that can make a room feel clinical – I rarely use the overheads, but turning on a modern, freestanding lamp adds instant atmosphere and style. It’s also much easier when it comes time to change the lightbulb!”
– Emily Hutchinson, Editorial, Australia