No matter your answer, each of us longs to come home to a place where we know we belong. A place where we comfortably fit into the fabric of our surroundings – where we can truly be ourselves.
What is it about a house that makes you call it home?
At Design Basics we design and sell house plans. Plain and simple, right? Yes, and no. Once you decide on a plan, you have chosen your house; personalizing the house – through product selections, decorating, and possibly modifications to the home plan – makes it your home. “What’s the difference?” you might ask. By definition, a house and a home hold two different perceptions:
- House = a building that serves as living quarters; a shelter or refuge.
- Home = the social unit formed by family living together; a familiar or usual setting; the focus of one’s domestic attention. (Merriam Webster)
Remember the old adage, Home is where the heart is? Until you start adding your personal touch, a house is the structure and a home is where and how you live. Most of us can get pretty attached to our home—we’ve put a lot into it to make it our own, a reflection of our style. We take great pride in our home, thinking, “Who wouldn’t want to live here?!”
I used to work in the relocation industry and many times helping an employee/family sell their house was an emotional process. We would discuss the difference between a house and a home, helping them detach themselves from thinking of it as their home. Extreme decorating would need to be replaced by a more neutral color palette, and family photos and personal mementos would need to be removed so that the buyer could better visualize making the house their new home.
HER HOME Design Ideas
Over the years we have collected feedback from customers, designers, and readers about design and product ideas that can make a home more livable. Recently, we compiled the ideas into an edition of HER HOME magazine entitled the “No Regrets” issue – the amenities “I wish I had known about…” or “If I could do it all over again…” These are the features, comforts, details that make a house your home.
- A ‘work-in’ pantry
- Drop zone, lockers
- Dual owner’s suites
- Pool bath
- Pocket Office
- Inspiration room
- And, much more!
If you are in the market for a new home now, or in the future, start keeping a list or wish book of ideas you might like to incorporate. Put yourself in the room – kitchen, dining, bedroom, etc. – and think about what you like currently; then, think about all the things you wish you had. When you meet with your designer, you’ll have your ideas ready to present. Whether two or 10 make the cut, at least you won’t be thinking, “I wish I would have thought of that!”
To find out more about pocket offices, drop zones, or ‘work-in’ pantries, check out our website, Facebook, , and Pinterest pages.
