What do you think of when you think of a ‘welcoming’ atmosphere in a person’s home? Is it the smell of freshly ground coffee, or the faint sound of classical music playing in the other room?
Is it about them having stocked up on fresh fruit juices, cakes and snacks for you, or even having a cold beer ready to crack open?
All of these things can contribute towards the atmosphere of a place, but in more practical terms there are some things you can do to create a welcome that will always be in place, even if you didn’t get chance to pop to the shops.
1. Soft like a hug
It might sound silly, but soft furnishings really do take the place of a hug, helping to make your rooms feel less cold and empty, and absorbing any echoes that might otherwise bounce off the walls.
Sofas perform particularly well at breaking up space, softening hard corners in a room, and simply providing somewhere comfortable to sit down – which is crucial to a warm welcome.
You don’t have to stop at a single sofa in your lounge; a small sofa placed near your door provides a comfortable place to put on or take off footwear.
And a more formal sofa can even work well in a home office, providing a welcoming atmosphere for anyone who comes in, whether they are friends and family, or clients.
2. Light and bright
Your home needs lighting correctly, and simple ceiling lights can rob a room of its atmosphere by casting stark, harsh light into all its corners.
More careful lighting can allow you to make use of any architectural features, or simply to leave much of the room in semi-darkness so that, again, it feels as though you are in a safe and warm cocoon or hug.
Functional lighting is key to all of this, so invest in table lamps, wall lamps, standard lamps and uplighters, or at the very least install a chandelier with multiple bulbs and a dimmer switch, so you are not faced with the choice of 100W or pitch darkness, and nothing in between.
3. What’s in store?
Finally, give some focus to the things you don’t want your guests to see; the atmosphere of your room is as much about what’s absent as about what’s present.
Put plenty of stylish storage in place that suits the size and design of your interiors, and make sure you use it regularly, so it’s not a mad dash to hide your mess when a guest is on their way.
Maintaining a welcoming atmosphere is best treated as an ongoing task, with minimal effort at any one time to make sure everything is in its rightful place; keep it up, and you will have a home that is ready for guests no matter when they arrive.
For more information on The English Sofa Company and the products we offer, call us on 0161 736 5733 or visit our Showroom.
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