Creating a comfortable home is giving your home that "at home" feeling, so the people whom you share your life can feel cozy, pampered and free to be themselves.

If you think your home doesn't feel pretty, it may just need a few comfortable qualities and pleasures added.

Beauty has many faces and doesn't need a whole redecorating project for your personal expression and the life style of the people that live there to come through.

Lighting

A physically comfortable home is carefully lit and especially important in the front hall or foyer. The entrance to the home marks the boundary between the outside world and your personal world but as badly as a poorly lit entrance is, one that is flooded with light is too harsh. Soft lighting with a switch at the door is best to welcome one into your home.

For ultimate comforts have the proper amount of general, task and accent lighting for the room's function. Think about having "a lamp at your shoulders" for seating arrangements.

Seating

Create several natural places to comfortably sit for conversation or relaxing for every member of the family or friends that you usually have in the room, then one more and situate the arrangements about 4-12' away from each other.

Creating a comfortable home is with seating that is cozy and relaxed feeling and not stiff. Stiff seating doesn't say come on in and sit a while.

Include an ottoman or footstool as a place to put your feet especially for a deep cushy sofa.

Surfaces

Provide every seating area with conveniently placed tables to set things down and to put drinks when guests are over. Accessible surfaces could include a coffee table, end table, ottoman, sofa table, benches, a garden seat and even snack tables that are tucked away and pulled out when needed.

Texture

Textures play an important role when creating a comfortable home.

Appeal to the senses and bring together multiple and contrasting textures that invite you to touch and encourages you to settle in and stay awhile.

Fabrics, furniture, flooring, and decorative objects all bring a wonderful range of textures to the home. It could be the simple choice of a quilt to snuggle up with casually thrown over the sofa, an area rug that adds warmth to a tile floor as you step out of the shower, or the luxurious folds of silk drapes on the windows flanking a brick fireplace.

Use texture to indulge your taste for variety and whimsy and add a little greenery for relief and a spot of color.

Collections

Surround yourself with objects you love. Including something handmade is an added bonus.

Whatever the cost or style, the way they are arranged can provide a definite focal point in a room, and displaying art and your favorite collection expresses your individuality which creates a welcoming spirit in your home with those you share your life.

Storage

Have places to put things and store items that you use for relaxing and entertaining like magazines, the newspaper, books, coasters, games, blankets, extra chairs and snack tables. Having enough storage will make your rooms look more attractive and with less clutter.

Smell

Creating a comfortable home and a welcoming atmosphere with the way your home smells will lift your spirits and brighten your surroundings.

Filling a vase with fresh flowers has a calming influence and fills the home with glorious scents, or flowering potted plants like a peace lily are cheering and purify the air.

Make a room diffuser from a non aerosol mister filled with water and a few drops of essential oil and spray when needed, or use essential oil on an earthenware ring that goes around the light bulb of a lamp.

Place gauze pouches with aromatic herbs and flowers in closets.

If you burn candles make them scented.

Creating a comfortable home is sensing the needs of others and providing for them making yourself and others feel good in your home. Let your personality show through giving your home it's own unique character.