What Makes a House a Home: Warmth

During these super-cold winters, we all need someplace warm to snuggle up. Of course, there's more to warmth than just the physical. There's the mental, too. A place can feel really warm to me when I'm having a lot of fun, surrounded by laughter and family and friends. I also like to keep warmth in mind when I'm decorating.

I think a lot of my taste can actually border on too cold. I like things that are modern, but modern can often mean sterile. I've always liked color, though, which has helped keep my spaces warm even when they tend toward modern. I feel like as I'm getting older I really want a warmer, cozier, less modern space. So right now, my house feels a teensy bit like a hodge-podge of styles as my tastes evolve.

Our kitchen is a good example of this. When we moved in it still seemed a little cold, even though it was a deep red. I think that was because of all the white cabinets and chrome finishes, and because there are a lot of windows that didn't have window treatments. I made some toile curtains, which added texture. Then, a few years later we got the maple floors which have a touch of honey to them. They really warm up the space.

For awhile I switched out our wood table for a glass one we got at Ikea, and I grew to hate it. It took up less space, yes, but the shiny glass was so cold. And loud when things banged against it. It was too sleek and just all wrong.

So we went back to the wood table, and for Christmas I asked for table linens, to further soften and warm up the space. I think it looks really inviting, colorful and comfortable.