How to Make a House Feel Like Home

How to Make a House Feel Like Home

A modern living room with dark green walls, a grey sofa and a floating shelf above
Image c/o Furniture Choice

There are few things more exciting than standing in the doorway of a new home with the keys in your hand and a head full of possibilities. I remember how it felt when my husband and I finally bought our first home together. The future suddenly felt wide open, full of opportunity, ideas and all the things we might become. Buying a new home is an exciting milestone. But once the initial excitement settled, a new question quickly appeared: how do you make a house feel like home?

Where should the sofa go? What colour should the walls be? Do we keep the old fireplace? Should we replace the kitchen? Maybe we should start with the bedroom? Should we wait and see how the house feels?

It can be tempting to rush straight into paint charts, Pinterest boards and panic purchases, but learning how to make a house feel like home starts with slowing down and paying attention.The best interiors are not created by copying trends or trying to make every room look like a showroom. They come from paying attention to the building and to the light and really thinking about how you want to live in the space and how it should make you feel. It is often the little details that make a space feel truly yours.

So before you start ordering furniture or stripping wallpaper, take a breath. A beautiful home is not built in a weekend. It is layered, lived in and slowly brought to life.

Start by Listening to the House

A dining room in neutral colours with wooden dining table and chairs.
Image c/o Oka

Good design starts with understanding the space you already have. Every property has its own personality. Some homes are full of period details, wonky walls, original fireplaces and generous proportions. Others are cleaner, sharper and more contemporary, with open-plan spaces and large expanses of glass. Neither is better. They simply ask for different things.

A modern apartment may suit a pared-back approach, with streamlined furniture, clever storage and a restrained colour palette. A Victorian terrace or country cottage may invite more texture, warmth and character. The trick is not to force a style onto the house, but to work with what is already there.

Look at the bones of the building. Where does the light fall in the morning? Which rooms feel naturally cosy? Where does the layout flow beautifully, and where does it feel awkward? Are there architectural features worth celebrating? Are there areas that need rethinking altogether?

This is also where professional support can be invaluable. If you are planning to extend, reconfigure rooms, improve natural light or make structural changes, an architect can help you see the potential of the space in a way that goes beyond decoration. Sometimes moving a doorway, opening up a wall or changing the flow between rooms can have a far bigger impact than any paint colour ever could.

Don’t Worry About Naming Your Style

Artwork gallery wall hung above a brown leather sofa
Artwork from Greenlili

If I’m completely honest, I didn’t know what my style was for the longest time. Every interview I ever did on podcasts, panels or in magazines and on blog, I would be asked this question and I wasn’t ever really sure of the answer. I like industrial interiors, Japandi interiors, minimalist interiors, but also certain elements of lots of other styles too. I think that one of the biggest traps people fall into when designing a new home is feeling as though they need to define their style perfectly.

Am I modern farmhouse? Mid-century? Scandi? Traditional? Minimalist? Eclectic? In reality, most people are a mixture. You might love calm, neutral rooms but still be drawn to antique furniture. You might want a contemporary kitchen but prefer soft, layered bedrooms. You might admire minimalist interiors online, but know deep down that you need books, baskets, lamps, cushions and all the little signs of life around you. Rather than trying to label your taste, start noticing what you return to again and again.

Save images that make you feel something. Look at homes, hotels, restaurants, films, magazines and places you have travelled to. Notice the colours, materials and moods that appeal to you. Are you drawn to warm woods, soft linens, dark walls, natural stone, vintage pieces, clean lines, bold pattern or quiet simplicity? Over time, the thread will reveal itself. Whilst I had no idea what my personal style actually was, I spent years curating boards on Pinterest, pinning items here and there and never paying much attention to the whole board. When I finally did look at my Kitchen Pinterest Board, it became blatantly obvious to me that I did indeed have a preferred style. Everything on that board seemed to have a common style and I’d never noticed.

A mood board on Pinterest can really help here, but try not to use it as a shopping list. Use it as a way to understand how to create a house that feels like home and the kind of feeling you want to create. Calm and restorative. Warm and welcoming. Colourful and creative. Elegant and understated. Relaxed and lived in. That feeling will guide better decisions than any trend ever could.

Choose Colours that Connect the Rooms

A hallway with walls painted in pastel colours
Image c/o YesColours

Colour has a huge impact on how a home feels, but it is often where people get stuck. The mistake many of us make is treating each room as a completely separate project. A blue bedroom here, a green sitting room there, a pink downstairs loo, a grey hallway, and suddenly the house can start to feel a little disjointed. That does not mean every room has to match. Far from it. But there does need to be some kind of conversation between the spaces.

A cohesive colour palette helps a home feel calm and considered. You might start with a warm neutral that runs through the hallway and connects spaces, then introduce deeper or richer tones in individual rooms. Or you might choose a handful of colours that work beautifully together and use them in different strengths throughout the house.

It is also worth paying close attention to light. A colour that looks soft and warm in a south-facing room can look flat or chilly in a darker, north-facing space. Always test paint properly and look at it at different times of day before committing. A good idea is to paint large pieces of paper in your chosen colour and stick them on the walls to see what happens when the light changes. Move them around for a least a week before making a decision, if not longer.

And think about how each room needs to feel. Bedrooms often benefit from calmer, more cocooning tones. Kitchens and living spaces can usually take more energy. Hallways, which are often overlooked, can be a wonderful place to set the tone for the rest of the home.

Design for Real Life, Not Imaginary Life

Wall storage in a garage from Orthex
Image c/o Orthex

A home has to work for the people who live in it. That sounds obvious, but it is amazing how often we design for the fantasy version of ourselves. The one who never leaves shoes by the door, always folds blankets beautifully, drinks coffee slowly in a spotless kitchen and definitely does not have piles of laundry migrating from room to room.

Real life needs to be factored in. If you have children, pets or a busy household, you will probably need durable flooring, washable paint, good storage and fabrics that can cope with spills, crumbs and muddy paws. If you work from home, you may need a proper workspace rather than a laptop permanently balanced on the dining table. If you love entertaining, the kitchen and dining areas may need to do more of the heavy lifting. If you crave quiet at the end of the day, your bedroom needs to be protected from clutter and chaos.

Good interiors are not just about how a home photographs. They are about how it supports everyday life. The most beautiful room in the world will not feel good if it does not function.

Build the Room in Layers

Living room with dark grey walls
© Heather Young
growingspaces.net

A home that feels warm, personal and interesting is rarely created in one shopping trip. It is built in layers. Start with the key pieces. The sofa. The dining table. The bed. The storage. The pieces that need to work hardest and fit the scale of the room properly.

Then think about lighting, which is one of the most transformative parts of any interior. A single overhead light is rarely enough. Most rooms need a mix of ambient lighting, task lighting and softer accent lighting. Table lamps, wall lights, floor lamps and dimmers can completely change the mood of a space.

After that come the layers that bring softness and soul. Rugs. Curtains. Cushions. Throws. Artwork. Books. Plants. Ceramics. Objects with a story. This is where a house starts to feel like home.

Try not to rush this stage. The best pieces are often collected over time. A vintage mirror found by chance. A print from a favourite artist. A lamp inherited from family. A cushion in a fabric you fell in love with. These details make a room feel personal rather than prescribed.

Create Flow Without Making Everything Match

A modern pink and purple kitchen
Image c/o Naked Kitchens

A well-designed home has rhythm. Each room can have its own identity, but there should still be a sense of connection as you move through the house. This might come from repeating certain materials, such as brass, oak, stone or linen. It might come from using similar tones across different rooms. It might be as simple as carrying the same flooring through the ground floor or choosing door handles, light switches and finishes that feel consistent.

The aim is not perfection. Homes are much more interesting when they have a little tension and contrast. Old with new. Smooth with textured. Plain with patterned. Light with dark. But there should be intention behind the choices. When rooms feel connected, the whole house feels calmer and more considered.

Leave Room For Your Story

Vases and sculptures and artwork on a floating wooden shelf
Image c/o Primark

If you really want to know how to make a house feel like home, this is where the answer lies. Not in a perfectly styled shelf or an immaculate colour scheme, but in the details that tell your story. This is the part that matters most. Your home should not look as though it could belong to anyone. It should hold traces of your life. Photographs. Books you actually read. Art that means something to you. Objects picked up on holidays. Things your children have made. Furniture with history. Pieces that remind you of people, places and moments. These are the things that stop a home from feeling flat.

It is easy to be seduced by perfectly styled interiors online, but the rooms we remember are usually the ones with personality. The ones that tell us something about the people who live there. The ones that feel warm, human and slightly imperfect. Because that is where the magic is.

Learning how to make a house feel like home is not really about choosing the right trend, colour or sofa. It is about creating a space that understands both the building and the people who live inside it. Start with the house. Notice its light, layout and character. Then think carefully about how you want to live, how each room needs to work and what kind of feeling you want to create.

Take your time. Make thoughtful choices. Let the rooms evolve. Because a beautiful home is not just one that looks good. It is one that quietly supports your life, reflects your story and welcomes you back to yourself every time you walk through the door.

5 Interior Design Business Mistakes That Could be Costly

5 Interior Design Business Mistakes That Could be Costly

A young female designer or architect sits at her laptop surrounded by colour swatches

When launching your own interiors studio, avoiding common interior design business mistakes can be just as important as choosing the right clients or colour palettes. From reimagining spaces to helping clients feel more at home, the creative potential is huge and so is the opportunity to build a fulfilling career. But while you’re likely pouring

The post 5 Interior Design Business Mistakes That Could be Costly appeared first on The Design Sheppard.

How to Declutter Your Home One Gentle Step at a Time

How to Declutter Your Home One Gentle Step at a Time

Hand’s up if you’ve been asking yourself how to declutter your home this spring! There’s something about spring that stirs up the urge for a refresh. The light changes and we can open the windows a little wider to let fresh air circulate. But we also begin to notice the things that have quietly piled up during winter—cluttered surfaces, overflowing drawers, the hallway that seems to collect everything from school bags to boots. Spring is the time we start to feel the need for a clear out, to make more space, so we can breathe a little easier in our homes.

While the idea of spring decluttering sounds uplifting, the reality often feels overwhelming. I don’t know about you but my life is pretty busy. Even the thought of devoting a whole weekend (or more) to decluttering my home from top to bottom can often be enough to make me quietly close that overstuffed cupboard and walk away, pretending I don’t see it.

This is where a gentler approach is needed. Decluttering doesn’t have to be dramatic or done all at once. It can be slow, steady, and thoughtful—a process that unfolds over time. With a few simple decluttering tips and a mindset shift, we can start to let go of the things that are no longer serving us, and begin to shape a space that feels calmer, lighter and more aligned with how we want to live.

So here are some tips on how to declutter your home without the stress. Whether you’re dipping your toe in with a drawer or two, or ready to embrace a full spring refresh, these spring decluttering tips will help you take that first gentle step.

Start with Your Why

A white woman stood at a table in the living room decluttering her home by putting clothing into a box labelled 'Donate'

Image Credit: Deposit Photos

Before you reach for the storage baskets or begin piling items into charity shop bags, pause for a moment. Decluttering isn’t just about getting rid of things. It’s about making space for what matters. So before you begin, ask yourself: why do I want to declutter?

Maybe you want a home that feels calmer at the end of a long day. Maybe you’re craving more usable space at home for family life, creativity, or simply the ability to breathe a little more easily when you walk through the door. For some, decluttering is about reducing mental load. For others, it’s about creating room to grow into a new season of life.

Taking time to connect with your reason helps the process feel less like a task and more like an act of care. It also makes the decision-making easier when you’re sorting through your things. If you know what you’re creating space for, it becomes clearer what no longer needs to stay.

This simple step of anchoring yourself in why can turn the act of decluttering your home into something far more meaningful than a spring clean. When you start with intention, how to declutter your home becomes less about getting rid of things and more about making space for the life you want to live.

Create a Calm, Doable Decluttering Plan

A white woman sat on abed decluttering her home by putting clothing into boxes

Image Credit: Deposit Photos

Decluttering your home doesn’t have to mean turning your weekend upside down or emptying every cupboard in a frenzy of decision-making. In fact, the most lasting change often comes from small, steady shifts rather than dramatic overhauls. If the idea of a big spring clear-out feels overwhelming, start smaller and slower.

Begin by choosing just one area to focus on. That could be a single drawer, a kitchen shelf, or the pile of unopened post by the front door. Setting manageable goals is one of the most effective decluttering tips, especially if time is limited or energy is low. You might even find it helpful to set a timer—ten or fifteen minutes is often enough to make a visible difference, and short sessions help you avoid burnout.

Another gentle approach is to move through your home room by room over the course of a week or a month. Keep a basket or box nearby for anything you’re unsure about, so the decision doesn’t hold up your momentum. And don’t forget the power of a reset ritual—opening a window, playing music, or lighting a candle as you begin can help mark this time as something intentional and positive.

These spring decluttering tips aren’t about how fast you can go—they’re about discovering how to declutter your home in a way that feels calm and sustainable.

Clear the Clutter, Not Your Whole Schedule

A white woman sat on a sofa decluttering her home by putting clothing into crates and bags

Image Credit: Deposit Photos

Once you’ve made a gentle plan, the next step is finding ways to fit decluttering into the rhythm of your everyday life. Because let’s be honest—very few of us have hours to spare, and even fewer have the energy to tackle the entire house in one go.

Instead of waiting for the “perfect” time, try anchoring your decluttering into moments that already exist. Ten minutes while dinner cooks. A quick sweep of the bathroom shelf before your morning shower. Sorting a drawer while catching up on your favourite podcast. These small windows of time are often overlooked, but they’re where real change can begin.

One of the simplest decluttering tips is to keep a donation bag or box out in the open—somewhere visible, easy to reach, and ready for anything you no longer need. This one act makes it easier to let go in the moment rather than putting it off for later.

You don’t need to do everything at once. In fact, the most lasting progress often comes in quiet, consistent steps. This is how to declutter your home without overloading your schedule—one habit, one drawer, one shelf at a time.

Try the Marie Kondo Method

Image Credit: Deposit Photos

A few years ago, a friend introduced me to the Marie Kondo, a professional organiser and declutterer, and I still think about her every time I attempt to declutter my own home. Her approach starts with asking if items spark joy. If not, we should thank them for the joy they once brought and then let them go. If they still spark joy, they can stay. I really like this philosophy of gratitude. Rather than treating decluttering as an exercise in guilt or waste, she invites us to celebrate each item for its contribution. There’s something beautiful about that. It softens the process. It gives you permission to part with things that no longer serve you, without the heaviness of shame.

I have mostly used her approach to organising my clothing, especially the art of folding and storing garments vertically so you can see everything at a glance. This approach completely changed how I use my storage. It’s such a simple shift, but it makes daily life easier: no more digging to find what you need, no more forgotten items crumpled at the bottom of the drawer.

The Maris Kondo method is a mindset that turns decluttering your home into something deeper—a quiet ritual of release, grounded in appreciation. And it can apply to more than just clothes. That gift you never used, the book you didn’t finish, the things you’ve outgrown but feel guilty letting go of—they all played a role. And now, you get to choose what stays.

These spring decluttering tips aren’t just about what you organise. They’re about how you feel while doing it—and what energy you carry forward into your newly cleared space.

Get Creative with Storage

Image Credit: Deposit Photos

Once you’ve cleared space and chosen what stays, the next step is making it easy to keep things tidy. The best storage doesn’t just hide clutter—it supports the way you live, making everyday routines simpler and smoother.

Start by thinking about what you reach for regularly. Could it live somewhere more accessible? Are there items you love but rarely see because they’re packed away? Storage should feel intuitive, not like a puzzle. Open baskets, shallow drawers, and clear containers can help you see what you have at a glance, so nothing gets forgotten.

If space is limited, look up and look under to maximise storage space. Vertical storage is a quiet game-changer—wall hooks by the door, floating shelves above a desk, or even hanging rails inside cupboards can free up valuable surface space. Under-bed boxes, ottomans with hidden compartments, and multi-purpose furniture like ottoman beds are also brilliant options when square footage is tight.

And don’t be afraid to get a little creative. An old wooden crate can become a shoe rack. A ceramic bowl might hold keys, receipts or loose bits that tend to wander. Sometimes the most satisfying storage solutions are the ones you already have.

And if you do find there are things you want or need to keep, maybe for sentimental reasons or because you are sure you will need them in the future but you don’t need them taking up space in your home right now. You can consider hiring a storage unit where they can stay safe until needed. Self-storage is a great way to free up space at home without losing your belongings. But don’t use it as an excuse not to do the hard work!

Decluttering your home isn’t just about clearing what’s there—it’s about reshaping the space so it supports you going forward. When you find storage that suits your needs and your style, it becomes easier to stay organised, even when life gets busy.

When your storage supports your habits, it becomes easier to stay organised—and knowing how to declutter your home in a way that suits your lifestyle makes it far more likely to last.

Create Gentle Habits for a Clutter-Free Home

A table featuring three piles of clothes labelled keep, donate, discard

The beauty of a decluttered space isn’t just how it looks—it’s how it feels to live in. But once the initial momentum wears off, it’s easy for clutter to quietly creep back in. Life happens. Clutter piles up. Surfaces become landing zones. The key to maintaining a calm, tidy home is building habits that support it—gently, and without perfection.

Start small. A five-minute evening tidy-up can make all the difference, especially in high-traffic areas like the kitchen or hallway. Create a home for the things that tend to roam—keys, chargers, unread post—and reset them each day. If it helps, tie your habits to something you already do: clear the table before your morning coffee, or straighten the cushions after your favourite evening show.

You could also try the “one in, one out” method—each time something new enters your home, let go of something else. It’s a quiet way to keep things balanced, especially when it comes to clothing, books, or children’s toys.

These aren’t strict rules—they’re gentle rhythms. The kind that support a clutter-free space not through discipline, but through kindness and consistency. Because decluttering your home isn’t a one-off event—it’s an ongoing relationship with the space you’re creating.

A Home That Holds Space for You

Decluttering your home isn’t just about clearing out physical things—it’s about making space for something deeper. A sense of calm. A little more breathing room. The feeling of walking into a space that reflects who you are and how you want to live. A home you love living in.

This process doesn’t need to be fast, flawless or all-consuming. It can be slow. Quiet. Thoughtful. It can happen one drawer at a time, in between the busyness of everyday life. With a few gentle habits and a mindset rooted in intention, learning how to declutter your home becomes less of a one-time task and more of a supportive, lifelong rhythm.

Spring invites us to refresh. So take it one gentle step at a time. You don’t have to do everything. You just have to begin.

Blooming Artificial Review: Are Faux Plants Really Worth the Money?

Blooming Artificial Review: Are Faux Plants Really Worth the Money?

A desk and chair next to artificial plants from Blooming Artificial in an office

Blooming Artificial Plants Review | Photography by Fran Minifie Photography

When I opened my coworking space in Totnes for female entrepreneurs and women in business back in 2020, I designed it with the principles of biophilic design in mind. I wanted to use an earthy colour palette, texture, natural materials, organic shapes, and incorporate lots of plants. I wanted the users of the space to feel good in the work environment and wanted it to be a space that supported their mental health and physical wellbeing.

We moved into a new space last summer and our new female coworking space is so much more biophilic. It is a converted barn with vaulted ceilings and huge roof lights so it is flooded with natural light. It also has lots of exposed brick and textured walls and there are expansive views of the countryside on all sides. Our neighbours are cows and pheasants, we have a little bird who comes and knocks on the windows and we’ve had visits from squirrels and regular fly overs of geese. It couldn’t be more perfect. So bringing in the principles of biophilic design has been a breeze.

When I took over the additional studio space upstairs, the previous tenant had some huge plants that they offered to sell me for many hundreds of pounds. Knowing myself and how bad I am at looking after plants I knew that this would not be a good investment for me. So instead I opted for faux plants and I knew exactly where to get them from. Blooming Artificial is a company I have used for many years when it comes to artificial plants and trees. I’ve already featured a Blooming Artificial review years ago when I got some faux houseplants for my home and then again when I used their plants in the first coworking space.

Why I Chose Faux Plants for My Workspace

A desk and chair next to an artificial plant from Blooming Artificial in an office

Photography by Fran Minifie Photography

But what I really love about having faux plants is the lack of guilt. I never have to feel bad for not remembering to water them. I never have to watch them wither and droop because they are not getting enough light, or they are getting too much. I never have to watch them slowly get pot-bound because I am seemingly incapable of repotting my plants. Plant care is something I find extremely overwhelming. I try my very best, but it is just so hard to know what plants want and need. Online advice provides very little clarity. The very same symptoms could be a sign that you are not giving your plant enough water…or that you are overwatering. I feel so bad when a plant dies because I have neglected to meet its needs.

Luckily, over the years, I have learnt to buy super hardy plants that thrive on neglect, but even those plants grow and need some ongoing maintenance, and I am just not nurturing enough for this. So faux plants have become a staple in my office. They look wonderful, give us all the good feels and I do not end up crushed under the cripling weight of guilt.

That’s why I wanted to share this Blooming Artificial review—because these plants have solved a problem I didn’t even realise could be solved so beautifully.

What I’ve Learned Since Discovering Biophilic Design

A studio with vaulted ceiling set up for a woman's circle with cushions on the floor, tarot cards, crystals, flowers and faux plants from Blooming Artificial

Photography by Charlie Flounders Photography

I have been writing about biophilic design since 2019, when I first became aware of the concept and wrote my first article on the topic for designer magazine. Back then, it wasn’t such a hot topic but since then we have seen the emergence of more human-centric design and a willingness to put the needs of people first when creating spaces. We now recognise that biophilic design has an important role to play in counteracting some of the more negative impacts of urbanisation and the persistent disconnect from nature that many of us are experiencing. With the rise in mental health problems and the prevalence of stress in our modern society, biophilic design and its associated benefits are one of the most powerful tools at our disposal to counteract the worrying developments we see in society.

The Wellbeing Benefits of Plants in the Workplace

A wicker chair next to an artificial plant from Blooming Artificial with a textured white wall behind

Photography by Fran Minifie Photography

Biophilic design gives us the opportunity to support and nurture one another in a way that reduces stress and increases productivity. According to the report Human Spaces: Biophilic Design at Work prepared by environmental consulting and strategic planning firm Terrapin Bright Green for Interface, environmental psychology research tells us that being connected to nature actually assists with, psychological restoration. It also states that biophilic design supports multiple organizational outcomes, including
well-being, productivity and creativity.

Key global figures that were gathered in the report found that:

  • A third (33%) of office workers say that the design of an office would affect their decision to work at a company.
  • Two-thirds (67%) of respondents report feeling happy when walking into bright office environments accented with green, yellow or blue colours.
  • 58% of workers report having no greenery, in the form of plants, within their work environment.

The research also identified that visible connections to nature can have a positive effect on an individual’s reported stress levels. Further analysis showed that perceptions of well-being can increase by up to 15% when people work in surroundings that incorporate natural decor elements, providing a connection to nature, in contrast to those who have no contact with nature in their workplace.

I feel so lucky that I knew all of this before I decided to open my coworking space. I had previously worked in a unit on an industrial estate when I first graduated, and I was selling metal alloys to the French aeronautical industry. There was no natural light in that unit because there were no windows. There was nothing natural about that place and my well-being took a nose dive. I can’t tell you how unhappy I was spending eight hours per day in that kind of work environment. Needless to say, I didn’t stick around because my wellbeing and mental health mean too much to me. I need light and views of nature to do my best work.

Creating a Coworking Space That Feels Good

A large desk surrounded by chairs in an office with an artificial plant from Blooming Artificial in the background

Photography by Fran Minifie Photography

The coworking space I have created is the office of my dreams. Every day I come to work and am overwhelmed with gratitude that I get to work in such a beautiful space that makes me feel so good. It is flooded with natural light, has beautiful views of the landscape outside, and the biophilic office decor incorporates natural materials and earthy colours, and I have filled it with a mix of real plants and artificial plants.

Blooming Artificial Review: Real-Looking Faux Plants

A desk and chair next to an artificial plant from Blooming Artificial in an office

Photography by Fran Minifie Photography

I understand that even the most realistic faux plants don’t offer quite the same benefits as living plants, but I have found that mixing the two provides a great balance for me with all the wellbeing benefits I need, minus the guilt.

The faux plants I have both downstairs and upstairs are primarily from Blooming Artificial and the reason I get my faux plants from there is because the quality is incredible and they actually look real. I swear if you didn’t know they were faux and you were looking at them across the room, you would have no idea. I would even go as far as to say you probably wouldn’t guess they were unless you reached out to touch them.

They have brought so much joy, colour and texture into our coworking space and they really are the star of the show in all my photos as they bring the space to life no matter what the season. Writing this Blooming Artificial review has made me appreciate just how much these small touches have contributed to the feel-good atmosphere of our coworking studio.

As for whether they are worth the money. It’s a resounding yes from me. Whilst these large artificial plants aren’t cheap, they actually cost roughly the same price as a similar-sized real plant. Considering the huge potential there is for a real plant not to survive my neglect, I would much rather spend that kind of money on a large faux plant knowing that it is guaranteed not to die. So given that the costs are comparable, the benefits of artificial plants actually make them the better investment for me. And I would gladly pay that money to alleviate myself from the guilt of being a plant murderer!

An evening yoga session in a studio with vaulted ceilings. Twinkly fairy lights on the floor
5 Easy Christmas Decorating Ideas For A Home Office

5 Easy Christmas Decorating Ideas For A Home Office

A Pink home office decorated for Christmas

I am so excited to share my Christmas decorating ideas for a home office in collaboration with Very because I don’t usually create a lot of Christmas content. Normally, I am far too busy planning and celebrating all the family birthdays that fall in November and December and then frantically trying to get Christmas organised in the remaining two weeks. It’s a very stressful and busy time of year. But I couldn’t resist the opportunity to work with Very on this Christmas campaign and share how I have decorated my office this Christmas.

Christmas decorations in a pink home office

As many of you will know, I own a small, boutique coworking space in Devon for female entrepreneurs. What makes it different from other coworking spaces is the fact that it is really small and feels more like a home office. There is absolutely nothing corporate or commercial about it. So all the ideas that I share in this post are perfect for decorating your home office this Christmas.

It may seem unusual to decorate your home office for Christmas but considering how many of us are now working from home due to the hybrid model that arose from the Pandemic, it makes sense that we may wish to add some festive cheer to our workspace. After all we could be spending up to eight hours a day in this room so why wouldn’t we want to make it feel a bit special as we approach Christmas.

When implemented, these Christmas decorating ideas for a home office should hopefully provide a much needed wellbeing boost to get us through the dark and miserable days on the lead up to the festive break. I know I feel so much better when the sparkly lights and shiney decorations go up.

A woman placing light up letters saying Ho Ho Ho on a shelf in a pink home office

When Very asked me to take part in their Christmas campaign I was really happy to see what a lovely selection of Christmas trees and decorations they had and more importantly how many of them worked perfectly with the style and aesthetic of my office. The office is very pink, so the traditional Christmas colours of red and green were out of the question. I wanted something that would add even more warmth to the space and work seamlessly with the existing decor. So I was looking for dusky blush pinks and warm metallics and that is exactly what I found.

So let’s take a look at how I created this gorgeous winter wonderland in my office.

Put up a Christmas Tree

A gonk stands next to a flocked Christmas tree in a pink home office

If you have space, a full size Christmas tree is the most obvious way to bring that festive feeling into a room. Standing tall, it makes a big impact in the room and really draws your attention. To keep costs down, I chose a 6ft Flocked Emperor Pre Lit Pencil Christmas Tree because I knew that this would still look pretty without all the decorations to hang on it. Baubles can be costly and I didn’t really want the added hassle of having to store them throughout the year so I decided to keep it simple.

Also as the office is really very small, I couldn’t spare the room for a tree that is too wide so instead I chose a pencil tree. I still have height, but it fits really neatly in the corner and doesn’t impact too much on the flow of the room.

A woman fluffs up a flocked Christmas tree and places a gonk on the floor next to it

I also dressed up the tree a little by adding a beautifully soft Christmas tree skirt in faux fur. This helped to disguise the stand and make it look a little more finished. I’ve never used a Christmas tree skirt before but I am now converted and won;t be without one again. It’s the small details, right?

If a full size Christmas tree is not an option, opt for a table top Christmas tree that you can place on your desk or on a pedestal or sideboard. Even a small tree adds a lot to the room and makes it feel extra special. As my office is large enough I chose to have both a full size tree and a table top one.

Switch Out Artwork for Christmas Wreaths

A woman places Christmas wreaths on the wall in a pink home office

If wall space is limited, you can always take down some of your existing decor and replace it with the Christmas decorations. I didn’t want to put up any new hooks so I used what I already had. The normal artwork has been packed away for a few weeks and instead I have hung a beautiful pre-lit wreath in it’s place.

Choosing a pre-lit wreath gives it that extra bit of sparkle and you simply need to add batteries to light it up. It’s super easy makes a real statement on the wall.

I also chose a flocked teardrop Christmas wreath which also comes with battery operated lights. I hung this beside the fireplace because I had a space hook there but it could have replaced any other bit of artwork in the room.

Add a Garland to the Fireplace

A frosted pink garland on a fireplace in a home office

If you live in a period property, you may be lucky enough to benefit from a fireplace in your home office that you can decorate for Christmas. For me, this is an intergral part of the Christmas decorations. I think it adds so much to the room and can be used to make a really big statement. I chose a frosted rose swag Christmas garland to place on the mantle piece. This was a very easy choice, partly because the colours work so well with the fire surround and tiles but also because I like Christmas garlands that are big and full. I also like the way it doesn’t hang down too far on either side.

If you are not be lucky enough to have a fireplace in your home office that you can decorate at Christmas, don’t worry. You can get a very similar effect by placing a garland on top of a sideboard or cupboard. You could even suspend one above a window or simply hang one on the wall above your desk. Try to get creative if you don’t have a fireplace to use.

String Up Some Fairy Lights

A pink home office decorated for Christmas

In my opinion, you can never have too many fairy lights. I used to put fairy lights up in my office when I was employed and not just at Christmas. They create such a lovely soft light and a really cosy atmosphere and they help to brighten up those dark winter days.

I chose this LED snowball light Christmas garland which I hung up around the fireplace. It is really long at 1590cms so I was able to take it around the corner of the room and then also hang it around the window. I intend to keep this up even after Christmas so I’m really pleased that this is mains powered so I don’t need to keep changing batteries.

Decorate Your Shelves & Window Sill

Dark wood shelves in a pink home office adored with Christmas ornaments and candles

Another easy Christmas decorating idea for a home office is to decorate your shelves and window sill. Whether you have a shelving unit, built-in shelves or wall-hung shelves, these can be used as a place to display your Christmas ornaments.

Again, you can remove some of the things that you would normally have on the shelves and pack them away until after Christmas. I took all my books and a terrarium down to make room for more festive decorations. I also removed some of my plants on the window sill and rehoused them elsewhere

I chose a pair of ceramic deer ornaments, two fairies with dangly legs and battery-operated light-up wings, a set of battery-operated Ho, Ho, Ho room lights, and a gold light-up tree topper. The tree topper proved to be a little too heavy for the Christmas tree so I placed it on the shelf and it looks fantastic.

I also chose a Christmas gonk with retractable legs, which my daughter has named Gerard, and I have positioned him next to the fireplace.

So there you have it. Those are my easy Christmas decorating ideas for a home office. Nothing groundbreaking, but I hope that seeing how easy it can be will inspire you to decorate your own home office this year, particularly if it’s not a room you have thought of decorating before.

Very has a great selection of affordable Christmas trees and decorations so it needn’t break the bank, but I guarantee it will make the drab winter days in the run-up to Christmas feel a lot cosier and more fun when your home office looks this good!

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