What is a House? What is a Home?

Creating the home you want in the house you have requires some planning and preparing. Many people do not understand the difference between house and home. It is important because it can determine whether you are happy and content.

What is a house? What is a home?

A house, according to the trust worthy dictionary, is a place that provides shelter, living space. Thats easy. A home is more complicated. A home is where one likes to be, a place thought of as the center of ones affections, a restful or congenial place. There is a reason for the clich: Home is where the heart is.

For most of us, our home is sacred and is our sanctuary. Im not just talking about the space. Im talking about the feelings of love, security, peace and community that the home should embody. Trying to create a place where your family feels happy, where your friends are welcomed and where you feel you belong.

The question is How do we create that place, those feelings?

How many times have you walked into a fabulous house that looked like a museum or a hotel lobby? Everything is perfect. It looks as if no one lives there. You can hire the most expensive decorating firm in the world, but if the finished space is not your taste, it wont be home.

Creating a home is not about living in a fancy address or in a simply one. Its about authenticity. Its about being who you are.

A lot of people are almost paralyzed by the idea of decorating. It comes from fear of expressing oneself. What if my taste is bad? What will people think of me? So they do nothing. Or they go to a store and buy a room full of furniture. That way they know they are safe, if not original.

Furniture stores can be great, but you dont want to just go in and buy your room. Most furniture stores these days have decorators you can work with.

Hiring a decorator for a lot of people seems excessive. But major decisions that affect your home for 5-10 years can also be quite the financial investment. You dont want to make costly mistakes. Also, working with a decorator or designer is a great time saving approach because creating a lovely home is very time-consuming. Many busy home owners now want a designer eye working with them taking some responsibility off their shoulder.

What type of consultant is right for you?

Interior decorators are cheaper and can be excellent valuable second option on cosmetic changes. They are someone who specializes solely in decorating (or redecorating) interior spaces. Mostly they focus on residential work, but some will also work with businesses, restaurants, and the like. They have links with suppliers and know exactly where to find the type of items that you want, saving you time and possibly preventing you from wasting money on pieces that you dont truly need. An interior decorator is someone who has a designer eye an expertise in dealing with aesthetics of home dcor such as colour, paint, fabrics, furnishings, flooring, lighting and other materials.

If you were thinking something bigger than a cosmetic treatment, then youll want to shift your mindset away form a decorator over to a designer. They are licensed professionals. They have the edge over interior decorators in that they are qualified not just to make aesthetic improvements, but they understand structural design as well. They can perform general drafting, basic remodeling, understands building codes, acoustics, in addition to decorating. A good designer will attempt to ensure consistency between the architecture and the interior. If youre knocking out walls, putting in windows and dealing with structural changes you should seek the expertise of an interior designer.

Before making calls make sure you find the right type of service that best suits what you want to accomplish. Finding the right decorator/designer should be someone who reflects your personal style, or who works in a style that you like. The best way to find someone is through word of mouth. If you have any favorite local home shops ask the owner for their recommendations. Some other good resources are reputable house and home magazines, interior decorating or design organizations.

Written by: Peggy Depalma of Sanctuary Solutions www.sanctuarysolutions.ca (905) 830-5150.