What’s the best thing about a home? It’s probably the fact that it’s not just a place to sleep, but instead it’s a place where you’re able to make fantastic memories because it’s where your life happens – you can see your family grow there, friends come over, you can enjoy pets and so on, and that’s so important.

But if your home feels more like just a place you go when there’s nothing else to do, then it might be time to make some changes to turn it into a place that brings everyone together, and with that in mind, keep reading to find out more.

Make Space For Connection

The first thing to do is to take a look at how your rooms are set up – is there space for people to sit and chat or is your seating always pointed at the TV, for example? And can you actually hear each other across the table, or does everything just seem a bit cramped?

Sometimes you need to move some things so it all makes more sense – you could have your sofa facing the other direction, for example, or you could use a corner that’s not currently used to put a chair in or maybe a bookshelf. They’re little changes, but they can make a big difference when it comes to how people use a room.

Create A Central Spot

When you think about it, every good home has a heart, and that could be the kitchen, a family room, or maybe the garden in summer – it’s somewhere people just naturally want to spend time and gather. For a lot of homes, it’s going to be the dining area because that’s where birthdays are celebrated, homework’s done, games are played, and, of course, family meals are eaten.

If your family is growing, or you just like hosting friends and family, it could be a good idea to think about something like 8 seater dining tables so there’s definitely room for everyone. Having space where no one has to squeeze in makes people much more likely to stick around, and if the chairs are comfortable and lighting is good, that’s even better.

Keep It Easy And Open

You don’t have to have a show home to make people feel welcome, and in fact, too much ‘perfection’ can make things feel uncomfortable anyway. What you’ll want to do instead is to choose materials that can deal with whatever is thrown at them (sometimes literally!), like washable cushions, wipeable surfaces, and just things that are going to age well, for example. In that way, no one’s going to be worried about relaxing in your home, and they’ll feel a lot better when they come over.

And of course, music can help too. A speaker in the corner of the room so you can have music playing wherever you are is a great idea, and it can change the whole mood of the space, and so can soft lighting and a few plants, come to that. The point is you need to set the tone that lets people know they’re welcome and they can make themselves at home in your place.