What makes a house a home to you?

Books. And cats.

I like everything to be elegant, neat and beautiful. I love to see other people’s home just as they like them and it gives me great pleasure to be in, for instance, my daughter’s modern, sleek, stylish home. But, for me, my high ceilings, clean lines, antique furniture and eighteenth century china give me a real buzz of pleasure. I love everything old and, while once the children arrived, we could no longer save for the Georgian rectory we wanted (in our fantasies) our oldish house is now a very good substitute.

Ours is a very small bungalow.I insisted in having a dining room for family meals and a good solid table so GCs could do crafts hobby etc.
The immediate family feel relaxed here and the GC know what's in every drawer if they need anything.The garden is big enough for them to play and we have bikes scooters etc.We feel safe and comfortable here but never see old friends and family who wonder why we moved from our bigger rural home to something so small.

Memories I think, not just photographs around but memories of our children growing up, our lovely Springer Spaniel that we had for sixteen years, our grandchild growing up, and forty years of it's rooms, its garden & loves of love!

Perfect! Sounds like my house, and a feeling of calm comes over me when all is clean and tidy.

MeowWow

When you walk into your house and it feels good to be home.

Exactly this. I've lived in many houses and without fail that is what has made each and every one of them home.

Before I went to live in New Zealand I toyed with selling my home. The estate agent sent a few viewers to test the waters and every single one mentioned that it felt a happy welcoming property. All wanted to buy but thankfully I rented it out instead so when I returned it was still mine.

For me its memories.... ❤

Living alone, it's definitely my wee dog.

My own space where there is no one to bother me and 2 doors that lock if I want.

Home is where the heart is. I hAve lived in all sorts of places. Attic room, caravan, tent, large house, and bungalow. As long as my beloved husband was with me that was home.

TillyTrotter

And cats,
you reminded me kitty
My cat must be in it !

I wish my cat was here. He died on 8th June. We just found him dead in the garden. Helluva shock.

Labradors, books, favourite pieces of art (especially DH and DD1's paintings), flowers in the garden and now, in our final home, knowing DDs are close by with beloved DGCs.
Oooh and our ridiculously expensive but oh so, so comfortable Tempur bed... bliss

Love, laughter and cuddles makes a house a home for me.

Camelotclub that's awful for you ???

Somewhere you’re always glad to get back to when you’ve been away. Or even just .out for the day.

To me it’s very gratifying when guests say - as several have - that they feel very comfortable here. A SiL from abroad once told me that ours was the only house in the U.K. where she always felt properly comfortable.

One of the nicest things dh ever said to me was, ‘Thank you for making a nice home’, - and he didn’t mean the decor or pristine lack of dust anywhere!

Mr. S. says that to me too Witzend .

Monica that sounds lovely. Books and pictures are an essential element of the vibe I create in my own home too.

I like to feel safe and cosy. An open fire was lovely too.

Books, music and garden (even though it is tiny) and the joy and peace of living alone.

I would say it's the people in it, but as there's only me and Wiggy I think it's the only place I can really relax. I like having everything in it's place, reasonably tidy. And a big sofa is vital to me so I can rest my back without going to bed.

Jane judge and Oopsadaisy, your right on the money there! Safe feeling is the be all and end all of a home imo too. The rest is just window dressing. If a place feels safe-it is for that person.

Nice neighbourhood.
Doesn’t matter how lovely your home is it’s ruined if you live in a crime ridden area & have to step over druggies to get to your front door.

We are lucky to have nice neighbours all around us.
Not intrusive, but approachable and sociable.
I wouldn’t want to live by any others ?

Sorry not floating, just very thankful. It is not always the case Kandinsky .

*gloating. - not floating,