Fives ways to a warm and well loved home

As the seasons change and we come inside I’m sharing my thoughts on creating a warm and well loved home.

Last week over on my Instagram page I was asked to create a reel for a company called Rehaus. I have never been or wanted to be an influencer. My blog has always been a place where I can simply write, I know it makes me old but it works. I felt silly, as it was out of my comfort zone and I had a cold. But, it did inspire me to write something different. I really enjoy writing posts like my September Reset’s and monthly garden updates. I thought I’d expand on the reel and talk more about my essentials for creating a warm and well loved home.

Use discount code CHARLOTTE10 for a discount. It comes with an affiliate link. If you find the sofa of dreams, I’ll receive a small commission and you’ll get 10% off Rehaus. If you love designer furniture or furniture in general, take a look at the Rehaus website it’s really interesting how they restore and re love furniture ready to be reused. I genuinely came away inspired and ready to day dream about rooms I don’t have.

As I run my business from home, its not just a place I return too. It’s where everything happens. The blurred boundaries can get overwhelming at times. This post made me relook at my home as sanctuary rather than workspace, a perspective I really need at the moment.

Our home is always changing and adapting to our needs. It’s also an old Edwardian home so the building itself changes frequently. I try to check in every few years and evaluate what we need and what we have outgrown. Some years its furniture that needs to be replaced, others (like this year) it’s big projects like a kitchen update and new windows.

Whilst our home never feels quite finished, it does always feel warm and welcoming. I have always selected furniture and ‘things’ that inspire or remind me of places I’ve been. No matter what you choose to bring in, it’s how you make people feel that is important. I favour pieces that can take a bit of life and work for most occasions, I never want anyone to feel worried about spilling or making a mess. Which is lucky for my gang!

I’m going to get to my list now, starting with…

A wooden dining room table. For those of you that follow me or join me at a workshops, you’ll know my dining table is the centre of my home. We use it to gather for breakfast and dinner (except Fridays and Saturdays!) and it’s where so much of our lives happen. My husband and I hired a van and collected ours from a shop in St. Leonards,  it remains one of my favourite pieces of furniture. I start nearly every week with a fresh tablecloth and flowers, when the table is set so am I! For me the focus is making sure the table is made from solid wood rather than a veneer. For it to ground and centre the space the material needs to be a ‘true’ natural material rather than pretend and also the right size for the space.

Something to make your heart flutter. When we first started to renovate, blogs were still the main source of social media and Pinterest had only just begun. I was really influenced by the culture of flea markets and upcycling. It was a joyful, innocent time.

What has stayed with me, is bringing in pieces whether that be furniture, paint colour or ‘art’ that makes sense to you and you alone.

I was recently looking at a local estate agents and all the homes were exactly the same. SO DULL. A home should be a safe haven and a place to settle your thoughts surrounded by what you love. If you love it then it’ll find a way to work.

An important but often over looked choice would be a classic sofa shape. There are some incredible sofa’s on the Rehaus website, however, a beautiful sofa feels like a far off land. In our current stage of life sofa’s need to be fully washable. Whatever your budget I’d always stick with a classic shape which is obviously comfy to sit on. I never match mine, I always buy what’s needed at the time and use cushions and rugs to tie everything together. I tend to get my sofa’s from Ikea and then buy covers from Etsy, I have a lovely mauve velvet sofa cover that washes up a dream.

Add some print and pattern. I don’t spend much on my home but choosing a ‘good’ print is where I’ve splashed out and I think it makes a huge difference. Picking a pattern is so subjective to taste but the more detail and layers, to me, the better. Designers Guild would always be my first choice if had unlimited budget. I had to raid my savings to paper a huge wall on my stairs but twelve years on I have no regrets.

Whilst we’re still on pattern, Moroccan rugs are another area I splurge. You can’t beat them for bringing in colour, texture and warmth to any space. Try Ebay or Etsy for originals and one offs.

Bring something that reminds you have of happy places. Like choosing pieces that make your heart flutter, having pieces serving as a reminder of a place you love makes any home feel personal.  I was delighted to see these Kartell La Marie Phillipe Starck chairs on the Rehaus website. When I was eighteen my parents took me to New York, it was early 2000’s (old, I know!) and we stayed at the Hudson hotel. I still remember how it made me feel, the smell of the rooms and the beautiful dark wooden floors in the dining room. A few years later my mum bought me a La Maire Chair which were in every room. Ever since, I’ve always bought something back from anywhere that’s inspired me. My husband is still recovering from the time a bought a rug in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul!

Lastly, everyone needs a good jug or vase for flowers. One of the many reasons I came to growing flowers was purely selfish. I wanted fresh flowers in my house all year.

Of course you need the right vase or jug to put them in. I’ve collected many over the years and nearly all are second hand. Any second hand or hand made vase will give a room instant warmth and interest. The high street does do so many great pieces but I’d avoid anything t0o perfect or on trend (unless it makes your heart flutter). You want imperfections. Once you have your perfect vessel, it can be filled with flowers, interesting sticks and dried beauties all year round. Meaning your home always feels loved and alive whatever the season.

My fresh flowers have finished for 2025, I have plenty of dried flowers ready to go if you are looking for them. Thanks so much for reading, I wasn’t asked to write a post by Rehaus, I was feeling inspired! xx