We all know that home is the most important place in the world. For some home begins at their own front door, whilst for others it embraces a wider area. There are many factors which make a place feel like home. The physical spaces we occupy, our relationships with others, the things we choose to surround ourselves with and a sense of place within a community are all important. The comfort of feeling content and at ease in our surroundings. The privacy to feel in control of where and how we disconnect and reflect. The security to feel safe and grounded. A sense of control over the spaces we live in. At the very core of it all is a sense of belonging.

One of the biggest causes of stress in most of our homes is too much stuff. I have tried Marie Kondo’s approach, the 30 Day Declutter Challenge and I gave away forty things for Lent. You’d think I’d have an immaculate home with only the things that I love and ‘Spark Joy’ artfully arranged on my shelves. I don’t. Ours is a busy family home with four inherently messy individuals in it who need ‘stuff’ whether we love it or not.

Belongings represent memories and dreams and are emotionally meaningful, whether it’s a collection of rare snuff boxes or ticket stubs from all the music gigs you went to in your teens.  Getting rid of everything can cause enormous anxiety, so don’t just ruthlessly chuck everything out. Having said that, if we don’t allow our living spaces to evolve as our lives move along life can feel harder. Embracing small changes can make all the difference, allowing us to take on new challenges.

Whether a general refresh, the redecoration of just one room or a total top-to-bottom transformation, even with countless beautifully styled images on Instagram and endless Pinterest boards, it can be difficult to know how to bring out the best in a space and make a long-lived-in house feel like home again. Often the thought of not getting it finished is enough to prevent us from even starting. Apparently, ‘Deliberately Unfinished’ is a thing (phew!) and everything doesn’t have to be matchy matchy. It needn’t be expensive or time consuming, as armed with a brush and roller, paint is one of the cheapest and quickest ways to refresh a room.

With sunshine flooding in and longer evenings, pastel shades provide a soft, palette for spring homes. Pretty, soft and slightly old fashioned, they can look a little sugary and prim though. Also, when taking inspiration from nature, it can be easy to underestimate the complexity or strength of a supposedly natural, or neutral tone. Many of Farrow & Balls’ soft, delicate pastels have a big dose of black pigment added to them which results in famously subtle and sophisticated shades which magically shift and change with the light. Try adding warm, natural wood elements, a lush green houseplant and a black accessory here and there to ground your colour scheme and stop it from feeling insipid. Another trick is to go for unexpected colour combinations which give an interesting counterbalance to the sweetness and give a little visual jolt of excitement.

Don’t feel restricted to the walls and ceiling alone though. Totally transform floorboards by sanding and refinishing (at Bridport Timber we have a Hepa filtered dustless sanding system) or give them a light sand and get creative with a tin of floor paint.

Shop your own home by plundering other rooms for accessories such as cushions. Re-hanging pictures and repositioning lamps is easy and objects that may have become overlooked are often rediscovered.

Painting furniture is always a great way to update a look. Obviously, it’s best not to paint the family antiques, but vintage pieces can be revamped and saved from landfill. Even Ikea items can be reworked and made into something more individual. Give kitchen units a new coat of paint and new handles and, hey presto, your kitchen feels like a much nicer space to be in.