What makes a house a home

Making a house your home

When you step into a family home, you immediately are embraced with its authenticity and uniqueness - the genuine reflection of the people who live there.

Homes are not just four walls filled with furniture and styled with Pinterest worthy decorator items; homes are everything else inside that turns a house into a home. Homes are a place that memories are made, where you are surrounded by the humblest of belongings that make you smile, decorated with personal touches and sentimental items that ooze your personality and style, where you begin each day, and where you rest your head each night, but most importantly your home is where your heart is and where your loved ones come together to celebrate the wins, the loses and life’s special milestones.

Unlike the perfectly presented houses lined up in display villages or in design magazines, homes rarely look flawless. Homes are where you embrace the chaotic and unruly on a regular basis, because that is life, and where those messy piles lie generally means you have loved ones among you, and where there are loved ones there are memories being made.

Henley Design Manager, Vicki Gillingham, mum of two, knows too well what a house filled with controlled chaos translates to – and that is a home to love and  treasure.  Here, Vicki shares what makes her family home feel like a big warm hug, with a peppering of stylish pieces along the way.

Pictures of you

Vicki sys, “A gallery wall or styled bookshelf with beautifully framed photos of family and friends from special events, candid moments or even sentimental collections from worldly travels in your life that evoke happy memories and make you smile are perfect additions to any family home.”

Personal décor

Scented candles not only serve as a trusted décor item, they are also a very personal decision item which talks to your individual style with the countless fragrances available.

“Everything from Vanilla Bean, to Lime Basil and Mandarin, and everything in between means that there is surely a scent to suit your unique taste.” Vicki adds.

Kitchen comforts

The perfect family kitchen is one that opens to the main living area so that you can watch the kids play while you cook the evening meal or bake some of the family’s favourite treats.

“Think of your favourite smells, freshly baked muffins, Sunday roasts, even the smell of butter and garlic cooking in a pan, these all evoke that warm cozy feeling and childhood memories of a family home. Oversized island benches mean that loved ones can gather around to discuss the day’s events, share meals or can be used for catch up’s with friends where you pop a bottle of bubbles and stand around sharing laughs and stories over a grazing platter.”

The Henley Monaco 28's kitchen has all the creature comforts in drawing in all family members at anytime of the day.  Complete with handy Butler’s Pantry and island bench, there’s nothing like inviting aromas wafting through the house from the kitchen to get the family together!

The memories you make at home

The best memories you can make in your home can be as simple as Sunday afternoon naps, watching the kids play in the back yard, hanging the clothes out on the line or doing a spot of afternoon gardening.

While on the other side they can be as grand as bringing the whole extended family together for Christmas celebrations, bringing your newborn home from hospital for the first time or celebrating birthdays and anniversary milestones with loved ones, friends and family gathered.

“A home is somewhere you can call your own, the way you live in it and the memories you create within its wall to make it such is unique to you and your family alone.”

With the Henley Emperor 48, you are simply spoilt for choice in bring the family together from the most intimate affairs to the grandest of gatherings. The kitchen, dining, living and alfresco area is an entertainer’s paradise.

The love of natural light

“There is nothing better than the morning light flooding into the family home, especially into the main living areas where everyone gathers for breakfast. Natural light creates a sense of warmth and comfort to a space and instantly makes you welcomed in a home. The warm sun spilling across an occasional chair where you can curl up with your favourite book with a warm cuppa is a perfect reset for a Sunday afternoon while you recharge the batteries before the new week ahead.”

Look no further than the Henley Montessa 43 when it comes to stunning window vistas to bring in the inviting natural light into the home.  The outdoors trickle inside through the expansive windows, creating a delightful light show throughout the day.

Having you favourite spots at home

Favourite spots around the family home are as personal to the person that frequents then as they are to the home itself.

Vicki says, “In our home the corner chaise section of our oversized modular sofa is the go-to for my husband most nights of the week after a long day on the tools. Anyone that tries to sit there knows that it is dads spot and there is zero to no chance that you are still going to be sat there after dad walks into the room.

“Our 7 year old loves being outside, whether its riding his bike up and down the driveway or bouncing for what feels like hours on the trampoline he got for Christmas, he is in his happy place when he is outdoors, normally shoeless and wearing shorts, no matter what the elements.

“At the young age of one, our littlest family member even knows his favourite spot or should I say spots. To be honest he is happy wherever anyone else is. If we are sitting watching TV in the lounge, then he will be happy playing there right by our feet with his toys and if I’m in the kitchen, yep you guessed it, there he is pulling out all the Tupperware and tea towels from the underneath me.

“And lastly my favourite “spot” in the house is the kitchen. I love baking and cooking for people, entertaining and sitting around the island bench with family and friends, organising and decluttering, and lastly I remember sitting up at the island bench in my childhood family home when I was growing up watching my mum cook dinner while we would catch up on how our days had unfold. So, for me the kitchen has some beautiful memories, not only in my current home but also in my family home as a child myself.”

The Henley Amalfi 33A's clever design allows all family members to have an area to call their own.  From the master suite, the ideal haven for mum and dad, the theatre room for the weekly Netflix binge to spacious living room which can accommodate the comfiest of couches. 

What makes your family home special?