Real Home or Show Home?

For me having a beautiful home and designing and coaching others how to achieve one that exudes a warm and welcoming vibe, one that properly supports the family and extended family at their various life stages, is what I absolutely love doing.

It’s what drives me to get out of bed in the mornings (and I do struggle with that!)

It’s my passion.

I love being able to create a real home in the truest sense of the word.

Atmosphere

One of my sisters used to often say to me ‘your house has a lovely atmosphere’. It was the best complement of all. She didn’t mean the smell of coffee or anything else tangible or any fancy new stuff (because I didn’t have a budget for much in the way of new furniture or fashionable decorating styles). 

She meant she felt at home in my home.

And that’s always been my biggest goal. It definitely isn’t to be confused with making a show house or to have my home admired or be in a magazine.

Going Home

Some time ago I realised that family are the most important and valuable thing. I had moved to the Far East where I had all the things I thought I would ever want.

A climate that was always warm and sunny.

A proper job in a fast moving cosmopolitan city and a fun lifestyle with my new (still rather gorgeous) husband!

I remember the exact moment that everything altered, I suddenly had a paradigm shift and a change of heart.
We were out for the day enjoying the different culture when I turned to him and said I wanted to go home. He said, ok, we’ll leave soon.

I said no, I mean ‘home home’.

What was missing was family. Sunshine and careers paled into insignificance. They were toppled from the number one spot on the list of  ‘Most Important Things To Have in Your Life’, by family.

Real Home

So, fairly soon we did move back to the place we grew up in and were near to our folks. My two sisters, who also lived in far off exotic places followed within a few years, both with the same dawning of priorities.

And being able to invite family and friends to my home and to share good times is priceless.  It’s the root cause of my desire to create an adorable home that makes them feel welcome, pampered and indulged when they call in.

My two boys are in that photo!
(It wasn’t taken yesterday!)

My home isn’t somewhere I want to keep to myself (and him indoors). I don’t want it to be like an interior’s shop display that looks sterile and unused, where you’re not supposed to breathe in or walk on or especially not to get too comfy in!

So, that’s me, why I do what I do and why I’m motivated to help all the people I work with create their own real home.