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Home Inspiration · April 8, 2025

The Five Senses of Home: Designing a Multi-Sensory Living Space

There’s a reason that you can walk into certain homes and feel completely at home. It’s not anything as simple as the color of the walls or the arrangement of the furniture – it’s something deeper. The scent of a home, the texture of a throw, and a certain sense of warmth in the atmosphere all contribute. Your senses register signals all the time, and your home sends signals to your brain whether you realise it or not. Let’s discuss how to make those signals the good kind.

Photo by Maddi Bazzocco on Unsplash

Scent: The Gentle Greeting

A lovely home doesn’t just come down to what you can see – it’s how it feels. And it’s usually the scent that welcomes you at the door. The slightest hint of fresh linen, lavender, or last night’s brownies? It lingers with people much longer than you can imagine.

You don’t necessarily need to get crazy with plug-ins or candles in every area. A couple of suitable diffusers can completely transform a space.

Touch: Soft, Smooth, Rough, Real

This is a sneaky one. We don’t often know just how much comfort we get from the texture of things — until they’re gone. A scratchy throw, a chilly leather during winter, a coarse rug on the floor — it can all be a downer.

Combining textures provides warmth and interest without introducing clutter. You may have smooth surfaces in the kitchen, yet offset them by having soft furnishings or wood details so it doesn’t feel clinical.

Sound: Something More Significant Than Silence

We don’t necessarily pay attention to how a space will sound, but silence can be as loud as noise. The hum of a refrigerator, the creaking of warped floorboards, or the ticking of a clock can be setting the tone — and not necessarily a good tone.

Dampen harsh noises with heavy curtains, rugs, and soft furnishings. They absorb echo and result in a softer room. For chill background noise, experiment with a mellow playlist or a sound machine emitting ambient noise — rain, waves, birdsong, or whatever your thing is.

Light: It’s Not All About Brightness

Natural light is a blessing, but it’s not everything. The important thing is what you do with the light you have. Overhead lights are harsh, particularly in the evening when your mind craves serenity.

Layering your lighting can completely transform a space. Consider adding warm-colored light bulbs, lamps, dimmable lights, and even string lights if the setting calls for it. Think soft illumination over blinding light. A small lamp can be more effective at creating a certain atmosphere than a swanky ceiling light.

Temperature: A Sense Of Comfort

Temperature is the most underappreciated component of home comfort. No one can unwind well if they’re freezing or sweltering – particularly not in the UK, where the weather can’t quite make its mind up.

Here, innovative heating comes into its own. A fashionable vertical radiator from Radiatorvillage.co.uk provides warmth with a visual kick, particularly in spaces where wall space is limited but you don’t want to compromise on style.

Putting Everything Into Place

When you pay attention to how your home feels by scent, texture, sound, light, and temperature, it acts more like a retreat and less like a place you walk through. You don’t have to bust your budget or redecorate the whole room. It can be as simple as doing one thing at a time.

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© Copyright 2025 Antonia, All rights Reserved. Written For: Tidylife

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Posted By: Antonia · In: Home Inspiration

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Hello! I'M ANTONIA I launched Tidylife to provide interior, garden & lifestyle inspiration. Love home decor and budget friendly improvements? Me too! You'll find them all here. Plus decorating, styling & upcycling ideas. I also love to share fitness, fashion & beauty features, so I hope you enjoy visiting Tidylife.

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