How would you like to feel at home?
Let’s begin there
Recall the feeling in your body. Remember or notice the surroundings that evoke it. Then translate those qualities into your home, rather than copying their appearance. Here are four examples of how I did this.
The feelings gallery — soundscape
Where I found it
Walking under trees: enclosure, layers of green, filtered light, a path held by living edges.
How I brought it home
Not by copying a forest, but by using plants, layers, softness and a sense of being gently enclosed.
Where I found it
A wild field of colour: variety, surprise, abundance and no need for everything to match.
How I brought it home
Colour, plants, odd combinations and permission to play.
Where I found it
Sea, sky, horizon and space to let the eye rest.
How I brought it home
A quiet bedroom: soft light, restrained colour, texture and fewer competing signals.
Where I found it
In a group of zebras: bodies gathered closely, each one distinct yet none alone. Their nearness seems to hold safety, attentiveness and a sense of belonging.
How I brought it home
By giving the dining table the largest part of the open-plan living space — a place where people can come together and linger. The chairs face one another, turning the space into more than somewhere to eat: an invitation to gather, talk and share everyday life.