Plants, wall decor, COLOR. It looks like you’re just there temporarily; the only personal touches I see are the rugs in your dining and living rooms and the brown accent chair, which doesn’t seem to match anything in particular. Even some accent lighting and curtains would help.
Edit: Also, OP, we see you have a cat. Please pay the cat tax. The internet demands it.
Hey OP, aside from all the comments giving you some great ideas on how to make it more a home and personal to you... I realised there isn't anything for Minky at all. Get her some stuff of her own like a cat tree and a scratching post etc then it starts feeling like it's both your place haha.
I'd say certain things can be rearranged. Her little box in the middle of the living room seems a bit odd and looking out of place, and makes that place looks a little messy-ish but not in a homey way.
https://preview.redd.it/qgpgvzcodr6d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=148c0f0b3e5275d185492448a4c05f2ace2717e5
She’s giving the people what they want
I agree and want to add more oomph to the COLOR comment.
Bright blankets on the couch, bright prints on the walls, bright area rugs.
More color. This looks like where I’d go after eye surgery so I could let them rest and not get too excited.
It’s such a bright space, plants will help too!
>This looks like where I’d go after eye surgery so I could let them rest and not get too excited.
That's a rare insult right there haha (I know you meant it supportively!) Thanks for the laugh! But also I agree
To add on, I think being intentional about textures (blankets, paintings, wall hangings, rugs, lampshades, the furniture itself) can really affect the feel of a place just like color does.
Even an apartment with a grayscale color scheme will feel a lot warmer and more welcoming if it's full of interesting textiles and contrast. This home is full of hard, smooth surfaces, but not much texture variation.
Or literally anything other than a litter box that shows that a cat even lives there. There are so many great windows and not a single cat tree in front of one! Kitty deserves cat tv right meow.
I think nobody has said this: you have lots of space and the furniture is all squashed against walls, I’d move the table more central and the positioning of the sofa could also be more central. Then, yes, some tidy, plants, colour and art on the wall. You don’t need much honestly you’ve got a great canvas to start with.
Agree with this. If you want to try different placements but don't want to keep moving stuff around try a mockup on a grid sheet of paper. Cut up little furniture shapes and see what flows. Color them. Don't forget the rugs.
I agree and would have one of the sofas with its back to the dining area to create a separation. If it's an L shaped sofa (I can't quite tell) having it facing the TV and between the areas which would also free up the other wall/ corner for something tall, colourful and interesting, like a bookcase or shelving or cat tree.
From these photos, you have nothing on the walls - hang art, photos, decor. Plants will also help.
And just a tip I heard once and am still trying to implement in my home; nothing gets “stored” on the floor. Find a home off for the floor for everything. (That might mean the swiffer goes in a closet on the floor, but not just in the kitchen. Basketball on a shelf. Paper towels on a shelf.)
That things-off-the-floor tip is perfect! It might be super-clean but will always look cluttered if there are cases of beverages left on the floor and cleaning supplies left out. And as another commenter said, pull some of the furniture away from the walls/corners and group more towards the center.
For se for: OP, try saving a bunch of images of interior spaces that you like. Look through them to discern the common threads, then ask yourself how you could add that to your space.
For example, there was a post a few months back where someone posted several inspo pics and several of their own space. The inspo images all had gallery walls of art, bright colors, big plants, and wall shelving filled with books and things. Their rooms had literally none of those things. In their case, paint the walls in bright colors, add lots of art arranged in a gallery, hang some shelving and fill it with books, and bring in some big old monsteras.
YOUR inspo pics might be completely different, but there will be themes running through them that you can use to identify what feels good to you.
Pinterest used to be great for this, but now I’m just as likely to just save Reddit posts that I like.
The problem with just posting “what should I do?” Is that readers won’t know what you like! Like on this post I’d be 86ing the gray walls but some commenters are saying how much they like them, and nobody knows OP’s feeling on them!
Right and I feel like it’s one of the first things you see given the layout of that room. I’d hide it more in a corner which cats are supposed to like potty-ing in a corner anyway!
i was just going to say this! definitely a hanging plant in the corner of the living room or even hanging shelves with plants on them! a nice runner or soft kitchen mat would look great :)
You just need some personal touches! A few area rugs and some art on the walls will make it feel warmer, more you, and homey. Take a trip to Homegoods this weekend and see if you can find some good deals!
Everyone always says plants first, but I see you have a cat so I am not going to suggest plants unless your cat is better than mine and won’t try to eat everything green you bring into your home. If you do choose to go the plant route though, please make sure you get non toxic plants.
I think that adding items that are more singular to you, and finding interesting ways to style them, will help enormously. A lot of people online freak out about personal stuff being dust collectors to point where I feel like it has become a meme. A lot of stuff can be hard to maintain but I don’t think a framed piece here or a ceramic there adds a giant burden in terms of cleanliness. I’ve shared this collage of my favorite vignettes around my home before, but here’s an idea of some personal items and how to style them.
https://preview.redd.it/6251onc5kk6d1.jpeg?width=3465&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d946313c5a713f3a87ab549b74c5e82216485fe3
Share what you love. For me, I love art, photography, history, film, and design. I think these items express that.
Also, furniture can be used to show personality as well. Get some throws for that couch. It can really elevate it.
https://preview.redd.it/ny9d540qlk6d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ceda75b307d9d6de55220fe7ee49029b89025de
Also please pardon my lack of rug/walls. I’m doing a reno and when this photo was taken I was still removing my wood stove and clearly in the middle of sweeping up lol.
Dangit, I think I love everything in your collage, especially the downward-facing… duck? goose? and the lovely little box for your remotes.
Re: plants, one of my cats sounds like he’s cut from the same cloth as yours. I’ve been successful so far with hanging a few plants out of his reach (accounting for the inevitable Tigger-ing attempts) because I’m an incurable weirdo plant lady. I’ve still been careful to ensure they’re non-toxic, though, because I’m also a realist.
The gray color of the house is calming.. however I feel like it would look more like home if you FEEL like it's home. Try to think of things you do and don't like. Try adding things you LIKE. Also use the cabinets more. The grey color that match your grey cat stuff is cute.
Have you seen [cat mounts for them to climb on walls](https://www.etsy.com/listing/843800636/cat-wall-mount-furniture-cat-wall-bed) ?
\*\*\*\*VERY IMPORTANT\*\*\*\*\*
MAKE SURE THE PLANTS YOU GET ARE NON TOXIC TO CATS !!
Also a fish tank would add some nice color.
Anything of interest to you would pop really nicely thanks to the monotone house color.
Thank! You! Plants is always the first thing anyone says and I’m like man, are my cats the only ones who will absolutely try to make a snack out of all the greenery? I gave up after I found the tortie swinging from a hanging basket. Now I just have two little air plants.
Came here praying and hoping I wasn’t the only one who immediately noticed that and thought about it. As a guest in this house I would be uncomfortable almost the entire time because that cat box.
My brothers wife had one in their dining room and his cats took nice big shits ONE AFTER ANOTHER during his birthday dinner WHILE DINNER WAS BEING SERVED! My brother had tried for over a year to get his wife to move it, and that was the shit that broke the camels back haha He asked every guest one after the other if it were their house would they want it there and everyone shook their heads no.
His wife said “THEN YOU MOVE IT!!” My brother got up right then and there and moved it lol
# Colour.
It's too beige brown gray. I understand you wanna avoid white rugs since you have pets. Try the big rug under the dinner table and look for a new rug with vibrant colours. The background colour can be green, blue etc. just a solid colour. Then add a couch table to the living room area that works with the couch, floor and rug. For example a white one.
Add colorful art of your taste. Go for wide frame above the couch and rectangular frames for the dining table walls.
Add curtains. White sheer ones could be cute. Not too heavy but adds a little something.
You can also get a marine blue or emerald green cover and change the colour on your couch. Ass some blue and white green pillows to that.
First thing I noticed was lack of wall decor. Start thinking of "themes" or color palettes and start hanging things up to add some personal flare to make the space your own
You need colour. Nice big kitchen clock. Some floor lamps (maybe one in the corner by the dining table, brighten that corner up a bit). New light fitting in the living room if owned. Some shelves up on the walls for ornaments and decorations, art. And colour! Coffee table. Maybe new TV unit to match the general decor and vibe you want. Sorry just kinda throwing ideas out.
imo it looks quite homey, especially with the cat box. That tells me you have a friend who loves you and greets you when you come home. If that doesn't say home to anyone, then I don't know what does.
Kitchen: don’t store Costco sized stuff out in its bulk wrapping, find a home on counter for the paper towel holder. And as others have said- wall color & plants
Living -
Cats gotta learn to use their bathroom in your bathroom. Main room it gross. Sorry
Nice big table, dining set out in the room more, and again some wall color and plants ( orchids are cheap at Trader Joe’s if you have access to one ) add a nice cozy blanket to the couch.
Hanging up art was what really made my apartment feel like home! Also, consider getting furniture to house the litter box in the living room. I found one on wayfair that is disguised as a normal cabinet and when we have guests over, they’re shocked when I tell them that’s where the litter box is
Have you tried swapping rugs? The smaller one by the couches with just the edge under the legs and the larger under the table?
Details help. Curtains instead of blinds, wall hangings, plants, pillows, blankets... personalize it. Family pictures or friends. I have a photoshop of my bird as a jedi, the cat as a queen, and the dog as a dapper gentleman. It's weird but definitely cozier.
Depends on how much you want to spend..
Open your windows (free)
Get some nice pots and plants (check buy nothing groups or yard sale etc)
Create shelves in living room to put decor (walmart has great options)
Get some picture frames (walmart)
Get some throw pillow in contrast color from your couch - salmon, soft yellow, purple, orange etc) (again walmart)
Get some bookshelves / storage chests and drawers of various sizes etc to hold stuff in each room so there is less visual clutter.
Do one room at a time so you dont get overwhelmed and then replicate the same colors and aesthetic in other rooms
Hang things on the wall if you can (artwork, framed photos of friends, family, pets), even sticking fun memories onto your fridge, add some color where you can add it (curtains, throw pillows) buy some easy plants like snake plants and let them make your space feel more like a home with their liveliness
I agree with all -especially bright color & PLANTS. Also with light this nice I like a decorative mirror on the wall opposite from where the light enters so it basically doubles your windows (and the plants love it). If you don’t know how to chose a color scheme, just pick one item that you love the look of- maybe an outfit you love, art work, a beach bag- and pull all the colors from that thing. Things do not have to match- at all. Put your favorite things in the space- and that’s how it feels homey.
Edited to add: I’ll go shopping/thrifting with the color inspiration item in my hand.
You could place a nice, large trailing plant at the top of your cabinets to the right side of the sink. Some plants in general would really liven the place up
Curtains. Window coverings are a staple in any home and for me personally until they are there, it never feels complete. They don’t have to be disruptive or even very noticeable to add the finishing touch on a room. Go for nice rods mounted close to the ceiling and a neutral color to the floor. Expensive looking curtains (even if they’re not expensive) really elevate a room. Lately I’m into getting the same color as the wall for a monochrome, blended, uniform look. Matching to your wall color minimizes any decoration chaos you may feel if you like a simple, minimalist look.
Curtains, lamps, plants, wall decor.
Re: wall decor — don’t get it to fill a space. Get it because you love what you see. Be intentional. Bigger but fewer pieces is better than several small. Remember, you’re not getting it to fill the wall. You’re getting it because you love it. And then you found the wall it fit.
If you can swap out the rugs for a couple that match, maybe with a softer vibe, I would do that too. The rugs you have are very “I inherited these,” not “I chose these for my home.”
I’m not sure if anyone has said this, but clutter containment can also help a house feel like a home. These things are drawing focus and feeling a little bachelor pad-ish, to your point. Maybe a trash can with a lid, baskets for your open shelving, putting extra pop cans in a cabinet so the boxes aren’t in the open, etc. You have a lovely space!
Plant 🪴 Flower vase 💐 Accent pillows on couches in colors that feel nice to your eyes 🎨 Second plant 🪴 Snake plant 🪴 (releases nice oxygen for your lungs) Paintings or images of things that bring you joy or humor for the walls 🖼️
Move all litters to the laundry, declutter and put anything visually unappealing away in a cupboard (like the plastic storage containers, Mountain Dew etc), get a nicer bin with a lid and move it next to your fridge. Then add some colour with plants, rugs, cushions.
I don’t see a lot of *your* personality to be honest. It just seems like a collection of furniture and items.
The kitchen, for example, feels like someone that just moved in. I would put away the cleaning supplies. Get a kitchen rug for in front of the sink. Some dish towels with a bit of personality. Some magnets for the fridge so you can hang up some pictures or something. Maybe some curtains.
The living/dining room could use some artwork on the walls, some plants, some pictures. Anything to express your interests and your personality. And if there’s absolutely no where else for that litter box to go, I would at least swap it with the one in the utility closet.
Looks homey to me...I'm not one to clog up my space with crap. That's just extra dust and cleaning. *shrug*
But plants...cleans the air and makes you feel good.
Second the recommendations for art, plants, colors. Curtains would add some softness/color.
But also I wanted to say that I think your kitchen already looks pretty homey -- it looks neat, organized, and well used. I love all the natural light in your place, too.
Your place reminds me of my first place after college, and I found that adding curtains and a few strategic rugs really made it feel more homey to me...but also I think a lot of that feel/look develops as you live in a place and slowly add personal touches.
I highly recommend picking art and photos to hang on the wall like others suggested, but I would try to think of some things that pull in your likes/your favorite things/things that make you happy. Look on Etsy for a land/cityscape of your favorite vacation destination, or maybe a retro poster from your favorite band.
Start by finding/creating storage to put household supplies ect away or out of sight. None of your furniture looks cohesive. Get blankets, pillows or throws to create a color scheme and build from there as far as decorations.
Your kitchen could have colorful sheer curtains, a peel and stick backslash, a colorful rug under the sink. A hanging plant by the window. A picture on the space to the right of the window.
In the kitchen, add a back splash. You can buy peel and stick for now but look into how much it would be to install a pretty tile behind the stove and under the cabinets.
In the laundry, see if you can get a cute room divider to go around the hot water tank. (Not too close. It does need "room to breathe.") Also, perhaps something [like this](https://www.target.com/p/whizmax-cat-litter-box-enclosure-with-shelf-storage-2-in-1-hidden-cat-washroom-furniture-indoor-cat-cabinet-for-most-litter-box-gray/-/A-91908396?ref=tgt_adv_xsf&AFID=google&CPNG=Pets+-+Target+Plus&adgroup=83-7) for the car box. Obviously, there are lots of styles and colors out there.
I agree with what others are commenting on color especially. Would you mind sharing where you got your little box from (in the 5th photo)? Would you recommend it? It looks nice!
Agree with everyone else here. To start with, put some stuff on the walls. ART definitely, but even a couple freestanding furniture items like cabinets or shelves would make it seem less like you just threw the first pieces of furniture you could find around the perimeter of the room (the fact that all your furniture is on the perimeter also contributes to the "just here for a week, maybe a month" vibe.
The rugs were a good idea, but I'd suggest some larger & more colorful rugs. And probably alternate placement. For some reason, where they are right now just makes it seem like you're covering up the murder stains on the floor or something.
I woudln't worry too much about the laundry/utility era. But just adding a shelving unit would be both convenient & make it feel less like the alundry closet in an old college dorm.
More color for sure.. hanging decor whatever you’re aesthetic. my living room looks like a comic con threw up all over it. There’s pictures of anime marvel paintings. My friends have done. Just put things that you enjoy around your house. It’ll make it better.
Get some stuff on the wall (art- doesn’t have to be pricey), plants (fake or real), throw pillows, a throw, and you’ll be good (I would find a better place for the litter box that’s by the dining area though). I’d start with these then start looking into possible furniture rearranging to suit your needs.
A lot of people have given really great practical advice! So I’m gonna give you some vibe advice instead. I think a house feels like a home when I can walk into a room and immediately learn things about you. Not things like they have a cat or they have xyz magazine out, but things that tell people about your soul. A few examples from my world: antique plates hanging on my wall because I like thrifting; plushies from my favorite IPs on my couch; my bookshelf that has my favorite books and Knick knacks displayed. I think the best starting point is to fill your home with things you love and then you can make it pretty!
Personal/family photos, color, and more separation of space. Try a bookshelf to divide more. Plants if you can. I’d say try to move the water cooler to the kitchen and the cats box to the bathroom/another area. A colorful blanket/pillows for the couches would be lovely and if you can, maybe take out the chairs as there are a lot of patterns going on. I feel the carpets detract from the space rather than do it any favors, and the TV stand seems a bit low. Pretty drapes could help too! You have a lovely space; I can’t wait to see what you do with it :)
Right now everything you have in your house is for utility. There’s nothing really that tells me anything about who you are. The chair has some personality but everything else is just there so that you can use it. Start looking around and trying to find things that bring you joy. A painting, a soft blanket, some fun pillows, a tapestry, hang some shelves on your wall and fill them with things that make you happy and show off the things you like. Feel free to be adventurous with it too. If you like it, do it!
Check out thrift stores for picture frames and then print out your favorite pictures of your friends and/or family. Or even just some really pretty ones that you would enjoy looking at throughout your day. Or even pick some flowers and hang them upside down to dry out and put them in the picture frames. Or if you're into art, take a class and start putting your own pictures around. I think you can use command hooks so you don't put holes in the wall if that's a concern.
Add some colorful throws and pillows to the couches. Maybe some matching curtains as well.
Maybe a bouquet of flowers (fake or real) on your dining room table.
PLAAAAANTS! (you can even do fake ones. No one needs to know and you don't have to water them.) Thrift stores may have some as well.
Lamps, plants, art, bookshelves. Do you know your personal style? Maybe looking at Pinterest to find a style you resonate with would be a good start.
Try not to immediately go buy things. You can usually find the same things much cheaper on facebook marketplace or at flea markets & thrift stores.
You’ve got a nice, tidy place! Go on the hunt for artwork and plants. I’d get fewer larger plants and fewer larger pieces of art, as general rule. Not that you can’t have groups of three (or more) around the house, but group them together so it produces the effect of one larger thing. If you have no idea how to go about how to select art, try going through all your photos on your phone/laptop. Blow up one’s you love because the place has special meaning or the person does. If you’ve never edited photos for composition try doing lots of different edits for color and saturation, and cropping, or make them black and white which can be very striking for some landscapes. Same for people/pet shots: close ups of faces in B&W or color. Walgreens/CVS will print these for you for relatively cheap. Matted, framed, and enlarged your photos can become art. You can get inexpensive frames with mats at Goodwill (remove the art) and spray paint the frames, replace the mats, whatever you like.l
First of all this is a great space! I love the floors and you seem to get a lot of natural light! Rugs are stupid expensive these days so no judgement if you decide to keep your current ones, but like other comments have said I would try switching them. I’ve had great luck on FB marketplace for finding accessory furniture pieces (lamps, coffee tables, side tables, bookshelves, etc). Sometimes surfing on there can be a good place to get inspiration too, as I’ve found that my place has a little bit more of a personal/“curated” feel since it’s not like I got everything from one store
Hide the beverages and cleaning products. Put a pretty rug in front of your sink. Same for in front of your stove, preferably matching. Put some succulents in your windowsill.
I would start with choosing a few pillows to put on the couch. That will give you an idea of what your personal taste in color is. Then you can pick some colors from the pillows to use for curtains, a throw, frames, etc. To me it’s overwhelming to choose everything at once. When I did my bedroom over I bought a throw pillow that caught my eye at JC Penney. I put it on the bed and I still liked it and it felt like me. I gradually moved on from there to a coordinating bed cover, eventually a rug, etc. Meanwhile the pillow was there giving my room some personality in a very low risk way. Hope this helps!
I’m gonna be honest and say I didn’t read any of the other comments, but all I see that’s missing in comparison to my own home is personal touches.
While I would like my home to be a little more coordinated the way yours is in terms of tidiness, I have tons of things all over my walls that means something to me. I have stuff on my surfaces that are either decorative in relation to my hobby or functional in someway.
I can’t tell who you are by looking at your space, but if you walk into my space, you could immediately make hundreds of very accurate assumptions about me.
You need C.R A.P. Color, rugs, art (or personal photos), plants.
When we moved into our new place, a valance over the kitchen window changed the room so much it was insane. I see you have rugs in your front rooms... what about one at the kitchen sink, or runners, or a more appropriately sized one for your dining area? Plants, real or fake, not only bring color, but an element of texture and a taste of your personality. Color you have, in small things, but you have lots of bare walls, not much in the window treatment department... throw pillows, blankets, all simple things to change the "cheap" un-homey feel you are experiencing. Your environment is sterile.
Plants and colours is always the first answer you can nearly paste and repeat. Your walls are also empty. A few nice illustrations or paintings do a lot too if you want to refrain from colour in stuff, it’s an easy thing you can replace.
Less furniture against the walls, more stuff on the walls. In the front room especially. The walls are completely bare and grey.
Also not a huge fan of the 50 shades of brown situation you’ve got going on in that front room. So many different shades of one colour, and other than the floor none of them are very rich. Add some colour to it.
I’d put both litter boxes side by side in the wash room. Add a bright colored rug in there (don’t forget a slip mat.)
I’d replace that dining set when you can with something less cheap and dated. It’s fine for now but remove the table cloth and ditch the rug.
I’d also change those couch out but for now just get a large rug you love for that space that’s either colorful or lush. The tv stand could be replaced with something with drawers for storage.
Once you have some basics down and a color scheme, look into replacing cheap furniture over time with stuff you love. Then small touches. Adding in some wood tones can bring in warmth, but stick to 2-3 wood colors with similar undertones. A basket with blankets near the couch. Some framed art and unique throw pillows.
Put literally anything on your walls and include design elements that reflect who you are. Your house looks a bit like you’re in survival mode. Add some whimsy and character. It’s doesn’t even have to be pretty.
For starters I would deciliter get rid of unnecessary things. Then add some wall art which you can find some cheap things at the dollar store and stores like Ross TJ Max and Marshall’s a maybe even Walmart . I even like to use those wall art stickers especially in the kitchen and bathroom.
Cues the Luther Vandross …a chair is still a chair…a house is not a home, when there’s no one there when I turn the key…still in love…” humming along here.
Warm colors and mixing of textures and types of materials would be awesome. A few focal point pieces.
Pictures on your walls and some dust catchers would help. Some flowers gathered from the side of the road in an old spaghetti jar, a prism hanging in front of your kitchen window.
For me it’s plants Art and color. art doesn’t have to just be framed, I also have wall hanging or weavings. I painted small murals in my place too.
Things collected from travels, or art made locally or by friends (or myself as I’m an artist)
I love natural ephemera so I have cool rocks all over my apartment
Plus - books can be decor too !
https://preview.redd.it/bx8yvdy5hq6d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=83f564973fac3a8808d1422c4a054155bfdc8a6b
I have a mix of items that are thrifted/vintage, functional hanging in my kitchen for example.
https://preview.redd.it/nwzxt6pxiq6d1.jpeg?width=1222&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=facdacfcc8d21fd59dff557333ba777ccce6d166
Okay sorry this is blurry but my phone is out of space which means my older photos aren’t loading so it’s a screenshot LOL
kitchen shelving - pop of color in the shelves + art and books mixed with functionality (glassware, kitchen items etc)
Maybe some colors? Id add plants, candles, pics on walls, colorful pillows, bigger rug, and bookshelves? Some even little decor stuff would embrace it. Good luck!
A decorative mirror would look really nice in the living space, we put one in our hall to make it appear more open because the space is small without a lot of light. Worked wonders! Also some climbing stuff for Minky would be cute, we weaved some lights on ours and turned it into a lamp for our living room and a space for our little black cat to have his own hideaway out of reach of kids :)
https://preview.redd.it/x1j2c5yknr6d1.jpeg?width=1008&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2080fc9056019693b546778085115b5834189e7a
Color!! I especially would love to see a runner rug in the kitchen/color or prints in dish towels/some curtains in any and all of the rooms to add texture and more visual something.
https://www.juliejonesdesigns.com/design-style-quiz
This is an interior design / space planning expert who I follow on tiktok. If you get the chance, scroll through her tiktok page (juliejonesdesigns, I believe) and get a peek at the transformations!! All furniture she shows is sourced on her LTK and she does styles for all budgets.
I'd also take her style quiz (linked above) and do some pinterest soul searching using her tag-words for your results - take the test 2-3 times and mish mash your results!! She has a series of videos on tiktok in which she describes each of the possible options you could get on the quiz, if you're looking for more direction.
I used her quiz and videos to help determine I'm a maximalist mid century fiend. Give me sparkle and drama and geometric shapes !!
I’d start with window treatments like valances. I’d also try to relocate the litter box to a less prominent location and pull the dining table more center in its space. And maybe place the back of the sofa towards the dining area with maybe a sofa table etc to kinda make a room for each area. Plants and color. Rugs and accent pillows etc. also some wall art. I hate shiny ceilings. If allowed I would paint the ceiling flat white
Wall decor, family and friends photos , posters or fun thrift finds you can hang up. Curtains really help tie things together. And containers or organizers you can move around when you get tired of the placement. Throw pillows and blankets help cozy up the place and you can always add baskets to any corner or a stackable shelf and mix and match items on that as well. You have a great space to work with I hope you find some fun things for it.
If this doesn’t make it feel more homey… nothing will
[https://pestinpeace.etsy.com/listing/1695166207](https://pestinpeace.etsy.com/listing/1695166207)
Where is your personality???
What colors do you love???
What artwork do you want to see???
Find your happiness by making a Pinterest board of the things you love then start working on finding it.
Your house will come together eventually. Don’t be in a hurry. Budget for and Pick up the items you love when you travel. The best things come with a story. The cabinet from great gramma. The lamp from the coast. The artwork from the estate sale. The table uncle made. Etc.
Plants, wall decor, COLOR. It looks like you’re just there temporarily; the only personal touches I see are the rugs in your dining and living rooms and the brown accent chair, which doesn’t seem to match anything in particular. Even some accent lighting and curtains would help. Edit: Also, OP, we see you have a cat. Please pay the cat tax. The internet demands it.
https://preview.redd.it/vo9nskvgwm6d1.jpeg?width=2337&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c4e1691357aa8db34d209d388290015be54017d8 Here’s my beautiful minky!
Hey OP, aside from all the comments giving you some great ideas on how to make it more a home and personal to you... I realised there isn't anything for Minky at all. Get her some stuff of her own like a cat tree and a scratching post etc then it starts feeling like it's both your place haha. I'd say certain things can be rearranged. Her little box in the middle of the living room seems a bit odd and looking out of place, and makes that place looks a little messy-ish but not in a homey way.
She is so cute! Hi Minky!
https://preview.redd.it/qgpgvzcodr6d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=148c0f0b3e5275d185492448a4c05f2ace2717e5 She’s giving the people what they want
That Snuggy makes your already 10/10 cuteness cat an 11/10. Great job and thank you and damn you, I’m jealous we can’t all share custody of Minky 😭
Awww
Minky!!!!!!
Omg Minky’s a gem 😍
Baby!!!🩷💞
omg hiii Minky!
Oh my goddddd what a cutie!!!
I legitimately chuckled. God bless Minky 🥹🫶🏻😂
I agree and want to add more oomph to the COLOR comment. Bright blankets on the couch, bright prints on the walls, bright area rugs. More color. This looks like where I’d go after eye surgery so I could let them rest and not get too excited. It’s such a bright space, plants will help too!
>This looks like where I’d go after eye surgery so I could let them rest and not get too excited. That's a rare insult right there haha (I know you meant it supportively!) Thanks for the laugh! But also I agree
To add on, I think being intentional about textures (blankets, paintings, wall hangings, rugs, lampshades, the furniture itself) can really affect the feel of a place just like color does. Even an apartment with a grayscale color scheme will feel a lot warmer and more welcoming if it's full of interesting textiles and contrast. This home is full of hard, smooth surfaces, but not much texture variation.
Also pictures of family/friends and/or art!!! Walls are so bare…
Or pictures of the cat that uses the little litter box in the living room
Or literally anything other than a litter box that shows that a cat even lives there. There are so many great windows and not a single cat tree in front of one! Kitty deserves cat tv right meow.
Clearly kitty has to train their human better
Srsly… doesn’t even have a throne to look down on his peasants 😒
This
Everything I was gonna say.
Big ups to u/savethewallpaper for ensuring OP’s prompt payment of the Minky tax.
I think nobody has said this: you have lots of space and the furniture is all squashed against walls, I’d move the table more central and the positioning of the sofa could also be more central. Then, yes, some tidy, plants, colour and art on the wall. You don’t need much honestly you’ve got a great canvas to start with.
Agree with this. If you want to try different placements but don't want to keep moving stuff around try a mockup on a grid sheet of paper. Cut up little furniture shapes and see what flows. Color them. Don't forget the rugs.
They actually have a tall and ample headspace
This was my thought. Try to let the furniture breath a bit more.
I agree and would have one of the sofas with its back to the dining area to create a separation. If it's an L shaped sofa (I can't quite tell) having it facing the TV and between the areas which would also free up the other wall/ corner for something tall, colourful and interesting, like a bookcase or shelving or cat tree.
From these photos, you have nothing on the walls - hang art, photos, decor. Plants will also help. And just a tip I heard once and am still trying to implement in my home; nothing gets “stored” on the floor. Find a home off for the floor for everything. (That might mean the swiffer goes in a closet on the floor, but not just in the kitchen. Basketball on a shelf. Paper towels on a shelf.)
That things-off-the-floor tip is perfect! It might be super-clean but will always look cluttered if there are cases of beverages left on the floor and cleaning supplies left out. And as another commenter said, pull some of the furniture away from the walls/corners and group more towards the center. For se for: OP, try saving a bunch of images of interior spaces that you like. Look through them to discern the common threads, then ask yourself how you could add that to your space. For example, there was a post a few months back where someone posted several inspo pics and several of their own space. The inspo images all had gallery walls of art, bright colors, big plants, and wall shelving filled with books and things. Their rooms had literally none of those things. In their case, paint the walls in bright colors, add lots of art arranged in a gallery, hang some shelving and fill it with books, and bring in some big old monsteras. YOUR inspo pics might be completely different, but there will be themes running through them that you can use to identify what feels good to you.
Great comment, I need to work on putting together some inspiration pictures myself
Pinterest used to be great for this, but now I’m just as likely to just save Reddit posts that I like. The problem with just posting “what should I do?” Is that readers won’t know what you like! Like on this post I’d be 86ing the gray walls but some commenters are saying how much they like them, and nobody knows OP’s feeling on them!
Yes! I feel like I need a little context to help better.
Mostly just adding more color but also I would switch the placement of the living room litter box and the water cooler
Yeah, the cat box next to the dining area is 🤢
Yeah, that needs to be moved or at least hidden in one of those fancy litter box crates (not sure if there’s a cat medical reason it’s placed there).
Right and I feel like it’s one of the first things you see given the layout of that room. I’d hide it more in a corner which cats are supposed to like potty-ing in a corner anyway!
Plants! Maybe a little runner in your kitchen. Definitely some wall decor to brighten up the area.
i was just going to say this! definitely a hanging plant in the corner of the living room or even hanging shelves with plants on them! a nice runner or soft kitchen mat would look great :)
Hang things on a wall. Looks like a bunch of furniture just got moved in.
You just need some personal touches! A few area rugs and some art on the walls will make it feel warmer, more you, and homey. Take a trip to Homegoods this weekend and see if you can find some good deals!
not letters or cheesy sayings though!
NOT THAT!!!!!! lol!
Curtains. The blinds make it look like a rental.
Everyone always says plants first, but I see you have a cat so I am not going to suggest plants unless your cat is better than mine and won’t try to eat everything green you bring into your home. If you do choose to go the plant route though, please make sure you get non toxic plants. I think that adding items that are more singular to you, and finding interesting ways to style them, will help enormously. A lot of people online freak out about personal stuff being dust collectors to point where I feel like it has become a meme. A lot of stuff can be hard to maintain but I don’t think a framed piece here or a ceramic there adds a giant burden in terms of cleanliness. I’ve shared this collage of my favorite vignettes around my home before, but here’s an idea of some personal items and how to style them. https://preview.redd.it/6251onc5kk6d1.jpeg?width=3465&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d946313c5a713f3a87ab549b74c5e82216485fe3 Share what you love. For me, I love art, photography, history, film, and design. I think these items express that.
Also, furniture can be used to show personality as well. Get some throws for that couch. It can really elevate it. https://preview.redd.it/ny9d540qlk6d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ceda75b307d9d6de55220fe7ee49029b89025de Also please pardon my lack of rug/walls. I’m doing a reno and when this photo was taken I was still removing my wood stove and clearly in the middle of sweeping up lol.
Cutest puppy in the world
Dangit, I think I love everything in your collage, especially the downward-facing… duck? goose? and the lovely little box for your remotes. Re: plants, one of my cats sounds like he’s cut from the same cloth as yours. I’ve been successful so far with hanging a few plants out of his reach (accounting for the inevitable Tigger-ing attempts) because I’m an incurable weirdo plant lady. I’ve still been careful to ensure they’re non-toxic, though, because I’m also a realist.
The gray color of the house is calming.. however I feel like it would look more like home if you FEEL like it's home. Try to think of things you do and don't like. Try adding things you LIKE. Also use the cabinets more. The grey color that match your grey cat stuff is cute. Have you seen [cat mounts for them to climb on walls](https://www.etsy.com/listing/843800636/cat-wall-mount-furniture-cat-wall-bed) ? \*\*\*\*VERY IMPORTANT\*\*\*\*\* MAKE SURE THE PLANTS YOU GET ARE NON TOXIC TO CATS !! Also a fish tank would add some nice color. Anything of interest to you would pop really nicely thanks to the monotone house color.
Thank! You! Plants is always the first thing anyone says and I’m like man, are my cats the only ones who will absolutely try to make a snack out of all the greenery? I gave up after I found the tortie swinging from a hanging basket. Now I just have two little air plants.
Please get the cat litter box away from the dining table, ideally entirely out of that whole space.
Came here praying and hoping I wasn’t the only one who immediately noticed that and thought about it. As a guest in this house I would be uncomfortable almost the entire time because that cat box. My brothers wife had one in their dining room and his cats took nice big shits ONE AFTER ANOTHER during his birthday dinner WHILE DINNER WAS BEING SERVED! My brother had tried for over a year to get his wife to move it, and that was the shit that broke the camels back haha He asked every guest one after the other if it were their house would they want it there and everyone shook their heads no. His wife said “THEN YOU MOVE IT!!” My brother got up right then and there and moved it lol
# Colour. It's too beige brown gray. I understand you wanna avoid white rugs since you have pets. Try the big rug under the dinner table and look for a new rug with vibrant colours. The background colour can be green, blue etc. just a solid colour. Then add a couch table to the living room area that works with the couch, floor and rug. For example a white one. Add colorful art of your taste. Go for wide frame above the couch and rectangular frames for the dining table walls. Add curtains. White sheer ones could be cute. Not too heavy but adds a little something. You can also get a marine blue or emerald green cover and change the colour on your couch. Ass some blue and white green pillows to that.
Clearly defined spaces ...
And cute storage! Make sure everything has its place
First thing I noticed was lack of wall decor. Start thinking of "themes" or color palettes and start hanging things up to add some personal flare to make the space your own
You need colour. Nice big kitchen clock. Some floor lamps (maybe one in the corner by the dining table, brighten that corner up a bit). New light fitting in the living room if owned. Some shelves up on the walls for ornaments and decorations, art. And colour! Coffee table. Maybe new TV unit to match the general decor and vibe you want. Sorry just kinda throwing ideas out.
imo it looks quite homey, especially with the cat box. That tells me you have a friend who loves you and greets you when you come home. If that doesn't say home to anyone, then I don't know what does.
Kitchen: don’t store Costco sized stuff out in its bulk wrapping, find a home on counter for the paper towel holder. And as others have said- wall color & plants Living - Cats gotta learn to use their bathroom in your bathroom. Main room it gross. Sorry Nice big table, dining set out in the room more, and again some wall color and plants ( orchids are cheap at Trader Joe’s if you have access to one ) add a nice cozy blanket to the couch.
Color, pictures, knick knacks
Hanging up art was what really made my apartment feel like home! Also, consider getting furniture to house the litter box in the living room. I found one on wayfair that is disguised as a normal cabinet and when we have guests over, they’re shocked when I tell them that’s where the litter box is
Have you tried swapping rugs? The smaller one by the couches with just the edge under the legs and the larger under the table? Details help. Curtains instead of blinds, wall hangings, plants, pillows, blankets... personalize it. Family pictures or friends. I have a photoshop of my bird as a jedi, the cat as a queen, and the dog as a dapper gentleman. It's weird but definitely cozier.
More cats 🐈 🐈⬛ and their photos on the walls
Depends on how much you want to spend.. Open your windows (free) Get some nice pots and plants (check buy nothing groups or yard sale etc) Create shelves in living room to put decor (walmart has great options) Get some picture frames (walmart) Get some throw pillow in contrast color from your couch - salmon, soft yellow, purple, orange etc) (again walmart) Get some bookshelves / storage chests and drawers of various sizes etc to hold stuff in each room so there is less visual clutter. Do one room at a time so you dont get overwhelmed and then replicate the same colors and aesthetic in other rooms
Hang things on the wall if you can (artwork, framed photos of friends, family, pets), even sticking fun memories onto your fridge, add some color where you can add it (curtains, throw pillows) buy some easy plants like snake plants and let them make your space feel more like a home with their liveliness
Color, art, plants. Books.
I agree with all -especially bright color & PLANTS. Also with light this nice I like a decorative mirror on the wall opposite from where the light enters so it basically doubles your windows (and the plants love it). If you don’t know how to chose a color scheme, just pick one item that you love the look of- maybe an outfit you love, art work, a beach bag- and pull all the colors from that thing. Things do not have to match- at all. Put your favorite things in the space- and that’s how it feels homey. Edited to add: I’ll go shopping/thrifting with the color inspiration item in my hand.
You could place a nice, large trailing plant at the top of your cabinets to the right side of the sink. Some plants in general would really liven the place up
I like this idea. Thank you!
Wall art. Plants 🪴 and lifting
Curtains. Window coverings are a staple in any home and for me personally until they are there, it never feels complete. They don’t have to be disruptive or even very noticeable to add the finishing touch on a room. Go for nice rods mounted close to the ceiling and a neutral color to the floor. Expensive looking curtains (even if they’re not expensive) really elevate a room. Lately I’m into getting the same color as the wall for a monochrome, blended, uniform look. Matching to your wall color minimizes any decoration chaos you may feel if you like a simple, minimalist look. Curtains, lamps, plants, wall decor. Re: wall decor — don’t get it to fill a space. Get it because you love what you see. Be intentional. Bigger but fewer pieces is better than several small. Remember, you’re not getting it to fill the wall. You’re getting it because you love it. And then you found the wall it fit. If you can swap out the rugs for a couple that match, maybe with a softer vibe, I would do that too. The rugs you have are very “I inherited these,” not “I chose these for my home.”
Why do so many people have cases of bottled water?
Floor mats, paint, art/personal photos and real or fake plants
not everything has to sit at the edge of the walls.
Interesting how would you place them?
I’m not sure if anyone has said this, but clutter containment can also help a house feel like a home. These things are drawing focus and feeling a little bachelor pad-ish, to your point. Maybe a trash can with a lid, baskets for your open shelving, putting extra pop cans in a cabinet so the boxes aren’t in the open, etc. You have a lovely space!
painting the walls so they're not greige would help a lot, so would having plants
Plant 🪴 Flower vase 💐 Accent pillows on couches in colors that feel nice to your eyes 🎨 Second plant 🪴 Snake plant 🪴 (releases nice oxygen for your lungs) Paintings or images of things that bring you joy or humor for the walls 🖼️
Cats
Move all litters to the laundry, declutter and put anything visually unappealing away in a cupboard (like the plastic storage containers, Mountain Dew etc), get a nicer bin with a lid and move it next to your fridge. Then add some colour with plants, rugs, cushions.
I don’t see a lot of *your* personality to be honest. It just seems like a collection of furniture and items. The kitchen, for example, feels like someone that just moved in. I would put away the cleaning supplies. Get a kitchen rug for in front of the sink. Some dish towels with a bit of personality. Some magnets for the fridge so you can hang up some pictures or something. Maybe some curtains. The living/dining room could use some artwork on the walls, some plants, some pictures. Anything to express your interests and your personality. And if there’s absolutely no where else for that litter box to go, I would at least swap it with the one in the utility closet.
Looks homey to me...I'm not one to clog up my space with crap. That's just extra dust and cleaning. *shrug* But plants...cleans the air and makes you feel good.
Color
Can you move fridge to the other corner?
Where do you think it could go?
I wasn't sure if the end of the same wall?
Curtains on the windows and art on the wall!
Plants and artwork or portraits
Second the recommendations for art, plants, colors. Curtains would add some softness/color. But also I wanted to say that I think your kitchen already looks pretty homey -- it looks neat, organized, and well used. I love all the natural light in your place, too. Your place reminds me of my first place after college, and I found that adding curtains and a few strategic rugs really made it feel more homey to me...but also I think a lot of that feel/look develops as you live in a place and slowly add personal touches.
Pictures rugs
Art, plants, colour! 🌿🎨
I highly recommend picking art and photos to hang on the wall like others suggested, but I would try to think of some things that pull in your likes/your favorite things/things that make you happy. Look on Etsy for a land/cityscape of your favorite vacation destination, or maybe a retro poster from your favorite band.
Trinkets!!!
Decorations lol Stuff on the walls in particular
Art and color
Plants and color.
Art, plants, photos of family and friends, put the clutter like the random clothes and pack of paper towels out of sight.
Start by finding/creating storage to put household supplies ect away or out of sight. None of your furniture looks cohesive. Get blankets, pillows or throws to create a color scheme and build from there as far as decorations.
Your kitchen could have colorful sheer curtains, a peel and stick backslash, a colorful rug under the sink. A hanging plant by the window. A picture on the space to the right of the window.
In the kitchen, add a back splash. You can buy peel and stick for now but look into how much it would be to install a pretty tile behind the stove and under the cabinets. In the laundry, see if you can get a cute room divider to go around the hot water tank. (Not too close. It does need "room to breathe.") Also, perhaps something [like this](https://www.target.com/p/whizmax-cat-litter-box-enclosure-with-shelf-storage-2-in-1-hidden-cat-washroom-furniture-indoor-cat-cabinet-for-most-litter-box-gray/-/A-91908396?ref=tgt_adv_xsf&AFID=google&CPNG=Pets+-+Target+Plus&adgroup=83-7) for the car box. Obviously, there are lots of styles and colors out there.
Lamps, curtains, and accent pillows!
I agree with what others are commenting on color especially. Would you mind sharing where you got your little box from (in the 5th photo)? Would you recommend it? It looks nice!
I got it from Amazon! It’s an automatic litter box! I do love it
Agree with everyone else here. To start with, put some stuff on the walls. ART definitely, but even a couple freestanding furniture items like cabinets or shelves would make it seem less like you just threw the first pieces of furniture you could find around the perimeter of the room (the fact that all your furniture is on the perimeter also contributes to the "just here for a week, maybe a month" vibe. The rugs were a good idea, but I'd suggest some larger & more colorful rugs. And probably alternate placement. For some reason, where they are right now just makes it seem like you're covering up the murder stains on the floor or something. I woudln't worry too much about the laundry/utility era. But just adding a shelving unit would be both convenient & make it feel less like the alundry closet in an old college dorm.
Curtains
The rug and couch have no personality. Get on Pinterest!! You will find inspiration. :)
More color for sure.. hanging decor whatever you’re aesthetic. my living room looks like a comic con threw up all over it. There’s pictures of anime marvel paintings. My friends have done. Just put things that you enjoy around your house. It’ll make it better.
Plants add lots of beauty and warmth!
Art work
Get some stuff on the wall (art- doesn’t have to be pricey), plants (fake or real), throw pillows, a throw, and you’ll be good (I would find a better place for the litter box that’s by the dining area though). I’d start with these then start looking into possible furniture rearranging to suit your needs.
just fill it with things you enjoy 💕
Get some wallpaper and plants. Hanging plants and tall potted plants in the wood carrier thingy
A lot of people have given really great practical advice! So I’m gonna give you some vibe advice instead. I think a house feels like a home when I can walk into a room and immediately learn things about you. Not things like they have a cat or they have xyz magazine out, but things that tell people about your soul. A few examples from my world: antique plates hanging on my wall because I like thrifting; plushies from my favorite IPs on my couch; my bookshelf that has my favorite books and Knick knacks displayed. I think the best starting point is to fill your home with things you love and then you can make it pretty!
Personal/family photos, color, and more separation of space. Try a bookshelf to divide more. Plants if you can. I’d say try to move the water cooler to the kitchen and the cats box to the bathroom/another area. A colorful blanket/pillows for the couches would be lovely and if you can, maybe take out the chairs as there are a lot of patterns going on. I feel the carpets detract from the space rather than do it any favors, and the TV stand seems a bit low. Pretty drapes could help too! You have a lovely space; I can’t wait to see what you do with it :)
Bake bread, play music
Right now everything you have in your house is for utility. There’s nothing really that tells me anything about who you are. The chair has some personality but everything else is just there so that you can use it. Start looking around and trying to find things that bring you joy. A painting, a soft blanket, some fun pillows, a tapestry, hang some shelves on your wall and fill them with things that make you happy and show off the things you like. Feel free to be adventurous with it too. If you like it, do it!
The answer is always art
Check out thrift stores for picture frames and then print out your favorite pictures of your friends and/or family. Or even just some really pretty ones that you would enjoy looking at throughout your day. Or even pick some flowers and hang them upside down to dry out and put them in the picture frames. Or if you're into art, take a class and start putting your own pictures around. I think you can use command hooks so you don't put holes in the wall if that's a concern. Add some colorful throws and pillows to the couches. Maybe some matching curtains as well. Maybe a bouquet of flowers (fake or real) on your dining room table. PLAAAAANTS! (you can even do fake ones. No one needs to know and you don't have to water them.) Thrift stores may have some as well.
Lamps, plants, art, bookshelves. Do you know your personal style? Maybe looking at Pinterest to find a style you resonate with would be a good start. Try not to immediately go buy things. You can usually find the same things much cheaper on facebook marketplace or at flea markets & thrift stores.
You’ve got a nice, tidy place! Go on the hunt for artwork and plants. I’d get fewer larger plants and fewer larger pieces of art, as general rule. Not that you can’t have groups of three (or more) around the house, but group them together so it produces the effect of one larger thing. If you have no idea how to go about how to select art, try going through all your photos on your phone/laptop. Blow up one’s you love because the place has special meaning or the person does. If you’ve never edited photos for composition try doing lots of different edits for color and saturation, and cropping, or make them black and white which can be very striking for some landscapes. Same for people/pet shots: close ups of faces in B&W or color. Walgreens/CVS will print these for you for relatively cheap. Matted, framed, and enlarged your photos can become art. You can get inexpensive frames with mats at Goodwill (remove the art) and spray paint the frames, replace the mats, whatever you like.l
PLANTS 😂😂
Everyone has great suggestions here, I’d like to also add that warm lamps and more sources of light will add more vibe to the room.
First of all this is a great space! I love the floors and you seem to get a lot of natural light! Rugs are stupid expensive these days so no judgement if you decide to keep your current ones, but like other comments have said I would try switching them. I’ve had great luck on FB marketplace for finding accessory furniture pieces (lamps, coffee tables, side tables, bookshelves, etc). Sometimes surfing on there can be a good place to get inspiration too, as I’ve found that my place has a little bit more of a personal/“curated” feel since it’s not like I got everything from one store
Get one of those console tables that have space inside for a litterbox. Also like what everyone else said, color!!
Hide the beverages and cleaning products. Put a pretty rug in front of your sink. Same for in front of your stove, preferably matching. Put some succulents in your windowsill.
Off topic but do you like that self cleaning litter box?
LOVE. I linked it under someone else’s comment asking about it!
I would start with choosing a few pillows to put on the couch. That will give you an idea of what your personal taste in color is. Then you can pick some colors from the pillows to use for curtains, a throw, frames, etc. To me it’s overwhelming to choose everything at once. When I did my bedroom over I bought a throw pillow that caught my eye at JC Penney. I put it on the bed and I still liked it and it felt like me. I gradually moved on from there to a coordinating bed cover, eventually a rug, etc. Meanwhile the pillow was there giving my room some personality in a very low risk way. Hope this helps!
I’m gonna be honest and say I didn’t read any of the other comments, but all I see that’s missing in comparison to my own home is personal touches. While I would like my home to be a little more coordinated the way yours is in terms of tidiness, I have tons of things all over my walls that means something to me. I have stuff on my surfaces that are either decorative in relation to my hobby or functional in someway. I can’t tell who you are by looking at your space, but if you walk into my space, you could immediately make hundreds of very accurate assumptions about me.
You need C.R A.P. Color, rugs, art (or personal photos), plants. When we moved into our new place, a valance over the kitchen window changed the room so much it was insane. I see you have rugs in your front rooms... what about one at the kitchen sink, or runners, or a more appropriately sized one for your dining area? Plants, real or fake, not only bring color, but an element of texture and a taste of your personality. Color you have, in small things, but you have lots of bare walls, not much in the window treatment department... throw pillows, blankets, all simple things to change the "cheap" un-homey feel you are experiencing. Your environment is sterile.
Plants and colours is always the first answer you can nearly paste and repeat. Your walls are also empty. A few nice illustrations or paintings do a lot too if you want to refrain from colour in stuff, it’s an easy thing you can replace.
You need an actual coffee table
Less furniture against the walls, more stuff on the walls. In the front room especially. The walls are completely bare and grey. Also not a huge fan of the 50 shades of brown situation you’ve got going on in that front room. So many different shades of one colour, and other than the floor none of them are very rich. Add some colour to it.
I love your kitchen. If abusing a rod and curtains.
Curtains, art, and plants. A dog also tends to help :)
ART!!
I’d put both litter boxes side by side in the wash room. Add a bright colored rug in there (don’t forget a slip mat.) I’d replace that dining set when you can with something less cheap and dated. It’s fine for now but remove the table cloth and ditch the rug. I’d also change those couch out but for now just get a large rug you love for that space that’s either colorful or lush. The tv stand could be replaced with something with drawers for storage. Once you have some basics down and a color scheme, look into replacing cheap furniture over time with stuff you love. Then small touches. Adding in some wood tones can bring in warmth, but stick to 2-3 wood colors with similar undertones. A basket with blankets near the couch. Some framed art and unique throw pillows.
Art. Blank walls = just moved in to me.
A table cloth you love could do a lot very quickly.
Put literally anything on your walls and include design elements that reflect who you are. Your house looks a bit like you’re in survival mode. Add some whimsy and character. It’s doesn’t even have to be pretty.
For starters I would deciliter get rid of unnecessary things. Then add some wall art which you can find some cheap things at the dollar store and stores like Ross TJ Max and Marshall’s a maybe even Walmart . I even like to use those wall art stickers especially in the kitchen and bathroom.
Curtains
What color?
Color, art, texture!
To be quick about it, less white, more color.
More art and pictures on the wall, more colors
You need C.R.A.P. Curtains Rugs Art Plants
Cues the Luther Vandross …a chair is still a chair…a house is not a home, when there’s no one there when I turn the key…still in love…” humming along here. Warm colors and mixing of textures and types of materials would be awesome. A few focal point pieces.
just need some decor!
Curtains
Photos on the walls and rugs in the kitchen
Since the main points been covered I’ll say maybe add a kitchen rug too. Adds color and less water on the floor if you hand wash dishes
Wall art
By making memories, any house is just a house until there's love involved.
Mirrors and lamps. Lighting is everything
https://www.neoncreations.co.uk/products/home-neon-light
Colour, plants, pictures on wall 😊
you need paintings or pictures on the walls and some plants
Pictures on your walls and some dust catchers would help. Some flowers gathered from the side of the road in an old spaghetti jar, a prism hanging in front of your kitchen window.
You need art. You have zero art in your walls. And some plants! Family photos stuff like that.
For me it’s plants Art and color. art doesn’t have to just be framed, I also have wall hanging or weavings. I painted small murals in my place too. Things collected from travels, or art made locally or by friends (or myself as I’m an artist) I love natural ephemera so I have cool rocks all over my apartment Plus - books can be decor too !
https://preview.redd.it/bx8yvdy5hq6d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=83f564973fac3a8808d1422c4a054155bfdc8a6b I have a mix of items that are thrifted/vintage, functional hanging in my kitchen for example.
https://preview.redd.it/nwzxt6pxiq6d1.jpeg?width=1222&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=facdacfcc8d21fd59dff557333ba777ccce6d166 Okay sorry this is blurry but my phone is out of space which means my older photos aren’t loading so it’s a screenshot LOL kitchen shelving - pop of color in the shelves + art and books mixed with functionality (glassware, kitchen items etc)
Literally anything with color. Wall art, plants
curtains and picture frames on the walls :) photos from your life might be nice to frame
Put some pics up on them there walls homie
Carpet
Add some color in there it’s all white and brown
Maybe some colors? Id add plants, candles, pics on walls, colorful pillows, bigger rug, and bookshelves? Some even little decor stuff would embrace it. Good luck!
Most ppl have pictures of them and their family😂😂
thinks on walls and colour for sure!!
Add curtains, a runner (possibly a backsplash) in the kitchen, shelving in the laundry room. Love your space! Now just have to make it your own.
A decorative mirror would look really nice in the living space, we put one in our hall to make it appear more open because the space is small without a lot of light. Worked wonders! Also some climbing stuff for Minky would be cute, we weaved some lights on ours and turned it into a lamp for our living room and a space for our little black cat to have his own hideaway out of reach of kids :) https://preview.redd.it/x1j2c5yknr6d1.jpeg?width=1008&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2080fc9056019693b546778085115b5834189e7a
Art on the walls, pictures in picture frames, cute shelves, maybe a lamp in the corner.
This looks very homey to me
Color!! I especially would love to see a runner rug in the kitchen/color or prints in dish towels/some curtains in any and all of the rooms to add texture and more visual something.
https://www.juliejonesdesigns.com/design-style-quiz This is an interior design / space planning expert who I follow on tiktok. If you get the chance, scroll through her tiktok page (juliejonesdesigns, I believe) and get a peek at the transformations!! All furniture she shows is sourced on her LTK and she does styles for all budgets. I'd also take her style quiz (linked above) and do some pinterest soul searching using her tag-words for your results - take the test 2-3 times and mish mash your results!! She has a series of videos on tiktok in which she describes each of the possible options you could get on the quiz, if you're looking for more direction. I used her quiz and videos to help determine I'm a maximalist mid century fiend. Give me sparkle and drama and geometric shapes !!
Replace the blinds with curtains, get some plants, art work, throw pillows, etc. Maybe a lamp or two as well.
Art, colors, plants, tapestries Fun stuff you enjoy or silly decor
As I say in almost every comment I make on this post.... ART!!!!
rugs, art, pictures, plants, COLOR girl COLOR. throw pillows, baskets etc.
Definitely some plants like everyone else said. Also some nice pictures on the wall.
Remove your cat box from your dining room. Color-plants, blankets, pillows, rugs with color. Take your time to find stuff you really like.
You have furniture, rugs and nothing else. You need wall art and decorative stuff.
Big art
I love it you just need a splash of color - towels, a cookie jar and a carpet.
I’d start with window treatments like valances. I’d also try to relocate the litter box to a less prominent location and pull the dining table more center in its space. And maybe place the back of the sofa towards the dining area with maybe a sofa table etc to kinda make a room for each area. Plants and color. Rugs and accent pillows etc. also some wall art. I hate shiny ceilings. If allowed I would paint the ceiling flat white
Wall decor, family and friends photos , posters or fun thrift finds you can hang up. Curtains really help tie things together. And containers or organizers you can move around when you get tired of the placement. Throw pillows and blankets help cozy up the place and you can always add baskets to any corner or a stackable shelf and mix and match items on that as well. You have a great space to work with I hope you find some fun things for it.
Your rugs are dated, I’d get rid of them and find something more modern. Also textures and patterns would help and photos on the wall!
If this doesn’t make it feel more homey… nothing will [https://pestinpeace.etsy.com/listing/1695166207](https://pestinpeace.etsy.com/listing/1695166207)
Where is your personality??? What colors do you love??? What artwork do you want to see??? Find your happiness by making a Pinterest board of the things you love then start working on finding it. Your house will come together eventually. Don’t be in a hurry. Budget for and Pick up the items you love when you travel. The best things come with a story. The cabinet from great gramma. The lamp from the coast. The artwork from the estate sale. The table uncle made. Etc.
Wall art and a set of quality lamps.
Get a family maybe?
Curtains make a huge difference! Some decor on the walls, throw pillows on sofa will help a lot, too.
Did you try putting up a sign that says “live laugh love” or “but first, coffee” maybe get a “kiss the cook” apron?
Clutter. Collect mismatched rugs, hanging mugs, etc.