What Makes a House a Home

"It takes a heap o' living in a house to make it home."
So said Edgar A. Guest in the early part of this century.

I'm definitely attracted to someone's home when it's cozy. But what else can we say about the difference between "just a house" and a home?

Sensory aspects are important, to me. A home should smell good. It should not smell like mold, or mildew. I also do not like strong candle smells, and I'm really getting tired of vanilla-scented air freshener that we use in our bathroom! I guess it should smell natural, ie, clean but not Lysol-y.

What we should see, I think, in a cozy home, is texture. The pile on rugs, the pattern. Pillows on sofas and chairs that say, "Come sit in me." And then you do, and it feels good. I also like seeing the texture of plants, and fire logs--nature-inspired and Feng Shui. Speaking of nature, I like having pets. What can be more natural to the human race than to let our buddies descended from the outdoors into our homes?

Lighting is another great visual in a home that stirs up feelings. Clearly you don't want too much light, or too little. But when the morning sun filters through the kitchen blinds, or the evening shadows lurk in corners, what could be more relaxing?

Ah, a home. Yeah, it takes a heap o' livin,' Edgar.