The Art of Making a House Feel Like Home

Q: If someone handed you a completely blank room and said, "Make it feel like home" — what would you do first?

Oh, how exciting! I think the first thing I'd ask is, how do you want to feel when you're in this room? Do you want it to feel calm, cosy, happy, fun? Because to me, making a room feel like home starts with how you want to feel in it. Then I'd probably reach for the paintbrush! I love what colour can do to a room — and yes, I'd paint the ceiling too. A coat of paint can completely change the feeling of a space and give it warmth and personality before you've even added anything else. From there, I'd start bringing in the things that make it your home — artwork you love, furniture you actually want to live in, personal pieces and all those little layers that tell your story. That's when a blank room really starts to feel like home.

Elena

Sep 20

5 min read

The Droply Edit with Joh from @siesta.home

What makes a house feel like home?

For Joh from @siesta.home, it isn’t about getting everything perfectly right. It’s about colour, artwork, greenery, unexpected pieces and the things that hold a little bit of meaning.

She believes artwork should be allowed to lead the room, cushions don't need to match, and even the laundry deserves a little art.

We caught up with Joh to talk about styling, collecting, living with art and the little things that make a space feel like yours.

01 — When a room isn't quite right, start small

What's your secret weapon when a room just isn't quite feeling right?

Plants and fresh flowers are always something I come back to. They instantly make a room feel softer and more lived in.

I also love adding a bit of colour, artwork, a great lamp or simply moving things around. Sometimes it's just one little change or unexpected piece that suddenly makes the whole room feel right.

02 — The best art usually comes with a story

What's the piece of art or object in your home that has the biggest hold on you?

Can I choose more than one? That's way too hard!

I actually have four original artworks I'd be taking with me because they all have a story behind them, and I think that's why I love them so much.

One is a John Baird piece, which was actually the first piece of original art we ever bought. John is a family friend and after one of his exhibitions he brought some of the works that hadn't sold back to my parents' house. We saw this one and just couldn't resist it.

It was the start of us buying original art, so it's always going to be really special to me.

Another is a Joan Blond piece that my husband and I bought after we sold our house in Melbourne. We'd said that if we got what we wanted for the house, anything over that we'd put towards a really special piece of art — and that's exactly what we did.

I think that's what I love most about art. The pieces I'm most attached to aren't just because I love how they look. They remind me of a person, a place or a time in our lives.

And, if in doubt, add greenery!

Plants and fresh flowers are always my go-to when I'm styling a room. A big bunch of branches or flowers in a beautiful vase, or a gorgeous potted plant, can completely change a space and instantly bring it to life.

It adds colour, softness and that lovely lived-in feeling. Sometimes the simplest things really do make the biggest difference.

“The pieces I'm most attached to aren't just because I love how they look — they remind me of a person, a place or a time in our lives.”

03 — Start with the art

When you're styling a room, what usually gets your attention first?

For me, it's definitely the artwork.

It's often sitting right at eye level, so it's one of the first things you notice when you walk into a room. It can really set the whole mood of the space.

When I'm designing or styling a room, I'll choose the artwork first and then build everything else around it.

I'll pull out colours, textures or little details from the artwork and layer in cushions, furniture, lighting and objects from there.

It gives me a starting point, but I never want it to feel too matched or perfect. I still love throwing in something a little unexpected.

That's usually what gives the room its personality.

04 — Your artwork does not need to match your cushions

What's one art or interiors "rule" you think is made to be broken?

Oh, definitely the idea that everything has to match!

I'm all for mixing it up — different timbers, different metals, old pieces with new ones, and colours you just love together.

And your artwork definitely doesn't need to match your cushions!

I think when everything matches too perfectly, a room can lose a bit of its personality.

The best homes, to me, are the ones that feel like they've just naturally come together over time — a bit collected, a bit unexpected and full of things you actually love.

“Your artwork definitely doesn't need to match your cushions!”

05 — Why should the laundry miss out?

Small Art, Big Impact — where's the most unexpected place you'd put a small artwork?

I looooove small artwork. I'll put it pretty much anywhere!

Tucked into bookshelves, leaning on a kitchen bench, in bathrooms and powder rooms… anywhere there's a little spot that needs something.

But my secret spot?

The laundry!

Why should the laundry miss out?

I love putting a little piece of art somewhere completely unexpected. It makes even the most everyday spaces feel considered and a bit more special.

I totally agree that small art can go a long way. Sometimes it's those tiny, unexpected pieces you almost stumble across that give a home the most personality.

06 — Before you decorate, ask yourself one thing

If someone handed you a completely blank room and said, "Make it feel like home" — what would you do first?

Oh, how exciting!

I think the first thing I'd ask is, how do you want to feel when you're in this room?

Do you want it to feel calm, cosy, happy, fun?

Because to me, making a room feel like home starts with how you want to feel in it.

Then I'd probably reach for the paintbrush!

I love what colour can do to a room — and yes, I'd paint the ceiling too.

A coat of paint can completely change the feeling of a space and give it warmth and personality before you've even added anything else.

From there, I'd start bringing in the things that make it your home — artwork you love, furniture you actually want to live in, personal pieces and all those little layers that tell your story.

That's when a blank room really starts to feel like home.

“Making a room feel like home starts with how you want to feel in it.”

The Droply Edit

Joh's approach to interiors is a reminder that a home doesn't have to be perfectly styled to feel beautiful.

Sometimes it's the artwork you bought because it reminds you of someone. The flowers you picked up on the way home. The unexpected piece sitting in the laundry. The colours you love, even when they don't technically "go".

It's those little things — collected over time and chosen because they mean something to you — that make a space feel like home.

Your home. Your art. Your story.