8 Ideas for a New Home Gift
We love hearing new tips for making home more personalized—don't you? Here are 5 of our favorite highlights from the Zillow Porchlight blog feature, "8 Ways to Incorporate Your Passions into Your Home Decor" (read the full list here).
Store Your Tools in Arm’s Reach
Many creative hobbies come with beautiful tools. Don’t hide your paintbrushes or yarn—show them off with pride of place!
Make sure to put tools you use frequently in accessible places where you can grab them. Nothing’s worse than being inspired to create and having to wrestle a guitar off the wall or extract a crochet hook from the back of a cabinet. A good rule is to keep anything you use once a week or more within easy reach.
For almost any art or craft there’s a practical application, so make it a fun challenge to find yours.
Bring the Mass-Appeal Objects into the Conversation
When you have an interest in common with someone, the conversation just flows. That’s why it’s great to have some pop-culture touchpoints in your living space. Items like framed vinyl albums give your guests an easy way to learn about your interests and start talking.
Not everyone will be able to contribute to a discussion about your 19th-century Japanese chisel, but almost everyone who sees your framed program will remember the first time they heard about “Hamilton.”
For a living room where you entertain friends, or a home office where you have clients, these objects can help create connections.
Let Your Collection Tell a Story
When you’re a collector, every piece has a story. As a whole, the items in a collection tell a narrative of their own history and how they came into your life.
Keep collections in a place of honor where the whole story can come together. Cabinets and display shelves are great for 3D objects like glassware, figurines and curios, and albums are perfect for stamps, old photos, and ephemera.
Active Items Inspire Action
If you need a little motivation to practice your passion, let your decor help inspire action. Match each inspiring object with the place you’re most likely to need a boost.
If you aren’t feeling your usual gourmet self, display your antique bakeware in your kitchen. To help with writer’s block, display your diploma, your first pitch acceptance letter, or special first editions of your favorite books over your desk. Hang athletic medals and photos of you at the finish line over the shoe bin near your entryway to encourage you to go for a run.
Match the Vibe of the Room
In general, keep the purpose of the room in mind when deciding where to display your prized possessions. Don’t just go by where you have available wall space; take time to find the right fit.
A shelf of antique clown toys can look great in an office or play room, but might not feel restful in your bedroom. And your championship soccer cleats or a signed football may be perfect inspiration in your workout room, but they’re less than appetizing hanging in the dining room.
Feeling inspired by your favorite hobbies or keepsakes? Show us your favorite room highlighting your interests!
Source: Zillow Porchlight Blog | Originally published April 2018
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