Turn anywhere into a home
No matter where I have lived or traveled — whether it’s Miami, Florence, Rome or Paris — if it is a stay that lasts longer than two weeks, I feel the urge to make it my own. Sometimes a change in career, job or lifestyle lands you in a city without much to call your own. It might be an extended stay in a hotel, a rented or leased apartment or a new condo, but when it is not personalized you feel empty and not grounded. Turning any house into a home is a challenge I’m always up for
For extremely transient locations such as a hotel or extended-stay suite, my go-to tip is to bring a few pictures in frames of your family, friends and pets. Sometimes just a visual presence is enough to warm a place up. The next tip is also easy: buying some flowers or a potted plant is enough personalization for your room, and just a little bit of watering is enough of a chore to create the sense of a routine. Pack a small candle in your luggage; the familiar scent of a candle burnt at home is enough to calm any nerves.
Now for longer stays in a place, which may or may not be your final destination, there is another set of tips to help make your stay feel like a place of your own.
An unexpected place to start is with a set of new decorative pillows. Head to the nearest home accessories shop and look for a set or two of pillows which can be used to warm up this place, and might even make it to your own place once that happens. These are easily portable and can be packed almost anywhere, even in your luggage. Add a color coordinated throw, and voilà: Instantly the place feels more like yours.
In the bedroom, bedding goes a long way in making a home. If you are lucky enough to know the size of the bed where you will be staying in, you can bring your own or get some in a new color you have always wanted. A blanket or comforter is also a great way to making even the most generic of rooms have a bit of your personality.
Another unusual bit of advice is layering the floor or wall-to-wall carpet with a smaller area rug.
Adding something underfoot can help pull the color of your room together, and for some gets rid of the “ick” factor of walking barefoot in your room.
Today’s technology and advancement in materials have made it possible to wallpaper an accent wall almost anywhere. Low adhesive wallpapers are available for an entire wall or a border around the perimeter of a room. These can be installed by you and removed when your stay or lease is up without any remaining evidence.
Of course there are drapery side-panels that can be installed or exchanged out for the ones already hanging. Yet another aspect to turning any space into your home is with a piece of art. Buy a work of art from any local artist, hang it and start to see your roots grow. You see it’s all very easy.
Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida.