Happiness Is A Home You Love

They are our biggest asset, and our sanctuary from the world. If we're lucky, we love them. I'm talking about our homes. In his book, The Architecture of Happiness, writer Alain de Botton explores how our homes can affect our moods, making us happy or depressed. The idea that our physical surroundings can actually have a great impact on our well being should come as no surprise. After all, I'm sure we've all experienced elation at seeing a wonderful home, something that just made you feel happy. Whether we are able to live there or not is another matter, but there is no denying that some homes make us feel good, and some just do not appeal to us at all. And each person's tastes differ.

What impacts each of our taste in homes is also diverse. For some, childhood memories may influence the styles of homes, colors and other features they love in a home. For others it isn't as clear why they like what they like. Some people want an open feeling, and are most at home (so to speak) in a place with lots of windows, high ceilings, and even on the upper floors of an apartment with expansive views. But to others this would be completely unpleasant. Some prefer a cozy space, with low hanging lights and lots of little nooks for curling up to read. Some people love the quite of rural areas, or a large yard to work and play in. Others can't stand solitude and want the busyness of the city and people around them. Some hate yard work, and would never use a lawn. We each are truly our own people, and if we are lucky, our homes reflect that and are pleasant, if not elating, spaces for us to live and grow.

What it seems to come down to is beauty, suggests de Botton. If we find a place beautiful it makes us happy. What we find beautiful depends on a multitude of things, but it boils down to something that's personality we just like, if inanimate things can be said to have personality. And of course, we all want to be happy. This is probably why most people put so much effort and money into decorating their homes. It's what every seller hopes for when their home is being viewed, that the buyer will love it and see themselves living there. But no matter how you dress it up, some people will love it and some will hate it. There's no accounting for taste.

But there is plenty to influence taste. Beyond the factors I mentioned above, like childhood experiences and unexplainable, ingrained personality preferences, trends can also influence us. In our society there's a certain pressure to always have the newest of whatever is out there, and it can leave some people feeling like they're always chasing after their dreams. But trends come and go, and while they can be inspiring, what we need in a home is something that makes us feel good all the time. If you are considering buying a home, it's important to consider what your tastes really are. Owning a home is an opportunity, really, to express your true self, to surround yourself with whatever it is that you find beautiful and that makes you happy. Trends come and go, so if you go with your heart when choosing a home and all its furnishings, you are far more likely to enjoy it for years to come than if you follow whatever the latest trends are.

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