How I oversee my home, let alone my family, has certainly changed over the years. Between 1997 to today in 2024, curating beauty in my home has become more about building solid foundations that bring my family and I confidence and comfort.

And comfort really has become a key factor in our home. Whether it’s a couch, rugs, carpets, or pillows, my mind now focuses on how each element lends itself to providing a cozy environment. When it comes to my children, my husband, and I enjoying our space as a sanctuary, I now ask myself “do they feel comfortable laying on the floor to play a game, or to read a book? Is there space for everyone to stretch out?” 

Asking questions like these has changed the way I see expansive wood floors at home and in all those pretty magazines. I look at them now and think “wood floors need rugs! Can a family or their guests really play and relax in those spaces?” My goal is for everyone to be able to make beautiful memories in our space with ease, so intentionally providing comfort is first on my list now.

Let’s also look at the entry spaces of our homes and how they function. What I mean by that is when I drive up to my house, I ask myself: does my home welcome my adult and younger children, as well as my husband and I, let alone our guests that come to visit? 

I think many of you will know what I mean when I mention “front door confusion”. Is it obvious as to which door is your entry door? I look at some house designs and I think, huh, that’s confusing. For example, if there's a door by the garage, and there's an additional door that goes to some kind of mud room, and then there's another front door that looks like it's the actual front door, but it looks so formal… Wait, do they even use that front door? 

Raise your hand if you know what I am talking about.

Yeah, that confusion is not necessarily welcoming.

So, with all that in mind, how does my front entry speak to people? 

Home layout aside, one of the things that I have become relentless about with my children is having minimal outerwear piled up in our entryway. If there are 20 pairs of shoes at the front door, and 12 different coats hogging all the hooks, what does that say to the guests that are coming to visit us? 

To be honest, it says to me that there's no room. There's no room for you here. It could induce confusion as to where I can slip off my shoes or hang my coat.  

Not OK. Not welcoming. Leaving room for visitors shows them that you intentionally have held sweet space for them. 

In this same vein, next we have to talk about clutter. (This is my daily battle!)

A gorgeous home also means allowing for breathing space. How many times have we admired the beautiful photos of minimalist homes? Sometimes, you’ve just got to declutter. I am definitely in that season of my life right now. Places to seek out and get rid of clutter include closets, storage spaces, kitchen pantries, and even looking at if you have too. Much Furniture.

A house needs to be functional, and if there's stuff laying around randomly it stunts growth. (For those of us who use makeup products, chances are you have more than a few expired items. Say goodbye to those dried-out tubes of mascara!) All that clutter keeps your days from being straightforward and easy to navigate. 

As I move through my home and make room, I make sure to evaluate how I’m welcoming my adult children and guests into our space. A phrase I’ve heard before is “house proud.” For some, maybe pictures of men with their amazing theater rooms, garages, or man-caves comes to mind when we hear this term. But if we look at it from a different angle, are our adult children “house proud”? Are they proud of their childhood homes when they come back for a weekend stay or a holiday, and bring their own families along with them? It’s a sweet spin of the heart to consider our adult children and how they relate to their home of origin.

While you’re sorting through your clutter, take care to set aside some items to have at the ready. Having designated storage spots for special occasion hosting supplies can give a firm foundation of confidence in a family home. It solidifies that you’re prepared for those sweet celebratory moments no matter how big or small. Getting started can be simple, maybe you use a leftover “happy birthday” gift bag and fill it with miscellaneous items for various party occasions. As the year moves between seasons, consider taking a peek at the clearance sections each time you’re at your local Target. You can build out a ready-to-go party tote over time. Be sure to keep an eye out for the following:

✅ Candles of various types.

✅ Napkins with varying designs.

✅ A lighter.

✅ Balloons in trendy tones.

✅ Cake servers and pretty ice cream scoops.

And when it comes to your glass and dishware, make sure that you have a set number of plates and glasses so that if you have a group around your table, you’re ready to go. 12 is a good and safe number, in my book. So 12 of each piece for 12 full place settings. And here's the thing, I am not saying to go out to buy fine China! You can mix and match your existing table settings at will, depending on what the occasion is. Thrifting unique glassware is such an inexpensive way to add character.

Another beautiful thing that I would recommend is making sure that you have cloth napkins. Beautiful linens in classic white or natural taupe colors are timeless no matter the occasion. Add in brass candle holders with a few white or beeswax candles in them, and you’ll have a really gorgeous way to dress up your space that works well regardless of the season, whether it's a Christmas, a birthday, or your Thanksgiving meal.

These staples being stored and prepped can give you the confidence to say, “hey, why don't you come over to my place?” Knowing that you have the supplies needed (and that it didn’t cost you a lot of money) can really give you a boost. Welcoming your friends and loved ones from a place of preparation and care is beautiful. That’s the firm foundation that we hope for in our homes, that sets us up for success out in the world, too. Come to think of it, it reminds me of the Bible song I sang as a child, The Wise Man Built His House Upon The Rock. 

I learned many of these lessons due to not being prepared myself — sometimes embarrassingly so! I remember when my first husband and I had invited an accomplished older couple from our church over for dinner… It was a wreck of ill-prepared flounders, and I simply did not know what I was doing. The woman in the couple treated me with such compassion as I recognized where I was falling short in my hosting. She showed me such grace that she even extended an invitation to me and my messy little toddlers to visit her home in the following weeks to cook together and put on a dinner party. I’ll always remember that. I realized very quickly through her kindness that so much of the art of hospitality has to do with how people feel in your home. I am forever indebted to Miss Carol! 

Curating beauty within your home that's functional, for the purpose of building a strong foundation for you and your family, is a unique way of filling your cup to pour into others. That positivity permeates into the rest of the world when your family has confidence from what you have built together. 

I’m cheering you on, my friends. 

🤍 Quinn