8 Ways to Create a Romantic Homeon February 14, 2020 at 11:00 am
1. Bring home flowers
Stop in a grocery store or florist for some pretty flowers to create a few small bouquets in the bedroom and bathroom. I find affordable flowers at Costco and Trader Joes!
2. Tidy up the bedroom & bathroom
If the laundry piled up on the bed during the day, or the kids flung their pull-ups or undies across the floor, or if your cereal bowl is still on the bathroom counter, take just a few moments to freshen things up. Seeing unsightly reminders of your long day will kill the romantic ambience pretty quickly.
3. Set a pretty table
Are you eating dinner on plastic or otherwise ugly plates? Or, heaven forbid, eating in front of the TV every night? Bring out the pretty dishes and set the table! No need for fancy china. I collect lots of plates from discount stores like HomeGoods and TJ Maxx. Setting the table is a simple thing to do but it sets the tone for a more romantic home.
4. End the day earlier
If you tend to be tired in the evenings, do as your grandparents probably did and try having “supper” instead of dinner. Meaning, eat earlier if you can! The earlier you can eat and clean up, the more time you have in the evening to enjoy relaxation. And adjust the kids bedtime if you can pull that off! It is nice to have a couple of child-free hours in the evenings.
Another tip my husband and I used to use when our kids were young was to feed the kids separately once in awhile. Then we’d put them to bed and have our own dinner together, just like having a dinner date at home!
5. Freshen up the scent
If your house smells like leftover fish tacos after dinner, air things out! Clean the sink, use a diffuser with romantic scents, or bake something yummy for dessert!
6. Soften the mood
As the daylight starts to fade, turn down the bright lights in the house, too. Use lamps instead of overhead lighting. Once the kids have gone to bed, light candles or use battery-operated candles to lend a pretty glow to end tables. Find our favorite battery-operated candles here!
If you have a fireplace, use it! We have a gas fireplace so it is easy to flip on a switch for instant warmth and ambience. If building a fire is impractical or you have a nonworking fireplace or no fireplace at all, set up a bunch of candles to give off light and sparkle. Instead of flipping on the TV every evening to fill the silence, play some romantic background music instead.
I made a Happy Homebody Playlist recently, if you need some new tunes you can check it out here!
7. Get creative
Are you turning into an old married couple with a predictable evening routine? Gulp. If you usually clean up after dinner, put the kids to bed and then watch TV the rest of the night, try mixing up the routine by doing a puzzle or playing a board game next to the fireplace. Try reading out loud to each other curled up on the couch. Or, get really romantic and re-read your love letters or re-live your memories of your early dating days. At first you might think it sounds corny or forced, or you might think your old routine is pretty comfortable, but routines can get a little dull! And dull is not very romantic.
8. Decorate with romantic-inspired furniture and decor
Find a round-up of decor inspiration and sources below!
Speaking of romantic vibes, did you see the free Anthropologie-Inspired Diffuser I’m giving away this week? Check it out here!
What ways do you add ‘romance’ to the feel of your home?
Happy Valentine’s Day!
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