Comfy surroundings turn home into haven
By Shawn Sell
USA Today
Whatever you call it — cocooning, nesting, hibernating — our tendency during January's chilly gray days has always been to stay warm and cozy up at home. That's especially true now, when cooler weather, and the lingering effects of Sept. 11, pervade the new year. As Americans seek comfort, familiarity and a sense of place, surroundings take on more importance. Here, interior designer Patricia Hart McMillan (author of "Sun Country Style" and "House Comfortable: The Art & Science of Comfortable Living") shares ideas on how to turn your home into an even more pleasant haven.
Q. How has the idea of home changed in recent months?
A. There is a new appreciation for what home is. Fewer people consider home just a place to hang their hat, but even those who do want it to be convenient. Americans are pioneers in spirit, but they are also comfort-loving people who need and recognize a place to recharge and be nurtured.
Q. So nesting is a normal reaction to what has been happening in the world?
A. I don't like the words "nesting" or "cocooning," because that makes it seem as if we are all running home to bury our heads in the sand — to block out all that is happening. That is not what this country is doing. People want to be home more, to sit down to dinner every night with those they care about, but they also want to get things done.
Q. Does that mean there is still interest in creating home offices?
A. Oh, yes, absolutely. Several years ago, the trend was toward smart, good-looking home offices, but many of them really didn't function well. Now there is more demand for specifically designed home-office furniture and well-lighted, well-equipped, easy-to-work-in offices that can accommodate work and family demands.
Q. You talk a great deal about comfort and creating a comfortable environment. Isn't beauty important, too?
A. Comfort is surrounding yourself with things that make you feel content and relaxed. That's why it's so important these days.
Q. Is it difficult for the average person to make that happen in his/her own home?
A. No, it's actually very easy. It's all about making things nicer. There is a renewed emphasis on quality, which really has to do with offering your family or yourself, if you live alone, a little something extra. Quality time, quality products, quality gestures — all are expressions of love and caring.
Q. In what way?
A. Well, it's really about choosing small and pretty things. When people shop for their home now, they are interested in making it a better place to be, but they're not going overboard on expensive items. It could be something as simple as purchasing new place mats for the dinner table or festive new paper napkins or several scented candles. The idea is to recognize beauty, or any uplifting item, when you see it.
Q. So decorating is no longer about going out and buying the most expensive piece of art you can afford for your walls?
A. There is more interest in putting unique or attractive items on the walls than spending outrageous amounts for original artwork. Hanging plates — single ones or grouped — is a very popular thing to do at the moment. The point is, we're not as status-crazy as we used to be.
Q. Can you offer an example?
A. I know a great one: linens.
Q. But aren't linens considered an extravagance, even passe?
A. Not at all. In fact, many clients now express interest in owning multiple sets for one room. Changing the bed with sheets, blankets, comforters, quilts and piles of pillows is quick and easy and not nearly as expensive as it used to be. It's a fun way to pamper everyone. And change, you know, can be as important as comfort.
