M ost of us have had the experience of visiting a home that exudes so much warmth and coziness that we curl up on the sofa and find ourselves falling asleep.

But what is it that makes guests feel comfortable and want to linger? Is it the inviting colors, the clutter-free surfaces or the lively conversations around the kitchen table?

And how can you get that feeling in your home? You’ve painted the walls, purchased some decent furniture and hung some art on the walls and bought accents from Ikea and Pier 1 Imports, but you silently wonder, “Why doesn’t my place feel like that?”

Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan, author of “Apartment Therapy: The Eight-Step Home Cure” (Bantam Dell, $14), says making your apartment or house feel more homey doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. The solution could be as simple as re-arranging your furniture for better air flow, deep cleaning, cooking more often and adding small touches such as displaying fresh-cut flowers and burning candles.

The former school teacher and interior designer in New York City says it’s important to identify the problems in your living area because “when you work on your home, you work on yourself, and when you change your home, you are changing yourself.”

Barry Egner says he understood that concept when he first purchased his Arts and Crafts home in New Boston. He wanted his home to reflect the charm and character of the house, and he knew he wanted to work with whites, sage greens, and fawn to pick up the wood tones.

The chemical technician says he literally sat down in the middle of the floor to feel the rooms.

“I felt the whole place,” he says. “I did that and now I’m so happy with my home.”

Gillingham-Ryan says to start by thinking of your home as a body that is made up of these four parts:

Bones. The walls, floor, ceiling, windows and fixtures in your home are its skeleton. Ailments: The sink leaks, the walls crack, the kitchen tiles come loose.

Breath. The way the home is arranged determines how it breathes. Healthy air flow is blocked by poor placement of furniture and clutter. Ailments: The bookcases are too full; the mail piles up on the dining room table; certain parts of your home are never used.

Heart. The heart of the home is expressed emotionally through its style with colors, textures, shapes and themes you choose. If the home is unfocused or inconsistent, the home will lack energy, warmth and pizzazz. Ailments: The colors in the living room clash; the modern Italian sofa doesn’t fit with the Shaker rocking chair; the room is drab with sandy beige colors on the walls and furniture.

Head. The head of your home is expressed in its purpose, why you use it and what you do there. A healthy home should support your activities. If the design doesn’t match your needs, it leads to dysfunction and frustration. Ailments: There is no good light for reading in the living room; the kitchen drawers are disorganized and you can’t find anything. You lack seating for your guests and want to entertain.

If getting started makes you feel overwhelmed, Gillingham-Ryan says the secret is to take one room at a time. And don’t shy away from making changes just because you live in an apartment.

“You don’t need to make an investment in the landlord’s building,” he says, “but you need to make an investment in your home. The truth is you’re going to be living in your apartment for awhile. It’s really your home and an investment in yourself.”

You can reach Kimberly Hayes Taylor at (313) 222-2058 or ktay lor@detnews.com.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 27th, 2006 at 7:15 am and is filed under Home Design, Home Maintenance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.