Article by Jennifer Miller | photos by Nathan Satran

February has a way of asking us to slow down. Winter still lingers, and home becomes the place where most of life happens. It is a quieter season, which makes it the perfect time to reconnect with our spaces and see them with fresh eyes.

Romanticizing your home does not mean buying new furniture or chasing a magazine-worthy look. It is about noticing what already exists and making small, intentional choices that make everyday life feel warmer, calmer, and more personal.

Interior designer Jessica Hannesson of Hannesson Home believes a home should be a place of comfort before anything else. “Homes are sacred,” she says. “It is where you feel safe. It is where you can shape your environment and make it reflect who you are.” That mindset shifts the focus from perfection to presence.

START SMALL AND BE INTENTIONAL

One of the simplest ways to romanticize a home is through lighting. Overhead lighting has its place, but softer, layered lighting instantly changes how a space feels and adds warmth. A small lamp on the kitchen counter, a table lamp near the couch, or even a candle lit in the evening can instantly slow the pace of a space.

Hannesson encourages homeowners to focus on one small improvement at a time. “You don’t have to buy new all the time,” she says. “Just do one thing that makes your space feel better than it did before.” That could be swapping a lampshade, updating hardware, or styling a surface with items you already own.

Our senses play a quiet but powerful role in how spaces feel. Warm light, cozy textures, and familiar scents work together to create comfort. A favorite candle, a simmer pot on the stove, or fresh linens can shift the mood of a room without changing anything else.

CREATE MOMENTS, NOT JUST ROOMS

Romanticizing your home is less about how it looks and more about how it feels to live in. The goal is to create moments that invite you to slow down. A chair with a blanket and a lamp becomes a place you actually want to sit. A coffee station with your favorite mug makes mornings feel less rushed. A basket of blankets near the couch encourages everyone to settle in.

Hannesson shared that before renovating her own kitchen, she focused on creating one corner she loved. “I bought a small lamp, styled it with a cookbook and a cutting board, and suddenly that space felt good,” she says. “I took a photo of it and thought, I love how this feels.”

Noticing those details matters. Taking photos of small moments, even just for yourself, can change how you see your home. It reinforces that beauty exists in the everyday.

LET GO OF THE NEED FOR PERFECTION

Many homeowners hesitate to invest emotionally in their homes because they do not feel finished or ideal. But waiting for the ideal version of your space often means missing out on joy right now.

“We’re not striving for perfection,” Hannesson says. “We’re striving for something that feels more like you.” A single candle, a new pillow, or a favorite pot used for a family meal can be enough to shift perspective.

Decluttering can also play an important role. Clearing one surface or tidying one small area can create a sense of calm. A five-minute nightly reset or choosing one small area to tidy can often make a bigger difference than a whole weekend of organizing.

MAKE THE ORDINARY FEEL SPECIAL

Romanticizing your home often shows up in the most ordinary moments. Setting the table for a weeknight dinner. Keeping fresh flowers on the counter. Baking cookies with your kids and letting the mess happen.

Hannesson believes perspective is key. “You can do the same things you do every day,” she says, “but if you change how you see them, it changes how your life feels.” Lighting a candle while cooking dinner or playing music in the evening can turn routine moments into something more intentional. These small rituals help signal rest and connection.

When we slow down enough to notice those moments, we begin to see our spaces differently.

A LOVE LETTER TO THE LIFE YOU’RE LIVING

February is not about adding more to your home. It is about appreciating what is already there and making choices that support comfort, connection, and rest.

Romanticizing your home is an act of care. It is choosing to create warmth on a winter evening. It is softening the edges of daily life. It is honoring the place where memories are made. When we stop waiting for perfect conditions and start celebrating the present, our homes become places we truly love to be.

And sometimes, that starts with nothing more than a small lamp, a candle, and the decision to see your home as worthy, just as it is.

Originally printed in the February 2026 issue of Simply Local Magazine

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