5 Ways To Make Your Home Feel Like a Vacation

Blue bedroom with four poster bed, patterned blinds and curtains, chevron rug, white chest of drawers, and two white lamps either side of the bed with blue and white patterned lampshades. — (Image credit: Future / ALECIA NEO)

There's a distinctly special feeling about a vacation. For some, it's knowing that a week of pure relaxation is imminent; for others, it's the excitement of eating your way around a new food destination; but perhaps the most poignant thing that comes with taking time off is the sense of calm and ease that flows over you as soon as you set foot into your vacation home away from home.

While such ease might feel like it's only reserved for when you OOO is on, there are small, easy switches that can help you carry that feeling with you, long after you've landed back on home soil. From keeping your home free of clutter or adding one small luxury to your nightstand to picking out decor pieces that remind you of holidays, these are the five things designers always do to create a sense of everlasting calm at home.

1. Evoke Calm Through Decluttering

White panelled bedroom seen through an open doorway with a dark blue bed with white bedding, jute carpet, gallery wall and black and white patterned curtains. — Start by decluttering your space from the outset for a peaceful, calm atmosphere.

The first step to creating a serene environment that feels like you're on vacation is decluttering. To nail hotel design secrets, keep your space clear of unnecessary trinkets or mess. 'As a design firm that specializes in vacation homes, we know a thing or two about creating that special “vacation” feeling at home,' says Brooke Sabia of Phase 4 Design Group. 'For us, the foundation is a well-organized and clean house. Clutter, disorder, and a messy environment create stress. Before you can relax and truly enjoy your home, you have to make sure it is organized and tidy! From there, we like to hit all the senses with a little touch of luxury.'

2. Scatter Summery Scents

a Victorian entryway with floral striped wallpaper, light blue half paneling, a mid blue painted arched walk way and layered vintage runner rugs — Scatter fresh, summery scents where you can, whether that's through greenery in a hallway or a seasonal candle on your coffee table.

Making your home smell like summer will transport you back to your time away, be it lounging on a Caribbean beach or sipping wine at a Greek taverna. Not to mention, it'll evoke freshness and give your home a quick and easy uplift.

'Change the scent at your entry to something that isn't your everyday,' suggests Jennifer Baxter of Baxter Hill Interiors. 'Think mountain pine, salt air – so that arriving home registers as arriving somewhere. Skip the synthetic fragrances and paraffin candles; you want the air to feel cleaner and healthier, not heavier.'

Placing an essential oil diffuser filled with eucalyptus by your bedside will bring a spa-like tranquillity to your bedroom, as would a citrusy reed diffuser in your bathroom or a hallway.

3. Create Ambience With Pockets of Lighting

rustic living room with textured plaster walls, a gray couch and a wooden console table behind — Create pockets of warmth by scattering different lighting types to mimic vacation ambience.

If you want your home to feel light, open, and full of possibility, it's time to ditch the big light and incorporate pockets of cozy warmth. Try to mimic the ambience of outdoor dining or the glow of a bedside lamp in your hotel suite.

'If you only have overhead lighting, go get table or floor lamps and put 2700K bulbs in them,' says Jennifer. 'Vacation light is low, warm, and lateral. It's rarely coming from the ceiling.'

For a true vacation-inspired set-up, scatter cordless lamps along an outdoor dining table, or delicate hurricane glasses around your backdoor. Bring the lighting indoors with pleated lampshades, thoughtful wall sconces, or, if you really want to go all out, opt for a clever solution like built-in reading lights above a headboard.

4. Design a Restful Outdoor Area

Patio with a beamed ceiling, and white arched walls, a jute rug on the floor, and cane lounge chairs and a wooden table, overlooking a Mediterranean garden. — Create a relaxed outdoor dining or lounge area to transport you to a place of serenity.

'Making your home feel like a vacation is all about tapping into your favorite vacation mode senses,' explains Lisa Erdmann of Lisa Erdmann Interiors. 'First and foremost, declutter and put your work items – laptop and paperwork – away and out of site. Make a “No Work” zone. Mute your phone. If you crave the beach for your vacation, buy a patio umbrella for your pool or backyard and set up some lounge chairs with folded towels like a resort. Wayfair and Overstock both have numerous reasonable options.'

'Make the most of the outside space available, even if it’s a tiny balcony, windowsill or the entrance porch,' advises Suzanne. 'Uplift the space with aromatic planting, and create symmetry with whatever you choose, so, for example, the space on either side of the front door is balanced with matching pots or planting.'

'Use insect-friendly options wherever possible – a sea of lavender evokes the south of France, with the bonus that it also deters mosquitoes and biting bugs. Tubs of basil, oregano, lemon balm and peppermint refresh the air around you to create a positive ambiance.'

5. Add 'One Small Luxury' To Your Everyday

Traditional bedroom with canopy bed, upholstered floral headboard, a mahogany chest of drawers with a white ceramic table lamp on top, and a vase — Add 'one small luxury' to your nightstand to instantly elevate your bedroom.

There are things to add and remove to your nightstand in the summer, but perhaps the most important is bringing in one thing that feels truly luxurious to you. 'Finally, bring in one small luxury and put it where it isn't strictly necessary,' says Jennifer, 'flowers in the bathroom, a carafe and a real glass on the nightstand, a hand-carved chess board set up and waiting.'

Implementing little luxuries into your routine will create some excitement and novelty; it's an impactful way to make your days feel more special. 'Sign up for a weekly flower delivery or carve out time to visit your favorite florist every week,' says Brooke. 'Fresh flowers are an affordable way to elevate your space and transport your senses.'

'Alternatively, set up a spa day in your bathroom; buy some luxury self-care products to spoil yourself with a facial, a hair mask, a long bubbly tub, whatever feels like an indulgence to you.'

The Vacation Edit

A home that feels like a vacation is calm, quiet, and soothing. It allows you to enjoy your surroundings and feel an immediate sense of ease and lightness when you enter. While that holiday feeling is almost unbeatable, these five impactful ways to make your home feel like a haven come pretty close.

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