Recently, I read an interesting quote on the Barefoot Contessa’s website about creating a home –

“Something smells really good!” my husband, Jeffrey, exclaims every Friday night when he walks in the door. Most weeks, Jeffrey has been around the world and back and when he walks in that door, I want him to feel that he’s really home. What he doesn’t realize is that what feels very casual is, in fact, quite deliberate: the music is playing, all the lights are on, there are flowers everywhere, and chicken and onions are roasting in the oven. I didn’t always know how to make a home. It took time and lots of experimentation.” 

Creating a warm and comfortable environment to share with your family takes time, effort, and thought. Perfection is in the details. Gathering your family around the table daily to share a meal is an element of living well. Healthy foods, lovingly prepared, accented by a vase of fragrant and colorful fresh flowers helps to create a sense of well-being.

The use of technology products has the world speeding up around us, faster than ever. Newscasts deliver fear and worry daily into our homes. Taking the time to create a feeling that our home is a lovely, peaceful safe haven filled with good things for our family to share is a good way to teach our children that ‘life is good!’