Creating Magic Manual: Issue Two–Decorating with the Senses

Or: How to Make Your Home Seduce You (and Maybe a Guest)

Welcome back, my darling delight-seekers.

This month, we’re staying in—and we’re making it divine.

Because here’s the truth: if your home doesn’t feel like a total-body “ahhh,” it’s going to drag your mood down like a bad bra. Your environment sets your vibe.

You may be thinking—I don’t have enough money for a remodel or new stuff. Me either! You don’t need anything new. You don’t need to spend a dime if you don’t want to. Or go crazy thrifting or max your card at a high end furniture store (I don’t recommend that last one, but I don’t judge). You just need a little intention, some well-placed lighting, and a willingness to ask yourself: Does this feel delicious?

Let’s turn your space into a five-sense feast.
Let’s make it so good, you’ll actually want people to come over and see it. (Don’t panic—I’ll give you an assignment for that at the end.)

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Sight: Lighting Is Foreplay

Lighting is everything. Harsh overhead light is a crime against ambiance. It’s the aesthetic equivalent of bad office coffee: functional, but dead inside. Your home should be a sanctuary, not an interrogation office.

Here’s your fix:

• Uplights. Cheap, easy, and sexy as hell. Tuck one behind a plant or in a corner and watch the whole mood shift. You can get them online or at a home store for under 20 bucks.
  

  

• Lamps beat ceiling lights. Scatter a few small ones around at different heights. The goal is glow. Different heights add allure and interest.

• Candles. Not just for date night. Candles create mood and ambiance. They relax the vibe. You deserve relaxed vibes, and you don't need a guest to enjoy one. Home alone? Light the damn candles. Your space can alter your mood. Candlelight = instant romance, Even if the only one you’re wooing is yourself, which can be quite delicious! Battery operated ones do the trick, if you are worried your cat is going to start a fire.
  

And now—art.

Art is the most important visual feature in a home.

Art is emotion on the wall. Art is play. Art is a juxtaposition of elements.

Art is everything.

Your walls should not look like a mid-range chain hotel. Live, laugh, love is not a mood, it’s a cry for help. Boring, bland prints create a boring and bland vibe. My darling, you are anything but boring—you are stardust reincarnated into a magical being! Your space should proclaim this. Your space should be the most you place in the universe.

Art should be as interesting as you are, and it doesn’t need to match your room decor.

Photo by The Wise Woman—The Bungalow, Long Beach

Art should make you feel something—joy, nostalgia, mischief, desire. Hang things that matter to you. Art can be anything:

• That scribble your best friend made during brunch

• A thrifted piece you can’t explain but adore

• Your own work—yes, you’re allowed to hang it up

• Grandma’s plates

• A rug

• A beautiful scarf

• A cool mirror you found on the side of the road

• Sentimental photos
  

  Pro tips:

• Hang art near a plant. It’s like giving it a little green fan club.

• Use large pieces or group small pieces together for more visual interest.

• Hang art low. Eye level.

Renters: If you use a nail and have light walls, smooth a little toothpaste in the hole when you leave—it works like a charm! No hole! Or use Command picture hanger velcro stickers, they work surprisingly well.

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Smell: Scent Is the Silent Seducer

You want your home to smell like a love story, not a microwave burrito. And luckily, scent is one of the easiest ways to bring in the magic.

Try this: