The Mothers Who Make a House a Home

Love, comfort, warmth, safety, security and sanctuary. These are just some of the words moms across Canada use to describe their homes.

"A house to me is just a structure built from raw materials," said Teresa Oliviera, a working mom of two who lives in Maple, Ontario. "A house becomes a home when it's shared with loved ones..." 

There are millions of mothers across Canada like Oliviera who work tirelessly to create safe and inviting homes for their families and friends.

In honour of Mother's Day, we interviewed five Canadian moms to find out how they define a home, and to learn about their home design and décor journeys. Plus we've included in a few worthwhile tips from design experts to consider when transforming your own space for your family and loved ones. 

More than a place for cooking, cleaning and child-rearing, homes today also serve as an office, the go-to brunch spot, a play space, a self-care oasis, a home gym, and so much more. The home has become more of an integral part of our lives then ever before.  

Carolyn Innes is a working mother of two who lives in Keswick, Ontario. Sharing her home with her husband, nine-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son, Innes's family loves spending time in their living room playing board games and watching movies. She described the home she has built as simple and minimal, as a young family means investing into the kids' activities and monthly bills first. While home décor isn't currently a priority, she loves her family's sofa and is saving up to invest in a higher quality one.

"I would love a more expensive sofa and I think our kids are at the age now where we can really keep it in good shape!" she said.

This is an important consideration when furnishing a home, whether you're moving into a new space or looking to refresh your current space: make your home work for you inside and out. Aside from comfort, your home should make the habits of everyday life easier. If you have young kids or even a fur baby or two, you'll want to invest in durable pieces that will withstand the wear and tear of your family's life. 

"Always start with the question: 'What do I want my home to feel like?' – is it warm and inviting, or cool and modern?" explains Kalina Todorova. "The same question can be applied when you select the furniture – think about comfort, tactility, functions etc.," she said.

This isn't to say you shouldn't incorporate any sentimental or valuable items within your family home. Innes, for example, has an antique thermostat and an heirloom antique grandfather clock that sits proudly in her living room. Proving that there are certainly ways to mix old and new, functional and stylish pieces.

"Often the things we surround ourselves with have a sentimental value to us," Todorova said. "From pictures capturing memories, to things we've collected while traveling or gifts we were given, they all trigger emotions." 

With children especially, there is a period of transition in any home. The home of Belinda Walburg demonstrates this perfectly. Walburg is a mother of twins and a dog named Chloe. She worked with her husband to renovate their home in Ontario when they first moved in and have since made various alterations to accommodate their kids. 

"Our television room became a kids' playroom fairly quickly," Walburg said. "We had mats covering the entire floor, toys, diapers and more!" 

Now that her kids are slightly older, they've converted their basement into a designated play area, and reverted their television room back to serve its intended purpose.

"It was hard transitioning the rooms back and forth," she said, "but we did it."

Patty Shumka, mother of three from Milton, Ontario, can relate. After having three kids sharing a 1,900 square-foot home with her and her husband, the influx of toys and sheer volume of stuff was overwhelming. 

"Once we started having children, a lot of photos and table top décor was put away for safety reasons." Shumka explained. "Our décor morphed into one of functional storage while trying to maintain a cohesive style."

On the flip side, Jeanette Souliere from Kamloops, British Columbia is a widow and empty-nester whose two grown sons, aged 28 and 30, have long since moved out of their family home. After moving into her new home in 2019, she set out to create a cohesive space that combined her love for femininity and elegance with some rustic touches that appeal to her sons when they visit. 

"Having my own home gives me the freedom to decorate the way I desire without disagreeing with my former husband," she said.

Of course, regardless of who you share your home with, furniture and décor play an integral role in shaping your space. 

"If you are looking to refresh your space, ask yourself 'does your home reflect your personality'?" said Todorova. "You don't have to change your entire decor to refresh your home, small things can make a big impact. Restyle your sofa, rearrange the furniture, make a statement by displaying an art piece you love or create a picture collage wall..."

To create your own look, consider the materials, colours, shapes, and styles that suit your personal taste and the functionality of your home. Consider prioritizing comfort to ensure your home provides the physical and mental support you and your family need after a long day. This doesn't mean sacrificing style, but rather finding ways to ensure style and function work in tandem. 

Jamie Gold, a wellness design consultant and author of the soon-to-be-published book Wellness by Design explains that you should surround yourself with elements that evoke nature, as these boast natural healing properties. 

She recommends homeowners make the entrance for their homes as welcoming and inviting as possible, whether this is the front door or the garage entryway. Overall organization of any home will pay dividends in functionality, especially when it comes to the kitchen and home office.

Today as families across Canada and around the world spend more time in their homes, creating a functional and flexible space is especially important. Many mothers are working from home temporarily, with some also home-schooling their kids. Making the demands on mothers more taxing then ever . 

"With everything going on, we have put less priority on keeping the house tidy and in order, and put more of our time in coming up with activities for our kids," Walburg said. "Our space now is less structured and more 'go with the flow.'" 

When decorating your home, it's important not to feel pressured to play into trends. While it is fun to incorporate a few trendy pieces to refresh your space, timeless, classic pieces should make up the foundation of your interior design to ensure your house feels like a home for years to come.

"When we talk about our homes we often describe an emotional state, the memories we create, feelings and atmosphere first," Todorova said. "A home is a reflection of who we are, it tells the story of our life." 

In the spirit of paying homage to the classics and celebrating Mother's Day, it would be remiss to not acknowledge all of the great advice passed down from mothers of all generations. 

"I always remember my mother's aesthetic of 'less is more,'" Shumka said. 

She explained that her mother, an immigrant from Greece in the late-1960s, valued her home décor pieces and would re-purpose them to give them a fresh feel. 

"I think that's something I've taken from her," Shumka continued. "If I buy a piece, I find that I will re-purpose it in different ways. So, a dresser may become a TV stand or a bar, a sideboard may become a kitchen island." 

Similarly, Walburg always admired the decorative touches her mother sprinkled around her childhood home, and has incorporated a similar sense of styling throughout her own family home.

"I have little accent decor all over that I think are classy but also have tons of character." she said. 

Oliviera, whose mother heralds from southern Italy, taught her the importance of investing in a large dining table that can accommodate planned and impromptu family dinners.

Souliere, whose mother is 95 years old, gifted her a beloved Shirley Temple album, which she has framed in a shadow box. Souliere recalls the busy days of her childhood home (which housed a family of nine!) fondly, and reminisces about her family's Sunday dinners and watching Disney movies in the evening with her siblings. 

Undoubtedly, your home today is vastly different from the home your mother ran. Aside from changes in construction material, the integration of technology, and ever-changing interior design trends, our understanding and expectations of the home have evolved as well. 

While all the mothers come from different backgrounds, possess different interior design tastes and live with families at different stages of life, all can agree that a house is truly made a home when there is safety, comfort, and above all, love. While the functions and expectations of a home can ebb and flow with the times, these core values remain essential to what makes a house a home.

So to all the mother's reading; take a break on your beloved sofa, share brunch over your rustic dining table, or snuggle in for some family reading time on your cozy bed, and be proud of how you've made your house the perfect home for your family.  

Happy Mother's Day from all of us at Furniture.ca!