People don't really live here

Describe your home in one word.

Mine is: Balanced.

Pictured: Not my house

When my husband and I chose our home, we admitted that we fell in love with how much space there was in the main living area. Because it has high ceilings, is open to the upstairs loft and has an open floor plan, we feel like it is a home we can breathe in.

Of course all that openness means that noise carries through the space, so we often have to remind our son that there are certain activities he can only do in his room, because they are just too loud to subject the rest of the house to.

I try to keep the house neat, but I admit that my focus is on the downstairs area - the rooms of the house that company would see. This means I am often collecting wayward toys and items from the downstairs of the house and relocating them back upstairs to their proper home. (Also: Sorry, Mom, for all those times you had to do this with my toys when I was little.)

When my son objects that he is not allowed to leave his stuff downstairs, I remind him that he has multiple rooms upstairs where he can play. It's hard for him to understand, I know. To him, the whole house should be one giant play zone. To me, the house should look lived in, but not too messy, and definitely not like one of those designer homes where it looks like no one is allowed to relax. That is a hard balance to strike, I mean, even this family room design with a hammock couch (wow!), looks too perfect for a family to hang out there.

But looking at that room has brought up a few new things for me to think about:

1. It's OK to bring the fun downstairs and let it hang out for a while if it is family oriented - like board games or puzzles on the table.
2. How in the world do you sit (not lay down) on a hammock couch?

What one word would describe the home you want for your family? Tell me in the comments.