Q&A: What Makes a House a Home?

We asked all the housemates, what makes a house a home? Here's their responses.


Current Housemates:

Emerson: With starting a commune has come challenges I hoped I wouldn't have to face, but my happy-hippie-rainbow bubble was burst... a few times. I've appreciated the ability having honest, empathetic conversations with folks about issues as they arise while learning about my housemates values, personality and conflict styles. I feel a home needs to have open communication that honors each human for where they are on this journey. I enjoy coming back to a place each night that accepts me for who I am, which I feel I could go on and on about. Things like affirming me, respecting my pronouns, helping me when I'm in over my head, not calling my life a "lifestyle" and enjoying my idiosyncrasies. I love that folks want to hang out with Grey, get to know him, and have conversations with him. I love how everyone greets the animals and talks about them. So succinctly, I'd say it's the interactions with my housemates and the memories we've created that make this feel like home.

Lindsey: "A house is not a home because of the things in it. I feel like it's a place where I can be myself. It's a place that we cook, clean, and work together. Where I can rest my weary head after working all day. It's a place that gives me comfort."

Olivia: To me, the defining factor of what makes a house a home is the community surrounding it, to feel comfortable in a home is the thing I value the most


Past Housemates:
Atash Feeling safe and connected to those you are living with. Feeling empowered.

Ezra: A house becomes a home when it is comfortable, physically and mentally. A home needs to have space for you to move around freely and do whatever it is you need to do to be physically comfortable. More importantly, it’s a place that brings you peace of mind. As someone that is introverted and deals with mental illness, I need a safe space that is totally mine to be able to escape to and decompress in. Moving in and living here has given me a sense of home that has been missing for me for a longer time than I care to admit. I do believe it also takes time for a house to become a home, so the longer I’m here, the more homey it will feel.

Nate: Home is where the heart is some might say, but moving many times throughout my childhood I grew to learn that home isn't one place. For me home is the place that you feel most safe, and open. Home is a place where not only have memories been made but there are more to be made. There will never be one simple, definite answer as to what makes a house a home. The classic combination of love and family contributes to this, but I believe there is a much deeper meaning to the idea of a "home." Houses are made with all the same parts. It's the personal memories and unforgettable stories that make a house a home.

Shauntez: Some say the home is where the heart is. For me, a home is where you can feel comfortable and safe. A home is a place where you can always feel free and be yourself. A house is made a home when surrounded by the right people making the best memories. Family, friends, love, and unforgettable moments are the ingredients needed to make a house, a home.