I am writing after a week in the beautiful Dominican Republic shivering in the cold and watching my tan fade by the minute.

I know, I know…sympathy is not expected but it is really wonderful to be in my own bed amongst my favorite things. Travel is a mind-expanding experience and it is lovely to see different parts of the world but it is just as rewarding to lie down in familiar surroundings in the dwelling you have so lovingly crafted.

No matter the type or opulence of the resort you stay in, it isn’t home.

You can have the most fantastic surroundings but the convenience and familiarity of home can never be duplicated. The warning in our resort was to not drink the tap water and I seemed to forget and rinsed my toothbrush in the tap water a few times!

The simple act of brushing our teeth, even in a five-star resort, is nothing like it is at home. Our home is our sanctuary and the place where we feel most comfortable, where we sleep deeper and can fully relax.

The familiar is good for the soul, walking through my house last night was soothing and I was very glad to be home even though I had a wonderful time on my vacation.

What are the things that you enjoy about your home? What makes you the most comfortable? I’m not talking about that ratty old pair of sweat pants you wear on a Saturday morning but rather the pieces you have lovingly chosen for your home, those mementos you gather in your travels.

Do you have favorite spots in your home that give you joy every time you are in them – these are the places that make it home.

If home is as much about experience and memory as it is about design, it surprises me that more people don’t spend a little more love on their interiors.

I think a lot of people are afraid of the cost of updating their home but sometimes it is just about showing your home some love.

Spending time to find a perfect accent piece or super cozy blanket can be the lift that your house needs and the injection of home and comfort that you desire.

Its okay to love your home, it is where you spend a great deal of time and create many memories. There is no better place than the space where you can feel the most comfortable, the place that wraps you in warmth and solitude while witnessing your most cherished family moments.

This place waits for you while you are away – never changing and always welcoming you when you return.

Be good to your home and it will be good to you, pay it some attention and don’t forget to appreciate it when you return.

Spending time away from home makes it that much more enjoyable to return to it and allows you to appreciate your home for all its flaws and values.

Kim Lewis is an interior designer in Red Deer with Carpet Colour Centre.