If you’ve never tried home improvement through nothing other than your five senses, then this should be interesting. Humans respond positively to anything that appeals to any one of their natural senses of sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste. When more than one sense is stimulated, the response is stronger. Knowing this can be very useful when trying to make improvements to your home that will be noticed and appreciated. Using the senses then, will enable you to reach people on a very subliminal level, so much so that your neighbors may not even be able to define what makes them come round for so many cups of sugar!

Sight is the most powerful of the senses for a majority of people. Lighting is what makes this approach work; it literally has the power to turn someone on or off. Bright lighting should be reserved for the kitchen and probably your work space, while soft or diffused lighting is good for mood-enhancement areas such as the living room and the bedroom. In case you have walls that haven’t been repainted for want of extra cash, directional lighting may do the trick. Candles are an ancient method of setting a serene, relaxed and romantic mood, so see what works best for you and do that. Beware of any potential fire-hazards though – you don’t want a bonfire in your living room where the tea-lights used to be. You can also use dimmer controls on your light switches to allow for some flexibility. Portable lamps are also great for a quick approach to ambience-setting, but choose the kind that don’t look too industrial or it will work the other way.

The sense of smell is also a very powerful source of ideas. Airing out your rooms regularly can eliminate any foul odors that chase away pesky houseguests but attract other vermin. Planning your scents for each room is a great way to amalgamate various moods and get the perfect blend to make your friends’ olfactory lobes wag their tails. There are a plethora of devices you can use to enhance the smells around your home: aromatherapy candles, essential oils, incense sticks and room fresheners. Just make sure that they don’t pose a sensory overload risk, and be considerate of people with allergies. Finally, nothing reminds a person of their own home like the smell of a freshly baked cake – no wonder that many grandmothers always had a kitchen full of people.

Sound is a sound method of evincing interest and appreciation. Music playing in the background is a known mood-enhancer. Even elevator music puts people at ease when compared to the other option of dead silence. Burn a couple of CDs with your favorite music, and play them on shuffle mode at parties, or turn the TV to a music channel with a choice that the majority will like. There are even CDs that replicate the relaxing sounds of the forest or the ocean when you’re alone and in the mood for some meditative contemplation.

Touch is the only consideration when choosing upholstery fabric textures and different types of furniture. Metal is cold and wood is warm; leather can be either; vinyl and other similar materials might give a more official look to the room. With a  well-planned combination of these materials you can set the right mood for the tactile sensors all over the body. Even the feel of shag carpet under bare feet can set off a chain reaction of beneficial hormonal changes. Try it and you’ll see for yourself.

You probably wouldn’t think of taste as a mood-enhancer, but just see the looks on the faces of salivating males when the pizza man rings the bell on fight night, and you will be convinced that taste plays its part in making in improving the overall feel of a home.