As an Army spouse of 18 years, Maria Reed knows all about the struggles of planting roots in an ever-changing ground. But no matter where her soldier is stationed, she’s all in when creating a home for her family and helping others do the same.
“A house is really a space where we live, but a home is a place where we feel we belong, where we have an emotional attachment. You can say it’s where our heart feels at ease,” she said. “It’s a place of caring and love. For military families, home may be a very difficult word to define since we move so much and live in many different places.”
Reed has made it her mission to help families create homes through her television show “Moving With The Military” — thanks to a sponsorship from Caliber Home Loans.
“The reason it is important to turn a house into a home is the impact that having that space has on our mental health and overall wellbeing,” Reed said. “As humans we need to feel peace and comfort, and military families live in so much uncertainty that the feel of home is critical.”
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Five years ago she took this mindset to the road and began helping other military families by providing room — and sometimes entire home — makeovers. So where did this long-time television producer and teacher find her passion for design? Military life started it all.
“I love everything about design,” she said. “I love the challenge of creating a space that the family will enjoy and feel comfortable in. Every family’s needs are different and I feel like I play part psychologist in figuring out what will work best for them. I love science and using color therapy concepts to help create a space that works for them. I also really love ‘the find’ — stumbling across a piece I wasn’t planning on but realizing it’s perfect for the space.”
Even in the chaos of it all, Reed said she finds peace in the process.
“I think what I love the most is watching the families’ reactions,” she said. “It’s the best and truth be told, I am a hot mess before the families are there for the reveal of the space. I’m all kinds of panicky.”
Reed shared some simple tips for military families looking to upgrade their spaces and turn houses into homes:
- Before you buy new, look at what you already have. Change up the layout of the furniture to see what works to create a better flow in the room.
- Bring in warmth with things like area rugs, blankets and throw pillows.
- Hang curtains almost to the ceiling, as it helps elongate the space. (Make sure you get the right curtain length. Do not leave a gap at the floor. Curtains should be touching the floor.)
- Dress up empty walls with art. Create a gallery of your memories and use a large statement piece. A great rule of thumb when hanging larger art is to hang pictures at 56-60 inches from floor to center.
- Feed the human desire to connect with nature by bringing in plants. Having plants in our homes reduces anxiety.
- Paint, and don’t be afraid to be bold. You can always paint it back.
- Lastly, if you love it, then it is good design. Tell your story and have fun with it.
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