Last month, I wrote about how witchy houses have captured our collective imaginations on The Bruja Professor. I also wrote on this blog about the joys of creating a witchy garden. It only makes sense that we take this witchy business a step further and talk about what it means to craft (pun intended) a witchy house!
It is a fact of life that we all want to live in the Practical Magic house and, if you’re like me, model our current abodes after it and other witchy pop culture homes like those found in Charmed and other shows. I mean, if you aren’t actively trying to create a space—and life—as magical as a hut built on chicken feet, are you even living?!?!
I think after the pandemic, especially, we all have a deeper appreciation for our domestic spaces and the importance of making them joyful, comforting sanctuaries. That is, unless you’re an introvert, in which case, you’ve already had a deep appreciation for the simple magic of your proverbial hobbit hole. Even in a post-pandemic world, I find myself retreating to the cool and quiet of my witchy abode to beat the summer heat. It is a truly wonderful feeling to tuck in knowing that I could go out and will when the mood strikes, but that I choose to stay home for a bit and enjoy the enchanting comforts of home (a very different feeling from lockdown, I assure you, much as I took comfort in my refuge then).
Essentially, crafting a witchy home is all about investing in your life in the here and now. And, if a home is a reflection of self, it’s also about investing in yourself and thinking about the energy you want to conjure in your life. What brings you joy? What do you find soothing? What do you look forward to the moment you wake up or the second you walk into your house at the end of a long work day? What places in your home feel stagnant or junk-filled? All important questions, all with deeply personal, idiosyncratic answers. In Weep, Woman, Weep, an essential part of Mercy’s conjuring and breaking free from ancestral hauntings is in the home she makes for herself. She fills it with beautiful things, precious things that reflect the life she’s trying to build for herself, a life of love, joy, and wholeness. Likewise, in Everyday Enchantments, I have more than a few essays about the quiet magic of home. I wrote those when I, too, was exploring what kind of life I wanted to conjure post-graduate school. A lot of magic has been conjured since then, much of it in my home!
There are, however, a few universal things that all magical homes have, personal preferences aside, so if you’re looking to craft a witchy sanctuary of your own, consider the following: The magic in a home can be boiled down to three important places—the kitchen, the library (um, living room), and the bedroom (wink, wink).
Go full-on kitchen witch in your kitchen. Think beautiful stoneware, molcajetes, cast iron pots…the works! These things are not only durable and pretty much last forever if you take care of them, but they add an element of comfort and beauty to your kitchen. My molcajete, a type of mortar and pestle, has a prized place on my counter and is usually listed with garlic from my garden or other hearty ingredients. Likewise, your pantry isn’t just a pantry. It’s an apothecary! Harvest your herbs and other delightful ingredients in mason jars and beautiful canisters. It should feel like a cabinet of ingredients for edible spells and medicines, not just the place where you stash your snacks.
Turn those bookcases into a library. All witches need a place to stash their grimoires, tomes, and other books. I don’t think I know a single witchy person who also isn’t an avid reader. These two things go hand in hand, like witches and cooking or introverts and writers. These are the FACTS! So it only makes sense that we cultivate our bookshelves as if they were our personal library filled with magic, mystery, and quite possibly mayhem if placed in the wrong hands. Fill your shelves with stories you love, stories that challenge or cause discomfort, books that make up the very fabric of your being. Stories are where 99% of magic comes from, after all, so it only makes sense that the more books you have in your home, the more magical it is.
Shop at (haunted) antique stores. I mean, don’t buy the cursed chest or the mysterious locket, and most certainly do not purchase old-timey photos of creepy families to hang on your wall. Never ever let the sallow-faced owner give you something for free. It probably has a spirit attached to it, one that has been sucking the life out of the owner until you, unlucky soul, were “gifted” the spirit. That said, if you can avoid these pitfalls, antique stores can be a great way to fill your home with unique furniture at an affordable price. Forget Ikea! I’ve found many one-of-a-kind pieces at local shops, old secretary desks, and gorgeous vanities, you name it. Paying attention to the vibes and look of a piece also helps you think about the kind of home you want to craft—would this purple fainting couch go with my spinning wheel?
Fill your space with things you love. This one seems like a no-brainer, but it bears repeating. Fill your home with art and don’t be stingy—fill every nook and cranny with beauty. Those star-dotted sheer curtains? Or those velvet green curtains for that matter? BUY THEM. Okay, maybe those are oddly specific to my home, velvet and corduroy in jewel colors being something I LOVE in my furniture and decor, BUT figure out what you love. What makes you feel like a witchy sister in Charmed? Or like a magical heroine in a soapy supernatural drama like Witches of East End? Decorate accordingly. Likewise, remember that we witches are like magpies, we like shiny things and we like to put those shiny things on surfaces to celebrate them. Fill your house with crystals, flowers, rocks, shells…all of these things bring good vibrations to your home.
Fill your house with plants… Truly, can you even call yourself a lover of Practical Magic if you don’t have a room dedicated to plants? Okay, so I can’t keep a lot of potted plants in my apartment—cats will eat things that aren’t good for them—but I do have a robust patio garden filled with all sorts of medicinal and culinary herbs. Magical AF! Fresh flowers also work, as do dried bouquets like the fresh-cut lavender currently drying in a vase on my writing desk. This keeps you connected to nature and keeps you grounded. Take time to learn the magical properties of the plants you love the most. You’d be surprised what you discover about yourself!
…and cats. And I get that not everyone likes cats—they are wrong, though, as my two familiars are quick to remind me. A home isn’t a home until you have at least one black cat, in my humble and biased opinion. Animals, like plants, link us to the natural world and remind us that we are all connected.
Energetically, it’s important that you only have what brings you joy in your home AND what you use. Anything you don’t use or that doesn’t make you happy only makes for stagnant energy. Treat everything in your house like a work of art—it’s not just a blanket. It’s a protective cloak! Your home isn’t a place to crash. It’s a sanctuary. And a magical one at that, filled with things from your far-flung adventures, crafty creations, and a whole lot of love.
Why? Because you are magic. And your home should reflect that.
Enchantment Learning & Living is an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you. If you enjoyed what you just read and believe that true magic is in the everyday, subscribe to my newsletter below for regular doses of enchantment. Want even more inspiration? Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Here’s to a magical life!