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The ‘welcome’ carpet
The carpet sometimes sports a ‘welcome’ word on it for guests to see just as they are about to enter the house.
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The hearth
The hearth represents home and community, warmth, safety and family life. It is a source of light, heat and food.
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The broom
A broom is a piece of household equipment and thus symbolizes the home and new beginnings. In ancient Rome, houses were swept after funerals to remove bad spirits and bad luck.
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The cauldron
The freestanding cooking pot, or cauldron, is a cross-cultural symbol of home. It also symbolizes transformation, mystical and magical power.
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Containing vessels
Vases, jars, boxes, baskets and chests are also popular symbols of a home. They are also tied to the feminine principle due to the tendency of women to collect and store various things in them.
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Mirrors
The mirror has many meanings, one of them being a symbol of home. In China, a mirror is a sign of harmony and happy marriage, with a broken mirror suggesting separation. (See What is the meaning of ‘Home is Where the Heart is’?)
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Curtains
Curtains symbolize separation between different realms, either opening them up or concealing them.
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The carpets of Arabia
The carpets of Arabia are associated with home, and the colors and patterns used in their weaving are rich in symbolism. Every carpet has a deliberate mistake to illustrate the Islamic belief that only Allah can create perfection.
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Furniture
Stools, chairs and tables are symbols of home too. A table is a focal point, a meeting place where people gather together to eat or talk.
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Slippers
Comfortable slippers are a symbol of home, associated with relaxation and comfort the home provides.
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Cats and dogs
Domestic cats and dogs are symbols of home, being the most popular household pets. (See Why do people like cats so much?)
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Fireplace
A fireplace is a symbol of home, being associated with light and warmth on cold nights.
