The Messianic-Inspired Home
In our home, I am a Gentile and my husband is a Jew. We both follow Yeshua (Jesus), the Son of God and Messiah. We are Messianic Believers. We follow the Torah and keep the biblical Feasts of God, living as closely to the biblical mandate as is possible. But we are not legalistic, because we know we are saved through grace by faith—and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).
We enjoy sharing our home and our faith, and it’s hard to enter our home without knowing about our faith: the evidence of it is seen everywhere! Our home decor reflects our beliefs and creates a peaceful, meaningful space.
Shabbat Shalom
Meaning in our home decor
While we do have art work on our walls that doesn’t specifically relate to our faith, it nonetheless showcases God’s amazing handiwork.
Mountains are among our favorite motifs, so we have paintings that reflect the mountains around us as well as one very large photograph of local Mt. Garfield taken by our son. Lots of pictures of our children are placed on a photo rail as well.
And then we have other decor. Some of it is from Israel. Jeff collects medals from Israel that represent historical events in the Holy Land. I handcraft other art. Menorahs, the Star of David, and Hebrew Scriptures feature prominently among them. We blend traditional and modern styles to reflect our personal beliefs.
Key Elements of Messianic Inspired Decor
Like many Christian homes, scripture wall art is prominent in many messianic homes. I enjoy putting Hebrew verses, blessings, and messianic prophecies on all kinds of things. Paint, joint compound, textiles, and found materials all get transformed into wall art.
Use a bread board and stencil a scripture about the Messiah on it as a decorative piece (make sure you use food-safe colorants if you will use the board for food after decorating). You don’t have to write in Hebrew, either. Buy kitchen towels and other pieces that include prophecy or scripture to decorate your space.
Sabbath and Holiday Decor
Hand made Star of David and menorah
During the spring and fall months, our home is decorated to celebrate the Feasts of God. And the Queen of all Feasts, the Sabbath (Shabbat) deserves beautiful dishes, candles, and of course, and handmade challah cover!
Hanukkah is my favorite to decorate. Eight days to bring out the traditional blue, white and silver or gold (or both). Dreidels of all kinds along with trays, dishes, and table ware as well as napkins and tablecloths or runners.
Sukkot in the fall is not usually a time we decorate, because we are living outside in a sukkah with our friends and family, “camping” as it were for the last warm days of fall. But we do decorate the sukkah!
Rosh Hashanah has us sporting apples and honey in all our designs, from placemats to dish towels and even aprons. Time for rams’ horns and round, braided loaves of sweet loaves of challah.
Symbolic and Functional
Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel towel for Hanukkah
Incorporating traditional colors, mixing them with natural, neutral colors of earth and sky, makes a palette that is welcoming and warm. And to add an authentic biblical feel, we use natural materials like wood and linen.
There are mezuzot (plural form of mezuzah) on all our external doorposts. Our front door also has a brass cross with a descending dove. We have prayer shawls and kippahs on display, reminding us that this is a house of prayer. And our large kudu horn shofar is on display all the time, a great conversation starter.
Tips for a Cozy, Faith-Filled Atmosphere
Tallit and kippah
Do you want a warm, inviting space that encourages peace and prayerfulness? Here are some tips for how to achieve that in your home decor.
Use textiles. The softness of fabrics is soothing, quieting, and calming.
Scented candles or essential oils create an atmosphere of welcome. Keep it light, not overpowering.
Warm lighting, in yellow hues rather than bright white or blue.
Hand paint some scripture signs. Use your favorite scriptures. All scripture is God-breathed!
Personalize a prayer space. Mine is an old leather recliner, next to my bookcase where my Bible and study aids are kept. It’s near a south-facing window for soft light, and I have a few pillows and a couple of throws to make things really cozy. (Since I arise well before dawn, I’m normally done before the sun is up, so good lighting for reading is important here.)
Encourage hospitality with home baked goodies in the freezer that you can pop in the oven for a few minutes to serve guests. In our house, there are no “unexpected” guests, because we have an open door policy, and anyone is welcome to visit anytime.
Where to Find Messianic Home Decor
You can find messianic home decor in many places. There are online places like Judaica.com, a source for lots of Jewish items, and Judaicawebstore.com that has lots of home decor. Of course, you can find amazing Jewish/Messianic art at Etsy, or you can subscribe to a subscription box like Lev HaOlam, where you get products directly from Israel every month.
I’d love for you to check out our Farm & Faith Store, too, where we have many messianic products as well.
And one more idea is to visit thrift shops. I enjoy finding things with biblical themes that can be repurposed into pieces that reflect our own personalities along with our beliefs.
So what do you think? Are you ready to transform your own place into a shalom space?