6 tips for incorporating your style into interior décor
This is how your home should make you feel. It should reflect your qualities and quirks and be a haven for your soul to rest. Think deeply about the attributes that represent you, and the personal style you wish to project.
If you're not happy with how your home looks, you're not alone. Many surveys show that most people aren't satisfied with the decor of their home which is a shame, because it's one thing everyone can change today.
Choosing your style
The first step in implementing your style is to of course decide what your personal style is. Consider what items you're drawn to as well as your lifestyle and the preferences of others that live with you. Do you feel the clean modern lines of contemporary represents your lifestyle, the warmth of country that make you feel at ease, or the effortless calm of coastal?
Pin and collect pictures and photos of designs that you love, to build a picture of your ideal home. Having a set theme and style that you adhere to will not only make your job easier when pairing items, your home will flow and look much more elegant.
Statement pieces
Whatever your style is, you need to first choose main staple pieces, choose a settee wisely because they are the centrepiece of your living area. A comfortable leather recliner is an important investment because it will last you many years and let's be honest, outside of work, it's where we spend most of our waking hours.
Take your time pairing your lounge with complimenting tables, bookcases and a feature lamp. eBay, Gumtree and auction houses have great unusual furniture for a fraction of the new price, so keep your eyes peeled and be prepared to wait for the right pieces. Avoid flat pack furniture; not only does it often look cheap, but it doesn't hold together well over time.
You don’t need more than a couple of stand-out items in each room to create your chosen look if the rest of your furniture is quite neutral. Don’t have too many points of focus, as it can become overwhelming. Invest in a great centrepiece like ornate occasional chairs, a grand four poster bed, chandelier lighting, or a statue, and work the rest your room gently around it.
Work with your home
Consider the colour scheme and theme of your structural features, such as cabinetry and flooring, and stick to what matches the style/era of your home. Unless you want to invest time and money on renovating, work with the styles that you’ve got so pieces don’t clash. If your flooring is bold for example, stick to wall colours that complement and furniture that is relatively neutral or plain in design.
Furnishings
Source background items that perfectly exemplify your scheme, and that make your room pop. This can include lighting, window furnishings, rugs and even details like door and cabinet handles. Investing in quality window furnishings like lavish curtains, or ornate shutters, will set the tone for your room. Choose wisely according to your home style and always choose quality materials and classic patterns that won't date.
When looking to add a touch of luxury to your home, add extra richness by playing with different textures and fabrics. Bold, quality materials can transform the look of your rooms from cheap to expensive. Play with textural items like shiny metals, fur, wood, grain, stone and leather, to add extra depth and luxury to your space.
Work with what you've got
Keep your neutral items or items that can fit into your chosen scheme.
Many items can fit with any theme so retain these pieces and add touches of your style around them. You also don’t want to overdo it with too many features in one style, you want to draw more attention to your statement pieces and not drown them out.
Finishing touches
Here's where you can really go wild and bring your personality out.
Items like plates, plants, towels, paintings, bed sheets, cushions and ornaments are not permanent fixtures, so they are much easier to play around with and change up. Soft furnishings and embellishments are the most efficient way of adding flair, so be as flamboyant as you like.
Bring out your passions in items that you love to look at and that mean something to you. Photos and treasured items in your chosen style will bring character to your home and make it feel alive. Carefully choose one or two of these ‘pops of personality’ in each room as to not create clutter.
There are few things in life we can control, but our own space is one of them.
Your home is your sanctuary, a place to relax, rejuvenate and feel in touch with yourself the most. Feeling luxuriated and truly at peace in your home, is one of the greatest joys. Think deeply about what speaks to you, work out what makes you feel the best version of yourself, and have fun creating your vision, and you too will feel excited to go home each day.
For more information about furnishing your home, please contact the expert contributor.