How to add personality to your home
Embarking on an interior project can be both exciting and daunting at the same time. With the prolific amount of resources available online today, sifting through it all to find useful information is not only time consuming but also confusing. People often say they don’t know where to begin. However, with the right inspiration on your side, partaking in your own interior project can be extremely fun and fulfilling!
However one thing that often comes up time and time again is styling. It can be often over looked and this can surprisingly have an impact on your home and even the value of your home. Forgetting rugs, art work, plants and other finishing touches is often over looked and can cheapen your home regardless of how much you have spent on say a new kitchen.
Styling should be fun and an opportunity to showcase your loves and tastes!
So here are my top tips for styling your home:
The rule of three– You have probably heard this statement before. Always follow the ‘Rule of Three’ when decorating your home. What is this mysterious rule of three and how do we incorporate it into our home, and aren’t rules meant to be broken? Something I always say anyway!
Basically the rule of three was put into effect due to the fact that an odd number of items look more natural and less forced than an even-numbered grouping. Why is this? Well, mostly because too much symmetry makes a room look stale and cold (although, we all know symmetry plays a huge role in design, too). Essentially, there is a balance to be found between symmetry and asymmetry. Kelly Hoppen is a designer who is seen to use this rule in her projects a lot. However like many styling tips this is flexible, the rule of three doesn’t have to apply to just candles, succulents and object but can also mean fabrics and paint colours introduced to a room too.
A Variation of different heights– I normally have a loose colour theme in my head when styling (use the existing elements of your room and your own tastes to guide you). When styling it is an opportunity to make it personal to you. So gather your supplies that work within that colour scheme. You could do a bit of a whizz around the house and see what you have that might fit and just put everything in a little pile somewhere e.g. the floor!
Things to look for and work well are books, candles, trays, objects, baskets, boxes, vases, plants, flowers, smaller pieces or art or picture frames and anything else that catches your eye. For me I love art and quirky pieces. Rockett St George is always a go to place for me when styling. The key is to ensure you have a good variety of items in different sizes, shapes, heights and textures and look out for anything quirky or interesting that will bring your personality to your display. There really are no hard-and-fast rules here!
Pops of colours– Adding pops of colour to a room is a simple, quick and easy way to change the dynamics of a room. It could be as simple as changing your cushions in the lounge to adding pops of colour with pop art. For more information on this check out my previous blog – Adding a pop of colour.
Lighting– We all know that light is essential to see and work. It can also interrupt some uses for a space, such as eastern light through the curtains in a bedroom at sunrise. Light can also be used as a purely decorative element, to cast shadows on a flat surface to create the illusion of architectural interest, or to illuminate a feature wall or a ceiling in order to create a sense of space.
The creative use of windows and reflective materials opens a range of possibilities for natural light. There are endless applications and types of artificial lights. These provide a universe of practical and decorative possibilities.
Good lighting design can make the difference between a room that is bland and one that is full of atmosphere and interest. For me lighting helps make a house a home, from candle light to lamps. Again there are no rules for this but if I was going to implement one. It would always be that a room is never finished with out a lamp. It gives so much to a room from personality to mood lighting.
Textures– Of course, you need great furniture and accessories, and the right lighting and colours. But there’s a secret that all good designers know that can really take a space to the next level. It’s the one element without which no room is complete – texture.Quick and simple ways to add texture is through textiles, cushions, rugs and throws.
Plants are also a texture, in fact they are the original texture. Plus, having plants around has been shown to improve your mood, and they purify the air. A win all around and one of the biggest trends of 2018! There are so many incredible plants out there, cheese plants, hanging plants and because plants are such a popular trend the high street has an array of beautiful, funky plant holders too.
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