Decorating is one of the best bits about being a homeowner; it’s half the reason I was dead set on buying my own home. When I lived in rented apartments or houses I was always been constrained by landlords in terms of what I could do to the property. Renting is still a perfect option for many of us but it can often feel like the property is never truly home, as you are so limited in what you can do with it.
If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know that I bought a new build. I was lucky enough to bag a property before the foundations were even laid, meaning I had plenty of time to conjure up and themes in anticipation for completion day. I’m so glad I have the extra time to prepare because I could plan different design ideas before committing to expensive and important purchases – because going into it without a plan can be dangerous.
You might be heavily inspired by a recent trend, and that’s fine. But decorating a room in the heat of the moment with only one trend in mind can leave you with a problem – the room has a pretty short lifespan. Trends are called trends for a reason and they come and go with essentially every season. If you decorate a full room based on a single trend, you’re probably going to want to redo it as soon as the trend has passed.
Decorating isn’t cheap, so you need to find something that you love and that will stand the test of time. Expressing your personality through your interiors is the best way to make sure that you end up with a home you love forever. Despite absolutely loving Scandinavian design, I also have bohemian, mid-century and country influences throughout my home. You can take a peek at my home here.
Use colours that lift you up
There isn’t a clear answer for why some of us prefer certain colours to others. If someone asks you what you favourite colour is you’ll nearly always have an answer for them; but if they ask you to explain it, you might not be able to. Some psychologists believe that our preference for colours depends on our past experiences.
A study from the University of Kent also claimed that there was a link between certain colours and people’s personality traits. For example, it was suggested that people who like the colour yellow are goal orientated and that people who like white are idealistic. Another study also found that British office workers prefer to work in white or blue offices as this is said to boost productivity. Whether you believe in this or not, chances are you’ll be drawn to certain colours over others.
Spend time looking at different colour schemes to see which ones make you feel happy – steer clear of anything that brings down your mood. If you love a certain colour but don’t want to go overboard, why not stick to a neutral colour scheme but add it as an accent colour? Even small touches such as coloured candles or coloured kitchenware can make a big difference.
Dress your windows
We often forget our windows when it comes to decorating our homes. Rather than making them an attractive focus point, we tend to create our own points of interest. Examples of this include a dramatic feature wall or a fancy fireplace. But giving your windows a bit of TLC can really help to make your house your own. For example, if you have a windowsill – use it! Whether it’s indoor or outdoor or both, this is a great space to decorate with your personality in mind. Trinkets look great displayed on a windowsill, and if they can be seen from the outside too they give visitors a hint at your vibe before you’ve even opened the door.
Or, perhaps you’re a nature lover and want to bring the wild into your home. Start up a cactus garden on your windowsill. After all, they need all the sunlight they can get, so there’s no better place to put a cactus garden! Window garden boxes are also great if you live in an apartment and don’t have room for your own garden. How you dress your windows is also important for creating a personalised space.
The nights are getting darker earlier now, so you’ll need a good pair of curtains to pull in on an evening to get that cosy winter feeling. Rather than simply taking the first set you see in the shop, why not find a pair of made to measure curtains? They will fit your home much better and you can create a bespoke design that suits you down to the ground.
Tell a story with your home
It’s very easy to simply pop into a shop such as IKEA and get carried away buying accessories and art for our homes. But if you’re guilty of doing this from time to time, sit back and truly consider what you are buying for a moment. Are you buying these decorative items because they are a real reflection of you? Or, are you buying them because you are trying to recreate a room you saw on Pinterest? As we said before, buying for trends can be dangerous territory. Your home will be much more unique if you decorate it to reflect aspects of your life.
For example, if you’re an avid traveller, why not show this through various accessories? A beautiful globe or map is a must-have for any keen adventurer. You can even buy scratch maps where you can scratch off the countries you have been too, which is a real talking point if you display said map in your kitchen. Photo frames, where you can display a montage of pictures, are also a sweet personal touch to your home. Or, if you love animals, add a few animal shaped cushions to your sofas. The key is to think about what interests you and then build your home around that.
Make your home work for YOU
You may be heavily inspired by clean-cut, impeccable homes that you see online or in interior magazines. Of course, they do look beautiful, and it’s every person’s dream to have a home that magically keeps itself tidy. But if this kind of home doesn’t work with your lifestyle, don’t beat yourself up about it.
Maybe you have children and your spare room is actually a messy nursery rather than the gleaming guest room you thought it would be. Or perhaps you are a food blogger who cooks every day. Therefore it’s simply not practical to have all your utensils and ingredients stocked away in cupboards 24/7. If you’re using the same things every day, they might as well be within easy reach for you. Even if your worktop is a little more cluttered than those on Pinterest! Or, if you’re naturally unorganised and it’s affecting your productivity, create a home that makes it hard for you to slip through the cracks. Simple things such as investing in a hallway organiser mean that you’re less likely to lose that important letter that came through the door. Storage boxes will also become your best friend, so be prepared to get labelling!
Making a home that represents you is all about being true to yourself, so don’t try and fight a battle with your home just in the name of style. Unfortunately, you will lose every time! But get it right, and you and your home can embark on a love affair together that will last for many years to come.