Getting the best from your home means taking decoration seriously. After all, even the most well-planned and constructed interior can be let down if it isn’t dressed up properly. In many cases, moreover, merely good décor can be made great via a few simple touches, and by adhering to a few simple principles.
Avoid overcrowding
When we have too much stuff in a small space, the resulting look can be chaotic and unkempt. It’s easier to arrange just a few items well than it is to arrange dozens of them. For this reason, decluttering can often be a helpful step in improving a space. Less, remember, is often more.
Make the most of lighting
The overall look of your room is determined by the way that it is lit. Often, substantial differences in mood and atmosphere can be achieved by simply moving the light sources around. Pay attention to the way that shadows are being cast.
If you’d like your room to appear open and inviting, then you might arrange lights around the room at various levels. This will help to fill the space, and eliminate those ugly shadows in the corners. On the other hand, you might want to make the space feel cosier – in which case limiting the light sources might actually be advisable. Table lamps, floor lamps, and fairy lights can help you to achieve the necessary compromise, allowing you to easily adjust the lighting as required.
Think also about the warmth of your lights. Warmer lights tend to approximate firelight and sunlight, and so we’re naturally adapted to find them cosier. Colder lights are more sterile, and a better match for spaces where cosiness isn’t desired.
Mix and match
Buying all of your furniture from the same place can help you generate a pleasing sense of coherence and consistency. But at the same time, it can also lead to an interior that feels a little bit samey and boring. Throw in a few charity-shop finds and handmade treasures, and you’ll disrupt this impression, and end up with an interior that’s more than the sum of its parts.
Get the details right
In many cases, it’s the details that will really separate a good interior from a great one. Think about the visual accents of the space, and how you’ll make them truly shine. Window dressings, and hardware on your cupboards and drawers, can all make a difference, as can the right artwork. Choose pieces that reflect your personality and taste, as well as the surrounding room.
In many cases, you can change the vibe of the room dramatically by hanging up a single decorative item. Consider your options, and try out a few different possibilities.
