Your home is your sanctuary – the place you retreat to after a long day at work. Or, it is your work-from-home office where you spend most of your time. Regardless of where you are in life and how you use your home on a daily basis, it is a focal point in your daily activities. As such, you want it to reflect your unique style, taste, and personality. You are not a monolith, and your home is not one thing either. Continue reading to learn how you can mix and match different decor styles to suit your distinctive character.
Look for the Unexpected
Just because conventional wisdom regarding interior design says you need to make your home look a certain way, it certainly does not mean you need to be an adherent. Instead, do things your way.
Incorporating unexpected elements like cowhide rugs from www.cowhiderugslondon.co.uk can create a unique and eclectic look in your home. These classic rugs are a statement piece that can effortlessly blend different design aesthetics together. Opt for dark and brooding wall colours that contrast with the cowhide rug, or incorporate elements from nature, such as live plants.
Design Your Home Your Way
There is no one right way to create the perfect aesthetic for the home of your dreams. If you have spent years travelling the globe collecting rocks from far-flung locals and also have a penchant for large volumes of first-edition books, feel free to display them alongside one another. Your love for these two dissimilar items does not mean you have to pass up one to enjoy the other. Corral the rocks into glass vessels and place them amidst your bookshelves for one creative way to decorate.
If you happen to appreciate the clean and simple decor that encompasses Nordic design but also like eclectic ‘80s vibes, you can combine both. Lean more heavily on the light colours and soft whites and pine woods in Scandinavian decor as your dominant design selection, but feel free to add thoughtful touches of neon and bold geometric shapes. A bright pink neon sign above a home bar or a stark pair of triangular side tables will meld with your interests well.
Watch this video for inspiration on how you can incorporate different decor genres into your home.
Unite the Colour Palette
In an effort to reduce the visual noise throughout your home, opting for a limited colour palette will help ground, balance, and pull everything together without overloading your senses. The wall colours, whether you choose paint or wallpaper, do not have to be a perfect match throughout your home, but selecting shades within the same colour family will help them blend seamlessly as you pass from room to room.
Look for dark and moody greys in the office, sitting, or living rooms. Paint the walls a lighter grey in the kitchen to ensure you can see everything clearly in this workhorse of a room. Consider a middle-of-the-road grey in the bedrooms and hallways. Alternatively, you can go for dark greens, grey-greens, and various shades of black throughout the house. Try pops of colour on accent walls or small areas, such as a vestibule or on the interior of an open built-in shelf.
Combine Different Materials and Textures
A variety of materials and textures throughout the house add visual interest and depth to the design tableau. To illustrate, instead of laying down only your new cowhide rug, try layering it over a beautifully faded Middle Eastern rug in a contrasting colour scheme to highlight the unique qualities and textures in each piece. Some standard and utilitarian decor items are almost works of art themselves and should be displayed as such to enhance their beauty.
In the kitchen, for example, you can hang expertly woven baskets alongside heavy, gold-framed images of fruit and other foods for a unique juxtaposition that fits well in this space. Use sturdy vases to hold your cooking utensils for another unexpected way to show off your art and serve a purpose.
Rotate Your Collection
If you are lucky enough to have numerous items you appreciate and enjoy looking at, consider rotating your collection of design decor. After all, displaying everything all at once can simply be too much for the senses. In addition, by putting half (or more) of your objet d’art in storage, you will come to appreciate the items more and more every time you put them back into circulation.
Make the process easy on yourself by photographing your entire collection of rocks, memorabilia, artwork, statues, and anything else you wish to add. Enter descriptions into the photograph’s description or information section. Include dimensions of each piece of art or the basket size, etc. This way, when you are ready for a change, you will not need to open each box to determine the right size to swap out with something you have in the current display. And, of course, remember to label your boxes or totes to make the process even easier.
Never Apologise for What You Like
In this life, you will surely come across people who are critical of what you like. They may possibly cross your threshold and make comments that seem like compliments but are actually veiled criticisms or unceremonious pokes at your personal preferences in design.
Do your best to ignore these comments (and consider whether they will receive a repeat invitation into your beautiful home). It is okay to defend yourself by simply stating, “This is my home and this is what I like.” That is enough. You do not need to apologise or further defend why your eclectic tastes are on display. You pay the mortgage or rent and can do what you like with your home. Full stop.
Mix and match the interior elements of your home to your heart’s delight. Make it a space that you will enjoy and delight in. An imperfectly designed home that makes you happy is perfect for you.
