Whether the house has been in the family for generations, you’ve just bought it, or it is the one you’re living in; decorating or re-decorating it often seems like a task even more difficult than buying the house itself! Apart from it being a battle of time and trends, add to it the budget constraints, and you have a highly demanding decision that threatens to loom over your house and you, till the next time you find courage to refurbish your home again. But this experience can really become fun and manageable, if carefully thought-out and planned.
The first thing to remember is to not get confused, and take time to properly think things through. Don’t rush your decisions. Maybe you could start by creating a mood board. This compilation can help you visualize all the elements together, and get an idea of how things might look at the end. And if you need an easy way out, this mood board can also be digital.
Once you’ve got your basic concepts decided, it is time for you to research. See what the market has to offer that complements your theme, check for textures, look into objects you can source locally. If you’re one to look for sustainable and organic elements, check if your region has those, or you’ll have to source those from elsewhere! But, while you do all this remember there are certain styling rules you should never go against. Yes, style, fashion, and taste are purely subjective matters, but certain things have been recommended against by design professionals, after trying and testing them out. So let your house reflect your personality, but be sure not to waste time and money in something that would disappoint you later.
Let’s quickly start with some definite Dos!
1. Start with one element
The easiest thing to do is to begin with one singular element, such as a sofa, or a dining table, and then integrate it into your design and start working around it. For instance, the couch will help you decide the curtain color and fabric, the rugs, throws, other furniture details, art and other décor items. One central object, can help bring along the whle picture together.
2.Work with the classics
While classic and timeless décor items may feel heavier to the pocket, they are worth the investment, because one can never go wrong with these, after all there’s a reason they’re called a classic. Even when you can’t completely afford an amazing vintage-classic item, integrating small elements still does the job, without becoming too expensive. Say, for instance, brass door knobs – not as expensive as an entire brass statue/figurine, but still as effective and eye-catchy! I am sure, the guests will look at it twice!Other similar cheap yet classic elements would be gilded mirrors, wooden or aged iron items, or artwork that isn’t inherently expensive but can be given an exquisite look by framing it in a frame that says classic.
3. Keep it neutral
Too many colours that contrast each other, or just one colour everywhere, isn’t the way things work anymore, and neither did they before. Work with a set. A neutral set of colours, belonging to the same palette, applied in varying proportions on different elements will do just right. For instance, if you want the place to look warm and peaceful you could work with shades of white, ivory, grey, black and beige; whereas if you want it to look more energetic, and bright, shades of blue, green, ivory and white will do the job.And if you’re worried going monochromatic will look boring, play with textures. You could use fabric in wallpapers, or use a satin finish paint on the interior of your door or a matte-finish paint on the walls. Or you could add faux textured wallpapers, such as of brick masonry. Brick never goes out of fashion!
4. Move things around
Guess what rearranging can do. A lot! And at no cost.Rearranging your furniture regularly can totally change the way a room looks. Sometimes, as small a thing as interchanging the positions of a vase with a plant also makes a difference. See for yourself.
5. Implement what you learned about ratio and proportion
A huge piece of furniture smack in the middle of a small room, or a dainty piece in a corner of a humongous room – imagine how that will look! That’s why you need to properly understand and balance the ratio and proportion of the room and its furniture. Always ensure there are pockets of negative space in your room because that emptiness will accentuate the things that are present, more.
6. Plants are your best friends
Go green, when decorating! Liven up any space by adding plants to it. They cost less, and need minimum maintenance, but are the most effective when chosen and placed correctly. The perfect splash of colour to your perfect monochrome room is all that you need, and all that you get with plants.
But while you do all this, below are a few Don’ts you should know.
1. Match your furniture with your textiles
Gone is the era of matching-matching… if you’re thinking your curtains should perfectly match your couch, you’re thinking in the wrong direction. Nor does the furniture match the walls! They sure can be monochromatic, but not exactly the same. Having matching elements reduce the feeling of spaciousness, and is also disorienting to the viewer.Instead, bring in some color to your décor. This era is all about experimenting, bringing a pop of color here or a splash of color there. Be brave, and experiment a little.
2. Skimp on the curtain length
One of the biggest NOs, but the most commonly found décor practice is not having floor-length curtains. Even if your window isn’t a floor-to-ceiling window, let your curtains touch the floor, and let them begin a little from over your window. This makes the room appear to have a great roof height and brings in a little play of movement to the décor.
3. Put your furniture along the wall
Apart from the fact that the furniture might scrape the paint off the wall, doing this also robs your room of its roomier appearance, and makes it look stuffy. Ensure the furniture is at least 12’’ away from the wall.
4. Impulsively pick décor items
While it is absolutely natural to go overboard with your impulse to buy every other thing in the market, to decorate your house, it sure isn’t the way to go about it. This often causes you to have a lot of stuff you don’t even utilize, or in the end, doesn’t even fit in your theme for the décor.Here’s what you should do, step away from the object, get it out of your sight, and come back to it after 15-20 minutes. This time away will tell you if you really need it!
5.Clutter
Contrary to the common belief, too many objects in a place don’t make the place appear cozy! Have only certain, tastefully selected elements in the room that draw attention, and get ample opportunity to be appreciated, instead of making the room a dumpyard of randomly assorted items.
6. Stand-out
Always make sure your theme is in sync with the existing infrastructural development around you, and even within the house the theme needs to flow. Your house isn’t a museum that has different sections showing different eras! A traditional kitchen setup in a contemporary apartment will definitely be sour to the eye. The same goes with the inside of your house being in-sync with the exterior. Balance and uniformity is the key!
That’s it! A little bit here and there, and you’re good to go!