Many of us are familiar with the age-old tricks of home decor—use mirrors to open up space, declutter, and buy multi-purpose furniture. While these are solid tips, there’s only so much they can do. Sometimes, you want your space to have the right balance between functionality, comfort, and style, and for that reason, you need tips that go beyond the norm.
On that note, here are a few stylish tips to help you decorate your house or apartment and take it from drab to fab! Even if you are without an inkling of interior design, these practical tips will help you decorate the perfect space that fits your personality and lifestyle.
1. Figure out your style.
As with month things in life, the first step to achieving a stylish home is to understand yourself and your style. You can start by taking a look at your closet. What vibe do your clothes give off? What patterns and colors do you gravitate towards? Are you more about comfortable pieces than well-tailored pieces?
The idea isn’t to match your home with your apparel. Instead, it’s to help you identify the keyword that defines your style. This could be anything ranging from traditional to playful, monochromatic, or modern. Alternatively, you can choose to start by making a list of the things you do not like. Perhaps, it’s the noisy ac unit, the color of your kitchen cabinets, or your bathroom tile.
These dislikes help you define your taste and preference. They also allow you to know what junks you will need to purge out and the next step to take. For instance, suppose you’ve been able to identify your style as monochromatic, yet you live in an older home, your next course of action would be to remodel.
Admittedly, not everyone is thrilled by the idea of remodeling and drawing floor plans, as it can be stressful. However, with the right project manager or general contractor by your side, the process can be a breeze. An excellent example of a good remodeling contractor that can assist you with your kitchen and bathroom remodel works is CMK construction inc.
This company has so many positive online reviews by both real estate professionals and customers alike. They also have a proven track record for providing exceptional customer service that meets the industry standard and happens to be one of the best home warranty companies in the United States.
2. Declutter and build around your space.
When decorating, many people make the common mistake of failing to realize the importance of proportion and scale. Therefore, you’ll need to commit time to space planning to ensure that you build around your existing furniture and fixture.
So first, get rid of whatever non-functional furniture or appliance you still have around your home, repair the faulty ones, and start your design plan with them in mind. Suppose you’re worried about your fixed appliances developing future faults. In that case, you can sign up for a home warranty coverage plan with a home warranty provider that’s accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and maintains a good BBB business profile.
A good example is America’s 1st Choice Home Club, commonly referred to as the AFC home club. They are a home warranty company that offers various plans covering between 6 to 18 appliances and major home systems. Other unique benefits that club members enjoy include family emergency services, free credit monitoring, and discounts on home security and household items like a refrigerator, dishwasher, stove, ice maker, microwave, washer, and dryer.
The bottom line is that every fixture, furniture, and appliance remaining in your home should be functional at the time of decorating. This will help you determine the exact space you have available and work around it.
3. Take cues from the pros.
Decorating your home as a novice can be challenging if you don’t have someone to guide you. However, a great option is to get inspiration from other home designs, like pictures from magazines, Pinterest, and Instagram. However, the cons of using pictures as inspirations are that you may not judge the room’s functionality and appearance from all angles. An excellent alternative is to search for rental furnished apartments with similar styles and designs to what you would like and go for a home inspection. Pay attention to the furnishings, couch and bed placements, and how they play with textures.
4. Use colors to give your home a distinct personality.
If your home feels dull, stale, or outdated, painting is one of the quickest ways to revive it. Simply refreshing your walls with paint can transform the look of a room and give it a distinct personality. However, you’ll need to be careful about your paint selection.
Remember that colors can evoke emotions and affect our moods. For instance, some colors can make you feel happy; others can make you feel calm or agitated. So make sure that before picking a color, sample it on your walls and observe them in natural light to know if it harmonizes your space.
Using wallpaper prints is another great alternative for people who don’t want to go through painting stress. There are many benefits to using art prints. Unlike paint, wallpaper prints are easy to install, less messy, and are renter-friendly. This means, as a renter, you don’t have to worry about disputes with your landlord over damaged walls.
5. Display some of your hobbies.
Except you’re a homeowner living in your own property, you may not have the freedom to remodel. As a renter, there are limitations to what you can do to personalize and style your home. One of such is displaying your hobbies. Make your home the perfect nest by putting up decor elements that excite you, speak to your soul, and make you come alive. This could be showing off your collection of books on a shelf or hanging your bike on the wall if you’re a cyclist. Irrespective of what you choose to integrate into your decor, make sure it flows with your overall home design.
