Do you struggle with picking out the right furniture, art, or throw pillow for your home because you’re just not sure what looks right? Do you envy people who seem to be able to throw things together and make them work so effortlessly? Chances are, it’s because they’ve already narrowed down the style that works for them and are sticking to a previously decided color scheme and style, regardless of what’s trending. Today, we’re going to share some of our trade secrets on not only deciding on a style or home accents, but on how to stick to it and create a balanced room design.
Choosing A Theme for Your House
If you haven’t identified your specific personal style yet or are uncertain exactly what that would even look like, start by focusing in on your preferences, options, and elements that will allow you to achieve your personal dream home- whether you’re starting with one room, or are planning on updating your entire house. Take inventory of your space as it currently exists; what about it works for you? What’s not working for you? Is there too much color, or too little? Are you tired of that bright orange and want to switch to a cool-toned palette? Take notes of what you plan to keep, and another list of what needs to change. This will give you an idea of what you have and of what you need. Then you can incorporate what you like and have into a solidified design for your home.
Once you’ve done that, it’s easier to start window shopping for a new style direction. You can do this by browsing magazines, home décor blogs, and of course, Pinterest. You can even take a jaunt through your favorite home decor store for ideas! Just keep in mind that though there are a seemingly infinite number of style possibilities, you need to keep only what will work with your lifestyle and your home. Remember, there is no true right or wrong, so long as you love the piece and feel it works with your design sensibilities. If you’re still having trouble, or you’ve already tried doing this on your own and still find yourself struggling, that’s okay. Ask for help! At Greenhouse, our staff is knowledgeable and ready to help in whatever way we can- whether that’s helping you decide between art prints or setting up a free in-home design consultation.
Home Accents: A Room-by-Room Basis
You may very well have your general decorating style figured out for your entire home, but within that overall design, each room has its own style and purpose. Who is using the room, and how it needs to be considered, particularly in multi-person households. Consider everyone’s individual needs; home decor should reflect personal interests and design sensibilities but should also fulfill the function of the room.
Living rooms typically fulfill several functions, from a more formal use of greeting and hosting guests to family meetings, to a less formal tv and video game room. When considering your design approach, the first thing to do is find the main focal point of the room. If it won’t be used for much besides watching tv, it may be appropriate to have the sofa or main seating area facing the television. If you’re primarily going to be using it to host game nights, perhaps consider creating an intentional conversation space. A similar principle should be used for kitchens and dining rooms, as well.
These shared spaces should share a unifying theme, especially in homes with open concept floor plans. I find an easy way to do this is to find a color scheme and general theme- boho, mid century modern, etc. and stick to it. Furniture, while certainly needn’t be matchy-matchy, should fall into your chosen category, and your home accents color(s) should be brought throughout these spaces. So, if your color is emerald, you can bring that into your living room with throws, curtains, vases, and then bring that same color into the kitchen with everyday objects like dish towels, kettles, a dutch oven, etc.
Adding Personal Items
A house is not a home until it reflects you, personally. Whilst many traditional home decorating tips are based around what looks good in a catalogue or what will make a house sell, these tips don't always help make your home, well, yours. What truly makes a house a home is the presence of those living in it. Your home should reflect you. Small details, decorative home accents, touches of your favorite color- these are the things that make a home personal and comfortable. Framed photographs are wonderful, and absolutely is one of the quickest ways to make a space feel truly your own.
Personal photographs aren’t the only thing that can give your space personality, however. If you won a trophy, display it! You did something to earn it, to be proud of, and that should be celebrated. You can display your trophies, awards, and other personal knickknacks by incorporating them into your home decor. Get creative and style your bookshelf with that trophy or display that diploma in a gallery wall with your favorite art. Style your nightstand with your favorite photo of your kids or pet or spouse; display the things that make you happy in a way that functions with your style.
Colors & the 60-30-10 Rule
If you’ve never heard of the 60-30-10 rule, this is for you. While rules seem to be made to be broken in the creative world, it helps to know what the rules are first. The 60-30-10 rule is less a rule, and more a tool to help find balance in the color scheme of a room. This can prevent your home from looking like a rainbow and help clarify your specific color scheme by limiting the number of colors you’re using. 60-30-10 refers to the percentage that each of your chosen colors should appear in a space; these ratios are intended to help balance your room.
60% is the main color you want in your room. Most likely the 60% of your living room will be your larger accent pieces like area rugs, your sofa, perhaps your walls. The idea is that this color will be the cornerstone of your color scheme, and even serve as a backdrop on which the other colors can pop.
The 30% is your secondary color. The idea, or ratio, is that you’ll be using this color half as much as your main color. This color can be incorporated with drapes, accent chairs, painted furniture, or even an accent wall. This color should support your main color but be different enough to add interest and depth to the room, while still leaving a little room to really make your last color stand out.
The last 10% is your accent color. For a living room, this should be your accent pillows, throws, artwork. In a bedroom it could be a blanket at the foot of the bed, candles, or even a bedside lamp. This color isn’t meant to be everywhere- it should only be 10% of the color in your space- but when done correctly should have the biggest impact!
This rule is simple and straightforward and can be made easier by choosing a color scheme based on the color wheel, or even from a printed fabric. I love working with printed fabric because the fabric designer already put in the work of color matching!
Combining Seasonal Decorations with Your Constant Theme
With more time spent indoors, your home decor plays an important part of creating a cozy and comforting space that you can rest and relax in. The changing of the seasons should be no different! While some may love turning their home into a haunted house for Halloween or into Santa’s Workshop at Christmas, there are other, more practical ways to celebrate the seasons that work better with your personal design sensibilities. My favorite way to do this is to focus more on the changing of the seasons. It’s easy enough to add or switch out neutral décor and accents like garlands, wreaths, and bouquets that celebrate the season in key locations. Personally, I’ll switch out the wreath on my front door (I keep one year-round, switching it out according to the season), the centerpiece on my coffee table, and with candles.
Scented candles can quickly inspire a sense of seasonal celebration without having to do much; just make sure you stick to one scent at a time, so it doesn’t get overwhelming. I tend to prefer natural scents, like Frasier Fir in winter, Wood Smoke in fall, and lighter, vaguely floral or ocean scents in spring and summer. I also recommend that you burn them before or after meals, but never during. Scent is a huge part of taste, and while a tree may smell good, I don’t want to taste one.
In fall, I tend to focus on bringing in neutral wood accents, and yellow and orange leaves, as those colors work well with my permanent color scheme. In winter, I tend to keep my décor a bit more neutral, with white and gold being the primary accents of all my décor, along with natural evergreen foliage. Moving into spring and summer, I’ll replace those same decorations with more seasonally appropriate foliage. I’ll also switch out my throw blankets seasonally, using thinner lightweight throws in the spring and summer, and saving the chunky, heavier blankets for fall and winter when you need a little extra warmth and coziness.
Home Accents & Accessories from Greenhouse Home
I hope these tips and tricks help you put your own personal touch into your home décor! While you certainly don’t need to do all of them, by doing just one or two of these things throughout your home, you can turn an unfulfilling, uninspiring space into a welcoming home that you can take pride in and enjoy. If you still need help, no problem! We at Greenhouse are here to assist you with all your home decorating needs so visit us online, contact us and check out our blog or come into our brick-and-mortar store today!
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