“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful” -William Morris
Decorating our homes has always been a hit or miss thing—especially if you are not a professional or seasoned designer. However, this should not deter you from incorporating beautiful and inspiring designs into your home—in fact; it should challenge you. The design aspects you utilize should give your home character and a sense of personality that would make set it apart from the others. Whether you have just moved into your new neighborhood in High Park, or are simply looking for a little touch me up, here are some smart and failsafe tips you should keep in mind when decorating your homes:
1.) Paint smaller rooms in softer and lighter colors
Utilize light and soft colors for small rooms to make it appear larger. In a sense, this is a neat trick to maximize a small living space. Apart from the hue utilized, large windows and the strategic use of mirrors can also expand it by reflecting natural light which would be pouring in from these windows and doors. Stay away from darker colors as it would tend to overwhelm a small space—even a well-lit room bedecked with mirrors would feel small as it has a boxed-in feel to it.
2.) Mix up patterns and textures
Do not be afraid of mixing various elements together—whether these may be textures of varying shapes or patterns in a series of colors. However, ensure that these elements would work in harmony together before utilizing them in a room. Aside from textures and patterns, it would also be a good idea to mix in new, old, expensive and inexpensive décor items in a room. It might have escaped your notice, but your family heirloom might be the perfect centerpiece to your modern living area that would function as a unifying element to all the aspects within.
3.) Make use of mirrors
Bare walls can be a bit challenging to decorating—especially if you have utilized every artwork and painting there is. Instead of overwhelming a wall space, prop up a single and decorative mirror on it and for an added effect—place it directly across from the windows. In this way, your mirror would serve the dual function of being a decorative object as well as a functional one by adding instant light to any rooms. Furthermore, utilizing mirrors is the perfect way to add dimension to any living space in your room.
4.) Make use of what you already have
There is no absolute need to break the bank when you are redecorating. Chances are, you already have items in your possession that would make for great décor items in your homes. These are items whose potential you have either overlooked or ignored. So, before doing any decorating work, spruce up your home for a bit and take a gander at the existing items you already have. Trays, wooden, acrylic, silver or metal can be placed on table tops or center tables to give them more dimension and interest. Be creative with the items at your disposal, and you will be surprised at how much you can transform a home from your simple and at times negligible household items.
5.) Spruce up your space
Prior to any decorating project, it should be customary for you to clean the space you are about to decorate. Get rid of the clutter, dust the shelves and arrange the furniture. Not only will this make your living space cleaner, but it will give you a better eye as to how to strategically place your décor items in the room. After all, your decorating endeavors would be all for naught if the room is littered and bedecked with clutter that would detract the viewer from the design elements.
