Seeing that there are endless possibilities to our creativity, our homes should never look alike. No two homes should ever cross paths when it comes to style. Yet we see that more and more people want to follow trends to give their home validation of modern standards. But look at where that has taken us. When we go over a friend’s house for dinner, we see many things that we have in our own homes. In shows we watch online, there are furniture and fittings that we also have. At first we may grin and get a sense of satisfaction that our home is meeting the modern standard. Eventually you’ll get a sinking feeling because you realise, your home is a carbon copy of another. And our homes are reflective of our personality. Does this mean we’re all the same? No, of course not! It just means that unfortunately, some of us care more about following the crowd than expressing how we really feel and want to live.
Your starting avenue
Where should you begin? Injecting your own personality into your home is quite easy once you get going but you need a push to get started. An avenue where you can experiment and not ruin the total interior theme you already have is the landing. The space between you living room, the staircase and the front door is seen as purely a practical area. For the most part, none of us pay any attention to this small space because our objectives are always in one of the other rooms or simply entering and exiting the house. So, here is where you can choose what kind of furniture style you like by adding a console table. It can be slim but long, it can be tall but narrow or it can be large and heavy.
Experiment with the materials too. Glass table with copper, stainless steel or brass support legs. Learn about the different types of wood also. Maple is flexible and smooth, yew is very flexible and soft, chestnut is strong and dark, oak is the classic blonde and practical and of course mahogany is a deep wine red and incredibly workable and durable. Try out different ornate objects for the landing such as sculptures. A bust of a notable figure in the past in pure white marble or limestone would add a classy theme. A plant or flower vase can sit at the foot of the table. Experiment to your heart’s content in the landing, just remember to not add too much as it’s still a practical part of the home.
Hard and soft floors
The floor of your home is not something just to be stepped on, it’s there to be admired if you style it correctly. Factor in the materials that will blend hard and soft. For example, hardwood flooring will add flare and strength to your home. Take a look at this Online Flooring company where you can sift through all their different brands and ranges. If you want classic hardwood flooring styles then take a look at then Airlay Alpine 5mm range. In a beautiful autumn tone, the sienne style brings home the slight red and orange hues that you would want in a rustic or classic interior. However the mocha styles are perfect for the contemporary home. Dark, rich and bold, this type of wood is more for the home that has leather sofas, glass dining tables and has a lot of natural light coming into the home.
To inject a little softer vibe, an Arabic style rug made from 800 thread or more Egyptian cotton would be amazing. Since hardwood floors are very domineering, a rug can act as an island oasis. Particularly useful if you have an open floor plan, rugs allow you to walk around barefoot even during winter. They store heat, cover empty spaces and bring their own expressive nature of patterns, craftsmanship, dyes and culture.
Time to be bold
Once you feel confident enough with your approaches to injecting your personality into your home, you can begin to get a little bolder. Take for example the kitchen cabinets. They’re always in boring neutrals that so many modern homebuilding companies seem to go with. However you can choose to paint your cabinets into any colour you want. But first, decide what kind of style you want in the kitchen. If you want a rustic farmhouse look, you’ll want dark earth tones such as brown, red, orange and sandy yellow. If you want a chic urban apartment vibe, then a baby blue, light blue or royal blue is more to your nature. Maybe you want a theme that is centred around nature than a healthy dark green would go well too.
The backsplash can also be changed in style, theme and material too. Many backsplashes are kept simple and just have wallpaper covering them. Others might have ceramic tiles instead. You must make the decision as to what kind of material you want to use. You can even have wooden backsplashes which again bring their own rustic country manor theme. It’s entirely up to you, but remember that is also has to be practical. Washing oil splatters, steam droplets and food off the backsplash should not come at the danger of damaging it.
One to many
Central ceiling lights are normal right? Well, they don’t have to be. You can experiment with individual lamps in your living room. Instead of having one light on, you only need to turn on the lights that you need. Put small lamps all around the house and turn them on in the evenings instead of the ceiling lights. If you have modern LED table lamps, you may be able to set their time schedule to when they should turn on automatically. From one light you go to many different. Experiment with the lamp shades and bodies of the lamps too.
It’s not easy to create a home that perfectly represents your personality. Start off small by styling your landing area with a console table, vases, plants and ornate objects. Then you can move into bigger and bolder areas like the cabinets.