What's Your Home's Style? Three Approaches To Home Décor

Posted on: 28 July 2015

If you want to give your home a fresh style and new look, you may want to re-evaluate the design direction that you have been taking and try something different. Let a single item inspire you, such as a cool chair or a unique accent piece. This may lead the way to a new style of interior design that transforms you home and pleases those living there.

Though there are various eclectic styles and emerging trends, three very different directions you may take include:

Traditional styles. 

The underlying theme of traditionally-styled spaces is function and utility. Materials include wood, wrought iron, and textured fabrics. Consider one of the many traditional home themes, such as Victorian or Colonial, to narrow down furnishing choices and help tease out the best options in flooring, paint, and window treatments, too.

Some suggestions when you want to take your home in a traditional direction include:

  • Traditional colors are rich and vibrant and use rich wood tones whenever possible. Consider printed upholstery and printed wall coverings.
  • Frame old black-and-white photos, or antique maps, to give your home a timeless, vintage flavor. Consider hanging intricate tapestries or unique rugs on the wall for a distinguished appeal.
  • Colonial style homes often replicate the feel of homes from the 1900s, bringing details such as stenciled borders, hand-painted floor coverings, and custom mill-work.
  • Go all out when designing your home with Victorian flair, and use a rich mix of textures, fabrics, and colors. Make beauty the goal and fill the space with objects that you enjoy looking at and that mirror your own unique personality.

Contemporary and modern themes.

Think neutral and go minimal when decorating your modern space. Choose a color palette that combines whites, tans, ivory, and taupe, and then add little bursts of color throughout the space in your choice of accents items, furnishings, or details. Modern homes often embrace minimalism, which clears away visual clutter to provide a tranquil space that you can truly relax and unwind in.

Some other ideas when going modern include:

  • Choose dorm-size furnishings for smaller pieces that still retain their usefulness.
  • Uncover windows and floors to lighten and brighten the space. This is particularly helpful in small spaces and may make them seem a bit larger.
  • Go with metal surfaces whenever possible for a funky, industrial style.

Country flavor.

For a fun and functional theme, embrace country style interior design and décor. These rooms are comfortable and welcoming, providing lots of things to look at; large, comfy furniture; and varied textures. Accent items often play a role or function, such as a display of cookware or bowl of fruit on the table.

Some other ideas to try when the aim is a comfy country space include:

  • Hang rows of baskets from your ceiling, which can help camouflage a popcorn ceiling or disguise suspended panels.
  • Terracotta tile is a detail often used in Southwestern design style, which is not so different than country themed spaces. Use rich, fiery colors and pleasing patterns to achieve this warm, welcoming scheme.
  • If you have a fireplace, make it the focal point of the room. Even if it is not usable, set a basket of dried flowers, an arrangement of candles, or a cool object in your hearth to draw attention to this feature.

Assess your current home interior and choose an item that really encompasses the look that you are going for in your space. It can help to first remove everything from the space, and then thoughtfully replace items that fit in your theme. Talk with retailers and designers for clever ways to integrate function and style, while sticking to your design budget.

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