We love to make our home our own by customising it to our personal tastes, whether that’s through soft furnishings or feature walls of bright colours or huge picture walls of our most loved family and friends. Where homeowners may not have the budget or need to make internal structural changes, they are able to connect more with their property when they decorate it to their liking.
There are plenty of ways to decorate your home but sometimes it can feel like there are too many options to choose from, do you go for a traditional clean décor, with cooling, neutral colours or a bright, funky paint scheme, with each wall a different complimenting, yet bright shade. If you are looking for something a bit different, we explore some interesting home decoration themes;
Incorporate Nature
Everyone loves nature, it’s relaxing to be in and often offers some beautiful sounds that help us feel calm.
Water
Well-kept aquariums are some of the best talking points in a property, filled with a variation of water-life from fishes and crabs to snails and shrimp. Aquariums can be as big as you can accommodate, there’s been some incredible home designs that incorporate aquariums into coffee tables, sinks, even dog-houses! Or an aquarium that acts as a room divider, stretching between the floor and the ceiling (although will require some specialist cleaning). Consider pairing cool colours of blue and green if you choose to incorporate an ocean theme into your property. If the seaside is more your scene, white and blue stripes invoke nostalgic feelings for deck chairs on the sand.
Why not head to your local sea life centre or seaside for inspiration?
Greenery
If water doesn’t grab your attention, consider filling your homes with green plants. Not only will you notice healthier air (plants absorb our wastes gases and produce oxygen in exchange) but there’s nothing more relaxing than settling into the comforts of your own peaceful jungle. Vine plants can be weaved up bookshelves or through bannisters and there is a whole host of broad leaf plants available to add some variation to your home. Soft furnishings are best in warm colours of muted reds and oranges or deep browns for a cosy feel, while cooler colours of greys and blues will help small spaces feel larger and more open.
Big into cooking? Consider adding a wall of herbs to your kitchen, not only will you have lovely fresh herbs within reach at all times. The various shades of green will add some wonderful colour to your kitchen.
Looking for plant inspiration? Why not pop down to your local garden centre or explore a local area of natural beauty (parks, walks, botanical gardens).
Collectibles
Collector’s items are a kind of art too because many of them are the work of an artist. If you’re someone who has a sizable collection of something (e.g., replicas of weapons from history, merchandise from your favorite book or movie series, or souvenirs from all over the world), consider making them part of your décor. It will add character to your interior decoration and further personalize your home.
Go Crazy with Art
Everybody loves art – they may not all like the same kinds of art – but the term “art” can be considered subjective and something personal to the individual. Someone may see architecture as a type of art, while others just see it as construction.
Pictures
You might choose to use images of existing art, like the iconic black and white image of the work-man breaking for lunch on the beam or dramatic city skylines, scattered with twinkling lights. Alternatively, you could make your family photos your art, with many options for printed modern canvas wall art or hand-painted wall-hangings; you could have your favorite family photo as a feature and surround it with the rest of your collection of photographs.
Why not get creative with the lay-out, if you have many smaller picture-frames, you could use them to spell out “Home” or your family name – the little things can go a long way to personalising your space.
Street Art
Street art has long been around and with names like Banksy, Blu and Shepherd Fairey, there are certainly some unique styles to choose from. Maybe you’ve considered trying some “graffiti” style art yourself; well your walls could be the perfect place to experiment. Break out the bright spray-paints, stencils are used to get clean lines and with resources available online, you could stencil an entire scene or some motivational statements.
Some of the best street-art to date can be found in cities around the world, so if you are stuck for inspiration you could plan a city outing or even partake in a Street Art Tour in London, UK.
When you get into your first home, the excitement to decorate can often lead to making impulsive decisions. Even more so for property renters who have been allowed some décor-freedom for the first time. Rather than rushing into a hasty decision that can be costly to correct, consider your interests and how they best be reflected in your available space. You may not need to break out the paintbrushes at all and instead fill your space with personal effects, photographs and soft furnishings in your favourite colours. Make your house somewhere you are proud to come home to.