15 Ways to Give Your Home Personal Polish
Allow me to begin by stating Ilove Ikea. It really can’t be overcome for clean, contemporary designs at a reasonable price, and also the best designers are proven to scoop up a few items at Ikea for luxury customers. And when the new 2013 catalog landed in my mailbox lately, I have to say I felt a little giddy just planning my next trip to the big blue box. Nevertheless it may be tempting to rely too heavily on pre sources such as Ikea when decorating, to the exclusion of other options — and most of us want our houses to feel unique and private, not as a page ripped from a catalog.
Join us now as we explore 15 creative decorating ideas, from paint and textiles to art collecting and DIY jobs — low and high end — to place your private stamp on your space and pull everything together into a polished, glorious manner.
1. Make your very own upholstered headboard. From the bedroom, a fantastic headboard can be the decorative impact you require. Professionally upholstered headboards can be extremely expensive, but if you would like to accomplish this look by yourself, it may be achieved, as this one by the book by Design Sponge’s Grace Bonney shows. The best part: Since the job costs less, you can afford to choose the fabric you are actually searching for.
2. Snag a painting or oversize photograph (in a reasonable price). Happily, the art world is ushering in a new age of affordable design from fledgling musicians and artists, spearheaded by innovative sites like 20×200, Etsy and Zatista, amongst others. Small prints are great too, but adding just one oversize piece to the mixture can elevate an entire space.
Merchandise pick: Available in 20×200, this oversize piece by photographer Christian Chaize would make a stunning focal point in any area.
ABRAMS
3. Add trim. If you live in a “plain white box” with no decorative moldings, look at adding a bit of interest with DIY add-ons from the hardware store. Dress up the front doorway, decorate plain columns or add crown moldings to the living area. Any of these options will include a feeling of history to a newer home or apartment.
Dresser Homes
4. Insert definition using a painted border. As an alternative to moldings, painting a stripe of contrasting color around your walls may add sharp definition for hardly any price. Thinner lines (1 to 3 inches) will give a subtly crisp appearance, whereas thicker lines (5 to 8 inches) are a decorative element in their own right.
5. Produce coziness with a painted ceiling. For some reason, the majority of us do not give much consideration to color on the ceiling, opting for basic white or matching the wall color. But a rich, contrasting hue on the ceiling may add a feeling of depth and warmth at a wonderfully subtle manner, perfect for bedrooms and living rooms.
kimberly peck architect
6. Transform your room with an amazing pendant light. Simply swapping out the standard-issue ceiling light with a stylish necklace takes a perfectly nice but quite plain white or neutral area and makes it feel intentionally made. Don’t be afraid to put money into lighting, even if you lease — you could always take it with you when you move.
Tim Barber Ltd Architecture
7. Insert wall sconces. Sconces are a darling of all decorators everywhere, and with good reason. Their petite size allows them to be placed in tight spots like on bookcases, beside artwork or at the restroom, and their soft light casts a flattering glow.
Renters can purchase cable covers to go with the sconces, giving the crisp appearance of built-ins while still enabling the sconces to be plugged into the wall.
Zoe Feldman Design, Inc..
8. Utilize a hexagon print. Famed decorator David Hicks loved with hexagon patterns in their own rooms, and they are still just as smart now. Jazz up a plain stairwell using a runner, or use swanky hexagon wallpaper to line a powder room or study.
My Marrakesh
Vintage Moroccan Wedding Blanket 659
9. Drape furniture with gorgeous textiles. If everything in your home is feeling a little too stiff and new, soften up things with a vintage textile. Suzanis, batiks and Moroccan wedding blankets (such as this one) could be draped over sofas and seats, used to cover beds or flooring, or even hung on the walls, tapestry design.
Moment layout + productions, llc
10. See to your kitchen like the living area. Personalize a cold kitchen with pretty cloth window shades, potted plants, handmade antiques, art and a nonkitcheny light fixture. Fitting in a place to sit is a gracious touch too, even if it’s just a perch at the counter — someplace for a buddy to sip wine while you cook.
Lucy Interior Design
11. Insert pom-poms, fringe or tassel trim. Like little cheerleaders to your residence, fancy trimmings may add fun and personality to anything they embellish. Consider adding some to the edges of a tablecloth, curtains, cushions or a lampshade. Sewn-on trimming will surely last longer, however, do not let the absence of a sewing machine stop you. A glue gun works, too.
Jeri Koegel Photography
12. Give new life to tired old cupboards. Bored with the same old shelves you have had forever? Consider livening them up using a coat of paint at a bold color. Eliminate the shelves and paint just the rear wall of this bookcase for a pop of color that peeks through. Or paint the confronting edges of the shelves for a more subtle appearance.
Of course, the new color will draw the eye on this attribute in the room, so make certain to edit and then curate the shelves’ contents before returning things there.
Zoe Feldman Design, Inc..
13. Layer window treatments. One window treatment is good, but two is indeed, so much better! Not just do layers look finished, but depending upon the therapy chosen, they can also help filter and control the light. Here are 3 options for layering windows with design:
Add sharp valances over curtains. Matching the cloth just is the simplest thing to do, though you can put in a decorative trim including grosgrain ribbon or nailheads.
Pelmets, very similar to valances, but made more than a wooden framework, are somewhat more formal — great when you wish to put in a significant note to a contemporary room.
Layer draperies over simple matchstick blinds for a look that is equal parts traditional and laid back.
Optimise Design
14. Choose upholstered dining chairs. They’re much more comfortable during long, relaxing dinners, plus they look fresher than plain timber, offering another chance to add color, texture and softness to a space that is ordinarily all hard surfaces.
Rachel Reider Interiors
15. Turn down the lights. The overall idea is to use more sources of light but using lower-wattage bulbs in each lamp. In rooms with overhead light, installing dimmers is a must. Also, focus on the corners in each room; dark corners may make a room feel smaller. Proper lighting makes all the difference in the world.