Home is a Feeling
Something that I think so many of us get hung up on is the feeling of having to keep up with home decor trends. I love a good trend and I do recognize the importance of refreshing a space, your home and even your wardrobe. The reality though, is that trends come and go and what is more important is to find your personal style and create spaces that find YOU in every detail.
I remember as a little girl being caught up in a dream of having my very own window seat where I could sit and read books and gaze out a window. A friend of mine had a beautiful brand new home and in her room was my dream window seat. I imagined how cozy it would be to have a window seat of my own. I could curl up with a blanket and a book, and nuzzle in to this dreamy space.
Although that window seat was pretty sweet, it was actually the “feeling” that I was truly looking for. Looking back I can confidently acknowledge this. Even as a little girl, I remember going home and refreshing my own room, creating my own little cozy reading nook in a corner of my room. This innocent intentionality as a young girl is exactly what I want to encourage YOU to do in your home and spaces.
Find You in every detail
Look for ways to create the feeling you are after. This can be done in a variety of ways and I’m excited to dive in and share some of the ways that I have learned to achieve this. For every “dream” space, I truly believe there is an attainable way to achieve the “look” or the “feel”. It just takes creativity and vision – Your Vision – to truly make any space feel like Home
Cleaning
Honestly, a clean space is the first step and an important piece to sparking the creative energy you need. I can’t even begin to imagine a space until it’s clean. The term “blank canvas” 100% applies to your home. As soon as I realized and embraced that Home was my canvas, it opened up a whole new understanding of how to bring my personal style and create warmth in my home and spaces.
So, give your home a once over with a cleaning cloth and watch how your creative juices start flowing!
De-Cluttering
This step can actually come before or after you clean. Reduce clutter by going room by room, drawer by drawer, closet by closet etc. and essentially clearing your home of anything that is not being utilized in a functional way. Create donation piles and utilize small storage to create orderly solutions for papers and items that you need to keep. We wrote a whole post on de-cluttering here and if you need some ideas on where to start, head to that post for a little inspiration.
Furniture Placement
How you arrange your furniture is also a key part of bringing in your personal style. Maybe you like open and airy spaces, or perhaps you like to create cozy close knit places to gather. So much of your style can be achieved simply in the ways that you intentionally bring pieces of furniture into your space. I would also encourage you to let this be a moving target. Allow yourself to try different configurations until you settle on a formation that feels right. I often change my furniture placement season by season. In the Fall & Winter I want to create the ultimate cozy feels in every space where in the Spring, I’m trying to bring in all the light and airy touches. Let furniture placement be another fun way to use your home as your personal creative canvas.
Lighting
Lighting is one of the easiest ways to update a space. But something I hear so often from clients is that it’s hard to know what to pick with so many options available!
Here are a few tips:
1. When choosing a light, decide what the focal point of the space is. If the room is quite minimalistic in design, going for a more punchy light could be a great option! However, if a space has a lot going on aesthetically, going for a simpler, cleaner vibe will help to create a space that’s easy to be in and doesn’t overwhelm the eye.
2. SIZE. Going too small or too big is always a risk, but it can be avoided! When looking at lights online, make sure you check the dimensions of the light and measure it out in the space. Proportion is key, particularly over dining room tables and over islands!
3. Choose the right tone: lighting should tell a story throughout a home. My advice? Try to keep the same tone and theme of light fixtures throughout all the main living spaces! And don’t be afraid to try different textures! Hammered metal or even plaster/ceramic is SO in right now and can add such a pretty design flare and focal point to a space! And last tip – make sure all the bulbs are the same tone of light! There’s nothing more distracting than light colour that changes from room to room!
Follow Kath for more great design tips!
Surfaces
Every surface of your Home is a place where you can Find You in Every Detail. Whether you have open shelving in your kitchen, an entry table, bedroom dressers and bedside tables or your living room coffee table. Each of these areas is an opportunity to create a moment in your home that showcases your unique style. Use objects, books, candles, vases and more to bring special touches to these areas in your home.
Textiles
Textiles are the easiest way to bring your personal style! Mix and match different textiles to create interest and seasonal shifts in your space. Play with patterns, neutrals, and different materials. I love the fresh feel of linens in the Spring and Summer while in the Fall my go to is chunky knits.
When it comes to throw pillows I would invest in some good quality inserts. With a good variety of pillow inserts in a variety of sizes and shapes (square, lumbar etc), you can simply purchase new pillow covers when you’re ready to freshen up a space. I recommend intentional investments when it comes to throw pillows because you really do get what you pay for.
Other textiles include rugs, bed & bath linens and table linens. All great areas where you can use textiles to bring your personal style and Find You in Every Detail.
Paint
The power of paint! In my Real Estate career, I’ve seen the power of paint at work over and over again. It’s often the first item I suggest a client tackle when preparing their home for sale. It’s also a great starting point when you want to freshen up a space.
Use a white paint to open up a dark space or bring all the moody vibes with a rich deep paint colour. The beauty of paint is just that. It’s just paint. Fairly reasonably priced and not too hard to change if you are unhappy with it.
Be encouraged to take intentional steps to creating a Home you love and one that exudes your personal style in every detail
xoxo,
Karin
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