In Home Decorating Ideas and Tips (Part 2)
On Wednesday, we talked about 5 in home decorating ideas and tips that were:
Know Your Style
Declutter and Edit
Hide Utilitarian Stuff
Use Interesting Shapes
Texture, Texture, Texture
(If you missed the post, you can read all about it HERE.)
So today, we’re going to look at 7 more ideas and tips that will help you style your home to make it the very best it can be:
6. LAYERING
Layering adds dimension and interest to your decor.
Layer pillows and throws on your sofas…
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and chairs…
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layer a hat over a jacket on a wall hook…
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and stack layers of throws in an armoire…
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Layer topiaries in front of mirrors …
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or picture frames…
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Lots of layers right here!
(Get tips on how to fold sheets HERE)
Layer your bedding
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Layer pillows, duvets and throws to give your bed decorator style. See how to style your bed HERE
7. LEVELS
Stack books, dishes and accessories to create different heights to keep your decor from being boring.
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Use levels on your table and buffet to make the best use of space and look great too!
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8. USE ODD NUMBERS
Always try to decorate in groups of threes or some other odd number. Groupings of odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye.
Have you ever heard of the ‘Magic Triangle’?
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The three items on the table and on the floor are examples of the magic triangle. Use 3 items of different heights and place them in a triangle on your table or shelf and create instant decor perfection!
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A round table is a perfect spot for topiaries placed in a magic triangle.
9. BALANCE
Balance is simply making sure the visual weight is evenly distributed around your room.
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These two desks opposite each other add ‘weight’ to both sides of the room.
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Our built-ins in the living room are balanced.
You also want to make sure the decor on your shelves is balanced.
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The placement of the items on the shelves is evenly distributed by size, color and shape from top to bottom and side to side.
(To get more ideas on how to bring balance to your spaces, see THIS post)
10. CONTRAST
Contrast is also an important element in decorating. You want to be sure you have some dark shades to play off of the light shades in your space to keep things from looking flat and bland.
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The black table, fan, books, picture frames. candle holder, cabinet hardware and ottoman tray are all dark and add contrast to all the white in this room. (Notice that it’s evenly distributed around the room for balance too.)
11. REMOVE TAGS AND STICKERS
You know it’s not against the law to remove the tags from your cushions and pillows, right??
Even though this is the back of the chair, you still see it every time you walk out of our front door. Those tags look so tacky!
Now see how clean and nice the back of the chair looks!
I love to use fruit as decor. I put it in bowls on my counters or kitchen table. But it almost always comes with a sticker on each piece.
So I take the time to take off each sticker before putting it in the bowl. (You have to take it off before you eat it anyway…).
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Big difference, right?
Here’s a quick tip for removing price stickers from hard surfaces (not fruit!):
Hit it with a hot blow dryer for a few seconds until the glue is loosened and it will peel right off!
You can instantly elevate your style by taking the tags off of everything — electrical cords… dishes… pillows…vases…
12. PERSONALIZE YOUR SPACE
Be sure to use things in your space that are unique to you. This is the difference between a house and a home. Surround yourself with the things you love — things that make you happy.
Photos and pictures…
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Use pictures with subject matter that’s personal to you. Family, pets, shots from a vacation, favorite landscapes, etc.
Here’s a quick tip for displaying photos: mat and frame them like works of art: Use a square format — it works into the display so nicely! Crop an 8 x 10 photo with a 5 x 5 mat opening to get the most of the image. And try to use photos that have colors that work with the color scheme in your space.
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This is a photo that I took at the beach on a cloudy day. I live in a coastal town and I love the beach!
Family heirlooms…
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This trunk was my mom’s from the 1930s. In later years, she used to sit on it every day and put her shoes on. Not only is it a piece that I love the look of, I love having something to remind me of her in my decor.
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This table belonged to Mr. Redoux’s family. I painted it black about 20 years ago.
And this little stand is a family heirloom
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and now that I’ve painted it — it’s one of my favorites!
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Here’s my philosophy about family heirlooms — if you’re going to use them, make sure you love them and they work in your space. If you can make it work by changing it in some way (painting, stripping, changing out knobs, etc.), do it! (If you’re worried about devaluing the piece — have it appraised so you know exactly what it’s worth before you decide to change it). I don’t know about you, but I’m not happy filling up my rooms with things that have been passed down to me just because they belonged to Great Aunt Alma! If you don’t love it and don’t use it — pass it on to someone who will.
Found objects and collections…
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Found deer antlers and a quartz geode on top of the box, and the photo I took at the beach are all things that tell a story about me.
So resist the urge to just go buy a bunch of stuff and put it in your house to make it look finished. Some of that is okay but also put things in your home that are personal to you. Things that you have collected over time, that are meaningful to you, will bring you the most joy.
Wow!
That’s a lot of in home decorating ideas and tips!
I hope you’re inspired to go out and layer and stack,
throw your iPad in a drawer,
peel off stickers and cut those tags,
and make your house
the best home for you that it can possibly be!
Prov. 24: 3 - 4
