How to make a statement with your interiors

Are you tired of living in a home that is all about fitting in with other people and their style ideas? One of the joys of homeownership or amicable long-term rental arrangements is being able to personalize your home. Your home is not just there to be comfortable and convenient; it should be making a statement about who you are. If you want to express your personality through your home, here are some approaches you can try.

Step outside the ordinary

Few of us can afford all the things we might want for our homes, but what we can do is invest in a few striking items. Choosing a signature piece for each room in the house is a great way to make an impression, and you can make smaller adjustments to other items in the room – sometimes just by repositioning them – to complement it. Some people choose to do this by buying works of art or pieces of furniture designed to look unusual, but you can also accomplish this in simpler ways. For example, you can buy a sofa with a bold geometric print and place it in front of a wall that bears a different geometric pattern on the wallpaper.

Light up in style

Light fittings serve a double function in the home. First, the positioning of lamps and spotlights that can be pointed in select directions does a lot to direct attention within a room and can make some areas or pieces of furniture stand out more than others. Moreover, the lights themselves can make a statement. This could mean choosing an elegant and unusual desk lamp, hanging up colored lanterns, setting the mood with a tall, floor-standing lava lamp, or going for the luxury look with an antique chandelier. You can do all of this on a much lower budget than you might expect.

Switch to shutters

Windows naturally attract the eye in any room, so it is worth making the most of them. If you feel that you’ve exhausted the possibilities of curtains, why not go for a more dramatic look with full length window shutters? They let in a lot more light, making the whole room look better, and you can paint them to suit your tastes. Make them part of a dramatic color scheme, paint a pattern on them or paint murals on them. They can bring a real sense of style to even the most ordinary of rooms.

Bring the garden indoors

Most people like to have a few potted plants around the house, but have you thought about taking it further? Some kinds of indoor trees are easier to care for than you might imagine, and they can make your hallway or living room look magnificent. Another fantastic way to use plants indoors is to run vines along a wall so that they form a backdrop like wallpaper. They will require a net or mesh scaffold and careful training, but they are fairly easy to maintain.

Make more of the floor

One part of the home that often gets underused by designers is the floor. Polished wood or a good-quality carpet can look beautiful, but these floors do not convey much personality. Rugs can say a lot, however, whether you go for quirky, modern styles or luxurious antiques. You can frame a room around them or make an impression by using a sumptuous rug instead of a bathmat, immediately adding character to your bathroom. Linoleum or painted wood are also interesting options. The most modest of kitchens can look quite stunning with a bright red floor.

Accessorize!

Sometimes it is not a single design feature that makes a room look amazing; instead, it might be a combination of little things. You might choose ornaments and textiles featuring the same animal, for example, or display a collection of items based on a strong color scheme. Small mirrors and carefully placed glass objects can do amazing things with light. If you visit art galleries, you can often get great deals on striking paintings or sculptures by new artists, and these can really stand out in your home.

Decorating your home requires confidence and practice. It is easiest to begin by introducing a single new feature in each room, then take your time to determine what will work alongside it. Your home will evolve as you spend time in it, and although it may take months or even years to feel complete, it won’t take long at all to feel unique.