15 UNUSUAL WAYS TO PERK UP YOUR INTERIORS
Traveled the corners of the world, stayed in the most expensive and luxurious hotels, camped in deserts and rainforests and found solace in cozy cottages. Been there, done that, and I'd still say there's no place like home.
Our homes are not just places we live, eat and sleep in. They are also an extension of our lives and personalities. No other space has as much significance for me as my home. It therefore becomes imperative for me to love the space I live in. To achieve that, I never let monotony or boredom settle in my home. And you can achieve that too.
There are some surprisingly simple ways to make your home interiors look completely fresh and new. Borrow a few ideas from homes that you have visited and loved and bring your own fresh perspective to things. Stay updated on home decor trends but don't follow them blindly. Keep a tab on all the thrift stores you have visited and found beautiful home decor pieces in. Also visit art galleries and exhibitions for inspiration. Keep experimenting with home decor ideas and designs. Don't stop or be disappointed if some of them don't turn out great. They will only make you a finer interior designer.
Here are fifteen innovative ways to spruce up your interiors and wake up to a new and lovely home.
Switch on the Retro Magic
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Some things never lose their charm. Vintage decor is one such thing; it is timeless. While you might think that adding retro magic to your home would be an expensive affair, most of the time our homes already possess many artworks, heirlooms, and furniture that look like they are from a bygone era.
You only need to turn the spotlight back on them. Couple the antique lamp with a chest purchased from the junk store. Some of the things found in junk stores and flea markets are worthy steals. Keep an eye out for them.
Frame your old black-and-white family photographs in metal or wood and hang them on the wall next to a table lamp. Unused cutlery handed down to you by your grandma can also be used as decorative pieces.
Old trunks piled on top of each other make for unique side tables and transport you to another era. And if you are lucky enough to possess a gramophone and have stored it in the attic somewhere, get it out. Give it a spot of pride in your living room. You have just created a classy corner!
Spice up the Bedroom
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Stir things up in the bedroom with unpredictable colors, prints and designs. Move over the regular square, round, and floating beds. Get a suspended bed to create a dramatic impact and lots of floor space. If that seems too adventurous to you experiment with colors and textiles in your bedroom to give it a fresh look. Couple ethnic prints with contemporary ones, and soft muted shades with a burst of color, to add depth and dimension to your bedroom. Metallic shades are all a rage this year. Buy gold-laced cushions for your bedroom to create a regal feel.
Bathe in Style
What is a bathroom without a bathtub? Invest in this one luxurious piece to redefine the look of your bathroom. Chuck the usual bathtub for something classic and different like the wooden bathtub in the picture above and bathe in style.
Invest in Multi-storage Furniture
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Invest in furniture that is the perfect blend of comfort and design to derive maximum utility from it and also to keep your interiors spacious. A dining table with a sliding top that transforms into a pool table? You definitely want to consider that! Such furniture looks chic and is a great way to make a home look larger as well as more organized.
A Spellbinding Piece of Work
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Artwork can transform the dullest of spaces into something memorable. It could be a work of a popular artist, a wood-paneled mirror in the dining room, or a beaded chandelier. Your options are many. The idea is for it to be so grand that it casts a spell on your visitors, and of course enhances the beauty of the room it is placed in.
Fire up the Interiors
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A beautiful fireplace can transform your home into a stunner. Look to marble, glass, textured tiles and fieldstones to give a facelift to your fireplace. Pay attention to what you place inside the fireplace as well. Think unique firestones and uniquely cut logs. You can also arrange seating around the fireplace, in true vintage style, to impart a grand look to your living room.
It's All about the Lighting
The right kind of lighting can do wonders for your interiors. Have you noticed how certain rooms have a refreshing effect on you the moment you step into them? Lighting plays a big part in this. Good lighting can lift a room out of darkness, literally and figuratively, and exude a positive energy.
1. Use a Variety of Lights and Lamps
Four lamps are better than two. Pick your lamps in gorgeous colors and unique shapes. Switch them on and off according to your moods and to create the desired ambience.
2. Versatile Lighting
If having too many light sources is not a feasible option then opt for those that are versatile and can go from dim to bright as you want.
3. Light up Unexpected Places
Incorporate back lighting in unexpected places. Under-the-stair lighting looks fab and can glam up your interiors. Opaque glass window panes with soft light focused on them looks ethereal.
Splash Some Color
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While a room painted white is always classic and never boring, this season home decor is all about colors-fresh, dark, and royal colors that give your home a wow factor. Here are a few suggestions on how to use colors the right way.
1. If your house is painted in one color, mark out one wall in each room and paint it in a different, preferably contrasting, color. This will impart a sophisticated look to the room.
2. Introduce gray, the new neutral, in your home. It works fabulously with both bold colors like yellow and red as well as with softer shades like mauve and violet. Use it as a background for a king-size mirror or combine it with navy blue in the library to create rooms you will never want to leave.
3. Red and tan look rich and royal with wooden furniture but can be a risk in homes with contemporary decor. In such settings they should be used as accent pieces.
Create an Impression at the first Hello
Don't ignore the exterior of your house. Create an impression at the first hello. Create a unique front door that catches people's fancy. Give it a personality. A fun, warm, and cheery door would make people want to visit you. You can achieve this by a creative play of colors, patterns and accents.
Unconventional Arrangements of Flowers
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While regular flower arrangements in lovely vases are very appealing, they can hardly be called unique. Think of uncommon flowers and arrange them in unconventional containers. Measuring devices like vials, test tubes and beakers can serve as beautiful containers for flowers. So can conches, surrounded by seashells. Combine rarely used varieties like hibiscus and marigold with roses and hydrangeas in your flower arrangements to create an oriental feel. It will be a true delight for the senses.
Reduce the Clutter
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Interiors containing a million things fighting for space will look congested and off-putting. Reducing the clutter and storing things the smart way is how you keep your home looking tidy and beautiful.
Think of the unused spaces in your rooms and if they can be utilized for additional storage. Space under the stairs can be used to store books, clothes, and other items that you do not need on a regular basis. Use hanging organizers to neatly store your accessories, which otherwise lie all over the place. Make maximum utilization of baseboard drawers in the kitchen. You will have much neater and nicer rooms.
Don't Ignore the Floor
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Do not underestimate the power of a beautiful floor. If you have no plans of changing the now old and dull flooring in your house, make use of rugs and carpets to bring it to life. You have a myriad of options available in different shapes, colors, textures and fabrics. Pick the ones that will best complement your existing home decor.
Condition Your Furniture to Restore its Glory
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Before you decide to get rid of your old furniture, consider conditioning it. Leather and vinyl furniture must be cleaned and conditioned twice a year to prevent it from drying and cracking, especially if it is exposed to light and dust. Furniture conditioning is easier on pocket and will leave your furniture looking gleaming new.
Add Depth to Your Decor
Add depth and dimension to your decor by including skirted furniture like ottomans and divans in your living room. This will lend warmth, as well as an exotic charm, to the room.
Convert the space below the staircase into a cozy corner or a library. Bring the indoors and outdoors closer by installing glass doors and windows in the kitchen.
Move Your Best Pieces Around
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Most of us have tried this one, but for all those who still haven't here is a tip that is cheap and always effective. Try shuffling up your home decor a little. Take off that family photograph from the living room wall and hang it in your kids' room. Remove that beautiful piece of art from the guest room and bring it into spotlight by placing it in the living room. Add a few more artworks around the piece and you have your creative corner right there.
This is easy to do, inexpensive and makes your interiors look new every single time.
To Sum it Up
I hope these tips have been helpful and you feel inspired now to take on the task of giving your interiors a fresh look. Before you start though, do some more research and browse through Pinterest for more ideas. Once you have enough material, develop a strategy to revamp your interiors. Don't start till you know what you are getting into, especially if it involves spending money or making physical alterations to your place. But once you are clear about the way you want to proceed, happy times await you. Have fun redecorating!