10 DECOR TIPS THAT WILL MAKE YOUR HOME LOOK AMAZING

StoneGable | 52 Comments

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Today I’m sharing some of my very favorite decor tips.  My head swims with decor ideas all the time!!!! So much so that turning my mind off is often a no-go especially when I try to sleep! You don’t need to be an interior designer to have a beautiful home that reflects you and your lifestyle you just need to “borrow” tips from other like minds and use them in your own way in your home! 

I hope you find these TIPS very useful and use them in your home!!!

THE HIGH/LOW MIX IS MAGICAL

I think this is the decorating idea I love the most and probably use the most in my home. Mixing more expensive items with bargains is my favorite way to decorate. Like my Curlacue chest with a big bargain chippy lantern. LOVE the look. Or mixing an upscale mirror in my dining room with old chippy shutters and white chamber pot lids!

Also mixing refined with a bit of rustic knocks down the stuffiness of a room and makes it more welcoming.

If left to my own natural design tendencies I would decorate quite formal. But formal can look staid! And I want my home to look beautiful, approachable and comfortable. So I’ve learned the high/low mix is quite magical!

Check out your own rooms. And see if the high/low mix will work for you!
 

GIVE IT SOME TEXTURE

Every room in your home should have texture. Texture is the ability of our eyes (through our brains) to feel the different surfaces in a room. Rough, smooth, scratchy, soft, lofty, shiny, hard, nubby and a so much more. Don’t overlook texture or a room will feel flat. 

And mix up texture! Your eyes, brain, and room will thank you! 

ADD PATTERN

Pattern brings life, interest and personal style to a room. I love mixing pattern even in my most neutral rooms. If you are a little shy about mixing patterns pillows and throws are a good place to start.

A good rule of thumb is the 60/30/10 rule. Sixty percent your favorite pattern, 30 percent a complimentary and different scale pattern and 10 percent an accent pattern. Keep them in the same color family for a no-fail mixed pattern look.

THE FOCAL POINT

Each room should have a focal point. Some rooms the focal point may be a total standout and other rooms it may be more subtle. The focal point is usually the first thing you notice when you walk in a room. It calls attention to itself and a room is usually decorated around it. 

Some common but great focal points are…

• an amazing, large painting
• a welcoming fireplace and mantel
• a well-appointed bed
• a big architectural piece
• a table with a pretty centerpiece

LESS IS OFTEN MORE

It’s fun to decorate and sometimes I don’t quite know when to stop. I’ll just keep decorating and embellishing! So, when I’m decorating a room I must go back and edit, edit, edit!!!!! I’ve been looking at my home a lot lately and thinking I might be moving out some furniture to give more “breathing” space to what I have!

I like less and larger than more and smaller. I’d take a big wall clock over a grouping of small pictures any day! Or one large spectacular vignette over a collecting of things scattered about. 

You can see a post about when less is best HERE.

MIRROR YOUR PERSONALITY

Decorating is all about translating your personality and style into your living space. So fill it with what you love and things that make it easy to live in. Nothing is sadder than going into someone’s home and not really knowing who lives there. If your home lacks personality it is probably yours!

It is so important that my home reflects me and how we live. And it’s also imperative that StoneGable feels welcoming and authentic to us! I love classic furnishings but I also love a touch of whimsy!

COMFORT IS IMPORTANT

It’s important to keep a clean and well-appointed home but it should be comfortable at the same time. Make comfort primary! 

If you knock on my door on any given day you will probably find me in comfy clothes and an apron. And that’s perfect for our not-so-perfect home. We live very comfortably here and love to sprawl out to watch tv or read a book or play a family game. 

Even when we are entertaining and the table and menu are on the formal side, we want our guest to be relaxed and very very comfortable!

Style and comfort can go hand in hand!

LAYER, LAYER, LAYER

Layering decor is not always the most natural decorating thing we do. But it’s probably the most important skill you can acquire. And you CAN acquire it! Seriously, study rooms you love and take notice of the layers in the room. Then practice on a room in your home! 

One of the ways to really add beauty and interest to a room is to layer decor!

I have a great post with a fun video that shows you how layer decor like a pro! Click HERE

MIX DESIGN STYLES

Oh, PLEASE mix design styles when you decorate. It will give your room personality and make it one of a kind. And don’t we all want fabulous one of a kind rooms in our homes? Yes, I know we do!

My style is Traditional or Classic American styling mixed with a little refined farmhouse, industrial, and a nod to a bit of cottage. Any one of those decor styles alone would be soooooo boring!!!! And not me. I love an eclectic look. Or at least sort of eclectic!

Mix 18th century with cottage and cottage with a tad of modern and modern with Scandinavian and Scandinavian with industrial…

You can mix so many styles. Try the 80/20 rule. Eighty percent of the style you have or love and twenty percent of a fun style to shake things up a little!

Learn how to know your decorating style… and then amp it up HERE.

ADD SOMETHING ORGANIC

Living things bring life to a room. Just fact! There are so many ways to bring organics to a room. My favorite ways are cut flowers, one big bold plant or a bowl of organic balls like willow balls.

Make sure each room has something life-giving!

Here are some ideas for you…

• moss balls
• easy to care for plants
• a bowl or dish of smooth rocks
• fruit
• plants
• flowers
• driftwood
• coral
• grapevine balls
• a bowl of seashells or starfish
• big green leaves in large bottles

If you follow these easy to do, smart designer tips your home will look amazing! Work room by room and do a little bit every day! You won’t believe the difference.

Happy Decorating, Friend!