When it comes to finding the perfect style for your home, it’s all about letting your personality shine through. But this might require a bit of experimentation to ensure you hit on the design formula that’s right for you. After all, you might be amazed at how just one small change in your living room, bedroom, dining space, or other area can lead to a stunning home transformation.
To kick-start your design journey, you first need to understand where you fit on the continuum of styles from minimalism to maximalism:
- The Elegance of Minimalism: This design style is centered on simplicity and decluttering, which can work wonders in any room of your home, from the kitchen to the bathroom and beyond. Minimalism tends to focus on just displaying the bare essentials. Minimalist design often features monochromatic color choices – an approach that employs various shades of one color – with perhaps the use of an accent color in small, surprising areas. It should be noted that minimalism goes beyond a design aesthetic; it’s also a lifestyle that promotes stress reduction and simplification.
- The Exuberance of Maximalism: While minimalism focuses on emphasizing clean lines and functionality, maximalism embraces a bold jumble of colors, patterns, and textures. It might feature ornate details as well as furniture and objects from different periods. The key to this clash of styles is that they all go together into a cohesive ambiance that doesn’t seem cluttered. Creating a maximalist design can be overwhelming and costly, but if you’re willing to invest time and resources into your home décor, the impact can be quite stunning.
To discover your preferred style – from maximalism to minimalism or somewhere in between – start by determining your preferences. Ask yourself whether you enjoy an eclectic mix of styles or lean toward a particular one.
Another way to think about it: Do you like to display items that express your personality and tell your story or do you want the space to feel bigger and more understated?
And no matter where you fall on the design style continuum, assess each room in your home to ensure that everything works cohesively with your intended look and feel. If an item does not harmonize with the overall room, consider removing it to create a more spacious and cohesive ambiance.
Other ways of creating a home that reflects your style include:
- Embrace Nature: To create an inviting environment and bring color and texture to your home, you can use plants as focal points on end tables or coffee tables. To determine the placement of your plants, ensure that they can be admired from any spot in the room. You can also bring the beauty of nature into your home by pulling back the shades and curtains to showcase the gardens, shrubs, and trees you have on your property.
- Maximize Light: In addition to embracing the comforting feeling of nature, leave your windows uncovered and make sure that they stay clean and clear to create a bright and airy atmosphere. You can even magnify the natural light in your home by positioning mirrors on the walls to reflect more sunlight throughout your home. Your goal: To let in as much light as possible.
- Smart Home Accessories: Incorporating smart devices as you redecorate can provide the extra assistance you need. You can integrate devices with smart features seamlessly into your design, ensuring everything aligns in style and functionality. Just imagine controlling your thermostat, home security system, washer, dryer, lighting, music, and more through voice commands or convenient mobile apps.
As you create a space that reflects your style, be sure to keep your wellness in mind too. After all, your home should be a sanctuary where you can unwind, recharge, find solace after a long day, and provide an oasis for meditation and self-reflection.
You might also want it to be a place that encourages or enables physical activity.
One simple way to accomplish essentially opposite goals – to be active and to relax – is through creating a multi-purpose room (or rooms). The space (or spaces) can also serve as a playroom, guest bedroom, home office, meditation room, exercise center — the possibilities are endless. In other words, a multi-purpose room can help you maximize your space without requiring extra square footage.
Finally, keep your budget in mind while making your design decisions and select the home décor for longevity. While social media can be a great treasure trove for discovering new design ideas, Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms might also send you in a direction that you’ll later regret. Best bet: Stick with tried-and-true classics that you know will work. If you do, you’ll more likely stay on budget while lowering the potential for any regrets later on.
Once you determine and embrace your unique sense of style, you can transform your home into a captivating space that truly reflects who you are. So let the design journey begin! Questions? My team at Coco Design & Build can answer them. As a full-service home design firm, we love working with clients in need of customized new rooms. Feel free to contact us today.
By Nicole Colin, Coco Design & Build Co.
