Do you ever feel lost decorating and wish you had just a few basic design tips to help get you started? Trust me, we’ve all been there. Sometimes even the most seasoned of designers can feel stuck while attempting to decorate. The endless options can start to feel a bit overwhelming and that’s when it’s best to go back to the basics!
This past weekend I had the pleasure of visiting my grandparents while helping them move into their new home. My grandma is an absolutely phenomenal woman who knows exactly what she likes! While decorating with her, I felt really inspired by some of the decor in her home and wanted to share a few of the decorating tips I was reminded of while there!
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Design Tips – Back To Basics
My lovely grandma, who we endearingly call “Gigi,” genuinely cultivated her own personal style over the years. Making a big move from a home of over 30 years to a new construction home felt a bit intimidating at first. Would her style work in her new modern farmhouse-style home? Fortunately, Gigi’s curated style follows the most fundamental principles of design which allowed her old furniture and decor to work flawlessly in her new home.
I thought I’d share the few key design principles that helped her decorations transition flawlessly into her new space. These basic design elements should help you decorate any space with ease!
Repetition Is Key
The easiest and most essential design element is repetition. My grandma has what I would like to call an antique eclectic aesthetic. She has beautiful vintage pieces with a lot of varying patterns and colors that all seem to integrate flawlessly into the space. So what is her trick for making seemingly clashing pieces blend together?
Well, repetition of course! At the most basic level, she repeats reds, yellows, and greens throughout her entire open floor plan. Although the hues may vary, there are so many repeated color schemes in various elements of her home that it all seems to effortlessly flow together.
She also repeats various elements such as these unique wood pieces which are handcrafted by my uncle. The bowl featured on the coffee table above matches a cutting board in the kitchen and a dough bowl in the breakfast room.
The bottom line is that it is imperative to repeat whatever colors, materials, elements, and textures you elect to include in your design throughout the entire space. The bigger the blueprint, the more you need to repeat!
Don’t Be Afraid Of Patterns
Mixing and matching patterns can be a bit intimidating as well as challenging. That doesn’t mean you should shy away – step up to the challenge! A well-crafted combination of patterns in your home can create an inviting and appealing look.
There are a few important principles to follow when blending patterns, though. It can become quite complex, but to keep it simple, here are a few key tips to create a curated, not clashing look:
- Use similar colors
- Vary the scale of the patterns (different sizes are key)
- Blend simple patterns with complex ones
- Create balance by adding in large scale solids
- If it doesn’t go, don’t force it!
Never Sacrifice Function For Style
Selecting home decor doesn’t need to be an “either/or” choice when it comes to style and function. You can and you should have both. If you’ve read my blogs, you already know that I am very passionate about finding decor that serves a functional purpose. However, my Gigi’s home reminded me how important functional and stylish decor is.
When decorating your home, think of planning your decorations around solving a problem. Don’t like having your remotes out in the open? Add a cute bowl or decorative storage book to your coffee table or sofa table to hide the remotes and add to the design.
This also applies to a reading material storage bin or your bathroom or a jewelry holder next to your sink. Design can create storage or hide unsightly things such as outlets or cords. Design should always be looked at as the solution for the things you aren’t so in love with within your home.
When you shift your mentality from “what should I put there” to “what do I not like about this room,” it becomes far simpler to decorate. Plus, this will keep you from buying what I call clutter decor. These are the pieces you choose because you like them, but you don’t necessarily have a plan of where to put them or a place for them in your home.
Don’t Lose “You” In Your Home
Sometimes in life, we take ourselves a bit too seriously. I often see this and have personally experienced it, in my own home decor journey. With the desire to cultivate that farmhouse magazine-worthy interior, you can often lose yourself in the process. Here’s your reminder: it’s okay to make your house a home!
Add in that funny picture of you and your significant other. Showcase that lovely artwork your kid made for you (and no, I’m not just talking about hanging it on the hidden side of the fridge). Proudly display that quirky sign your daughter bought you as a joke. And always, and I do mean always, incorporate important memories into your design–that’s the most important of my design tips!
