Adding Warmth to Your Home Through Styling
There are many things that make a home "warm". The people you share it with and the memories you make there are at the top of that list. My goal in styling a space is always to make a space look and feel useful.
For me, the worst space to be in is one that is over-styled to the point you don't know how to behave when you're there. We have all been to someone's home where you aren't sure which items are for decoration and which you're meant to use. Are those hand-embroidered coasters for my drink or just to bring dimension to the coffee table? If I get a bit chilly can I use the angora throw blanket to warm up or will the armchair look incomplete without it?
For many of us, it's enough just to keep our spaces clean. Paralyzed by decision we keep things simple and easy to tidy. Sometimes we're so caught up in keeping things tidy and organized that we end up stripping away all the character from our spaces. If things are starting to look bare and monotonous, you've come to the right place.
Let's explore a few cost effective ways to add warmth and character back into our spaces without turning them into museums.
Texture
A great way to add more dimension to your space is to mix textures. If your space is looking a little one-note, take a look around and see how many different textures you can see. Odds are, there's not many standing out.
Wicker or rattan is a great way to bring texture into your space. Think baskets, bins, and small furniture items like side tables, hampers, or plant stands.
Velvet can add warmth and drama to your space. It can be used for things like curtains, headboards, throw pillows, footstools, or table runners.
Woven textiles work great for subtly adding patterns to a space. There's an abundance of handwoven textiles in thrift and charity shops. They're great for making tablecloths, dish towels, throw pillows, curtains, light throw blankets, small area rugs, or even as lampshade covering.
Lighting
Lighting may be THE most important part of any space. A good rule of thumb for any living space (living room, dining room, bedroom, office) is to have about 3 light sources other than the overhead light. Overhead lights can be harsh and put strain on our eyes. If we have 3 different light sources, our eyes are not overwhelmed from a single angle and can relax.
If you have windows in your space - that's one light source down!
For living spaces, look for warmer lighting options. Light bulbs that are more yellow/orange rather than stark white will make your space feel soft and comforting.
For working spaces (studios, kitchens, gyms) you may opt for a more white toned light or use the overhead lights. Not every room needs to resemble a moody cafe! You'll want to be alert and able to see when you're reading a recipe, chopping vegetables, or working on your burpees.
A large paper light fixture gives off a nice diffused light to the space, this is also a great excuse to pull an antique lamp out of storage or experiment with wall sconces.
Greenery
The best kept secret of interior decorating is: when in doubt, add another plant. Any dark corner, forgotten shelf, or bare bookcase can come alive (literally) by adding a plant. Not only do they bring life into a room, some plants act as air purifiers.
Common houseplants are:
Rubber plant
Snake plant
Monstera
Areca palm
Spider plant
ZZ plant
Pothos
Boston Fern
Utility
You may be saying, ok now I know what I'm looking for - but what am I using it for?
This is when I like to ask myself a couple questions:
What items am I always looking for?
What items don't have a "home"?
Let's start with an easy space - the living room. What can you never keep track of? for me, it's remotes. Consider finding a small dish or basket that can hold all your remotes. This makes them easy to find AND gives you an opportunity to introduce some new textures to your coffee table.
What items don't have a "home"? For our living room, it's hats. baseball hats everywhere. Then we received some beautiful brass hooks as a gift - now not only have we solved our wayward hat problem, we've added some character to the space.
Personal Touch
And finally, USE WHAT YOU HAVE!
A space feels welcoming because someone you love lives there and you can tell. You want your space to feel like you. Sure, the knick-knacks you find at HomeGoods are cute. But what does a sphere of marble remind you of? The trip you took to HomeGoods?
Look through your basement or attic. That crystal bowl you got at your wedding but never could figure out when to use it? Use it as a catch-all tray or to hold your keys. All those old concert tickets and photos you keep in a box in the back of your closet? Arrange them in a frame as wall art.
Nothing makes me feel better than being surrounded by things that hold memories.
Corkboards are a great way to keep your space feeling fresh - especially if you're like me and feel the need to rearrange your apartment every other month. If you have kids, consider a corkboard for displaying their latest masterpiece!
Memory frames can be for holding items from a specific event (wedding, school years, big vacation) or for displaying family heirlooms that don't have a practical use.
Metal trays could be mounted in a kitchen or dining room and used as a bulletin board. Just make sure it's magnetic before mounting.
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