If you are clueless about home décor, these tips will help you get your bearings right and your home on trend.
Ambience.Choose décor that you’re most at home with for a distinctive ambience and to showcase your personality.
Blend.Country chic and contemporary can co-exist if you blend them well. An eclectic style creates a unique look.
Colour. Colour affects mood, emotions and health. Incorporate favourite colours into wall décor, soft furnishings and accessories.
Drama. A dramatic element can create a sense of expectancy. Paint a wall a bright colour, invest in designer wallpaper or put down a bold rug.
Donate. Donate all the things that you don’t need. Old furniture, utensils, appliances, books, magazines and toys can all find a second home.
Entrance. The first impression is the most important. Organise to show off your style and to ensure that the last-minute rush for keys/sunglasses is a thing of the past.
Green. Switch to CFLs, buy appliances with high energy ratings and replace when needed, and conserve water. If you can, install rainwater harvesting and solar heating systems.
Indulge. Splurge on one feature that you have always wanted – a breakfast counter, a silk carpet, a swanky bar, a home theatre, bunk beds for the kids or a built-in barbeque.
Light. Ensure a mix of light fittings and controls to provide enough ambient, task and mood lighting.
Multi task. Invest in a multifunctional space for the family to use at different times of the day. Multifunctional furniture does double duty - seating and storage.
Natural. Flowers ensure a festive spirit round the year. Stack fruits and vegetables in bowls, display a collection of leaves and branches in vases.
Organic. Use natural fibres and materials. Use accessories such as rocks, pebbles, shells, branches, driftwood and twigs for a trendy, organic look.
Photos. Get the family photos out of albums. Create a collage, set them in unusual frames or use them to jive up mugs and coasters.
Plants.Apart from flowering plants and shrubs, try growing herbs and vegetables. DIY-ers can try a terrarium, a tiny garden inside a glass jar.
Retro. Retro is an easy look to harness. Look for vintage artwork, lamps and accessories. Or try kitsch - many options are available.
Paint. A lick of paint, be it the entire house or a few strategic walls, can give your home a brand new look. Or, try wallpaper.
Re-purpose.Things that you have no use of can be re-purposed. Recycle old fabric into patchwork quilts; rethink furniture arrangements for a new feel.
Restrooms. Jazz up bathrooms with colourful shower curtains and anti-skid mats/area rugs. Twine a string of lights around the mirror.
Repair. Paint over cracks in walls, fix broken furniture, replace burned-out bulbs, and stick together broken accessories.
Replace. Replacing toilet seats and faucets in bathrooms, cabinetry and hardware in the kitchen, and mirrors and cushions in bedrooms can pep them up.
Simplify. If you haven’t used something in three years, chances are you never will. Clean up furniture, closets, shelves, cabinets and storage areas. Take an inventory periodically.
Storage. If there’s anything no home has enough of, it’s storage. Think out-of-the-box to maximise options. Tap walls, nooks and crannies, and unused areas.
Thrift. Hit flea markets and juna bazaars for one-of-a-kind furniture, artwork, frames, lighting, memorabilia and accessories.
Update. Give furniture a makeover by updating it – new u pholstery and colourful cushions will pep up any space.
Window treatment. The right window treatment — be it a billowing pair of sheers, smart wooden blinds or luxurious valances — can create a new look.
