Style Your Home with Stories Rather Than Stuff
Source: Barnaby Lane. Photography by Jenna Peffley for Mydomaine.
Your home is like a blank canvas that is ready and waiting to tell a beautiful story. But it should tell YOUR story and highlight the things that are important to you. If you decorate with the latest trends, the story your home tells won’t have any connection to you. And you most likely won’t love it for years - or even months - to come. But when you decorate with items that are part of your history, they will always bring you joy and that never goes out of style. Here are my four favourite styling tips for a home that shines with personality.
Find Your Inspiration
Design inspiration can come from the most unexpected places. I often see people sourcing images they love on social media and attempting to recreate those rooms. But to achieve a home that you love, not just right now, but every day, it’s important to surround yourself with items that inspire, motivate and mean something to you.
Look to your passions and hobbies for inspiration. Travel souvenirs make excellent décor because they are interesting and unique. They tell a story about your life. Personal collections can also be transformed into beautiful displays that will always bring a smile to your face. Anything from meaningful photographs to handmade furniture to favourite instruments or books will have much more meaning than the latest trendy items.
Limit Distractions to Gain Focus
A clutter-free home has fewer distractions, less stress and increased productivity. But that doesn’t mean you want a home with empty shelves and bare walls. By eliminating items that are not meaningful or useful you’ll put the emphasis on things that truly matter.
Clutter isn’t the only distraction in our homes though. When it comes to design, busy patterns, loud colours, and a lack of white space can all be visual distractions. As our vision changes with age, these ‘visual distractions’ impact our health even more. A neutral colour palette is calming, easy to decorate around and creates the perfect backdrop for your story. To keep a neutral palette interesting add contrast, layers of texture and décor that speaks to your personality.
Decorate with Purpose
Interior design isn’t just about making your home look pretty. Beauty and purpose should go hand in hand. Thoughtful choices that put the focus on simplicity and function can actually help make life easier. And a home you feel connected to versus one designed without purposeful intention, can have a greater impact on your emotional and mental well-being. The psychological impacts of architecture and design are well documented and can help alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. When selecting items to fill your home, consider how they make you feel and how they will serve you.
This applies to personal items and décor as well as furniture. Antiques and family heirlooms add character and history to a space, but they can also be practical too. A vintage trunk passed down from generations can serve as an end table or storage bench. And the rug you bought when travelling could make an excellent wall hanging and statement piece.
Photo: Deco Planet
Good Design is Timeless
Minimal design, thoughtful space planning and a focus on how you use your home is the secret to creating spaces that will work for you now and in the future. Pairing this with clean lines and timeless finishes will set a beautiful stage to tell your story. And while trendy trinkets will lose their lustre, you’ll never grow tired of your rich and unique history. Hand made pieces that tell a story such as art, ceramic vases and raw wood will always elevate a room!
Inspiration photos: Pinterest
When your home is inspired by what matters to you and you eliminate things that don’t serve a purpose, your personality will shine through. If you’re ready for a change and want to feel inspired every time you walk into a room, connect with me to discuss how a Sanctuary Consultation can give you a home that reflects your unique personality.