8 Golden Rules to Design Your Home With
In my early twenties I had to learn how to be an adult (as we all do). Part of that included decorating some of my first living spaces. As we age, I think it can be easy to forget that those first years of adulthood can be well, overwhelming in many ways. Part of this includes furnishing your home…with things you actually like. I mean, just getting a toaster, a microwave and a couch is a big deal and can be no easy feat on a budget.
On top of being on a limited budget, I simply had a hard time choosing something that I actually liked enough to put on my walls. As well as furniture that was both functional and aesthetically pleasing to me. Also, our style can change over the years AND we sometimes desire a design refresh at home. Personally, it’s taken me until my late thirties to really nail down the design in my home.
A turning point for me was when I came across an Airbnb listing (and scoured through the photos for inspiration). From this place of inspiration, I started to formulate a “theme” for my space. There’s literally millions of things that you can decorate your home with. However, there are a certain set of rules that you can follow that can help narrow things down.
For example, my source of inspiration (the Airbnb listing) had a vintage theme and gold accents throughout the entire space. As I began to source items, I began to notice a theme as I began to get creative through different sources of inspiration.
(1) MINIMALISM OR MAXIMALISM
While you don’t necessarily have to choose minimalism or maximalism for your entire space, having some consistency throughout your entire home helps tie things together. Think about how much decor you want up on the walls. Is it 1-2 things per wall? Nothing at all on the walls? Do you have a loud style with big artful pieces or bright colorful items? Or do you have a muted style with earthy elements?
(2) COLOR PALETTE
Choose 2-4 main colors for your home. Yes, you can have many colors in your space, but this helps tie a theme together. These don’t necessarily have to be saturated colors. If you’re looking for more of a minimalism look, you can go for more muted colors. For me personally, I have the following colors in my home:
Yellow
Pink
Burnt Orange
Blue and Grey
(3) TEXTURES
Texture can add so much to a home without it necessarily being distracting or overpowering. Add different textures such as velvet pillows or curtains, leather, faux fur, rugs, etc.
It adds a sensory element, so think about the different surfaces that you like to touch that feel good to you. Then, add more of that to your space. It’s subtle, but such an important part of designing a space.
(4) PATTERNS
Similarly to texture, patterns can also add so much to a space. You can go loud or subtle with pattern. Wall paper has been “in” for a while and it’s definitely improved since the 1980’s. It’s easier to apply and remove. For example, I have this blue wave wallpaper on my living room wall and it adds so much personality to my space. And also the calming element of water which represents movement and flow to me.
Patterns can also be easily added with a throw blanket, pillows, curtains, etc. which can easily be interchanged with the season or your preferences at any given time.
(5) METALS
Is there a certain metal that you gravitate towards? For me, it’s gold or bronze. I’ve replaced a lot of fixtures with gold. It ties together throughout my house. I’ve also mixed this with a few white fixtures such as white brackets for my wall shelves, a white dishwasher, etc.
(6) WOOD
Is there a certain tone of wood that you like? I consistently have a teak colored wood throughout my space. It ties together nicely between my bed frame, tv stand, tea amoire, etc.
(7) HOBBIES/THEMES
Incorporating a theme throughout a space can also be fun. For example, in my living room I have these little ceramic yoga bunnies on a shelf and then on my wall I have a big gold rabbit head from Alice in Wonderland that ties a rabbit theme together. There are affirmations sprinkled throughout my house as well as an outer space theme going on.
(8) ELEMENTS
A huge theme in my home is a nod towards the elements of earth, wind, fire, and water. I see this as everything from ambient lighting (fire/warmth), to plants (earth), mirrors (wind/creating open space), and the watery wallpaper in my living room (water).
I’m a big fan of reducing landfill waste whenever possible. This means finding vintage pieces of furniture and new items that can be recycled or repurposed at the end of their life cycle.
There’s a also a strategy that incorporate when it comes to incorporating vintage furniture and decor into my home. I don’t furnish my entire home with vintage items, but rather, find a few really unique pieces that “pop” or “stand out”.
ALSO, I know some people who will not buy a used couch. And I totally get that — you don’t necessarily know the origin of stains, wear, and tear.
