Decorating your brand new home…
PRO:
- You can start from scratch
CON:
- You’re starting from scratch and there are so many options!
Classical, bohemian, minimalist, chic, Scandinavian-inspired, rustic, natural; when it comes to decorating your new home, the list of styles is endless.
But the one thing you know for sure is that you want your dream home to be a beautiful, cohesive blend, rather than a mish-mash of design trends that would have “The Block” judges rolling eyes and snickering to themselves.
To help you out, we’ve narrowed down a few trends, by highlighting signature rooms and pieces to suit each, with the hope it helps you decide the style you’d like to see throughout your new home.
MINIMALIST
A great minimalist space starts with a restrained colour palate; think grey, beige, off-white… A yellow undertone in the paint choice will mean a warmer feel, that requires less dressing up to feel like home.
When introducing artwork and furniture colours, the best way to go is more neutral, earthy tones, like browns, blues, tans, greens, and remember to let the colours work for themselves, paring back the amount of “stuff” in the room, and sticking to the age-old rule, quality over quantity.
TRADITIONAL
With deep roots in English Country Style, traditional home styling can be characterised by seemingly different formal furniture that blends perfectly, reproduction cabinetry, and block colours rather than patterns.
When going for a traditional style think upholstered furniture in plain colours, and formal/predictable placement of furniture, e.g., a bed head against the longest wall, and a lounge facing a fireplace.
Gloss white trims, pressed metal and heavily lacquered timbers are also signature additions in a more traditional style.
The overall ambiance of a traditionally styled home will be homely, understated and predictable yet beautiful.
RUSTIC
A rustic interior will work to emphasise nature, through pieces that are handcrafted, aged, or constructed using natural materials.
If you’re going for a rustic look, structurally you can include exposed wooden beans, hardwood or stone floors, or an exposed brick wall, and look towards warm, earthy colours when choosing paints.
Typically, rustic-style furniture and accessories will consist of timber, stone, bamboo, cotton, wool, glass, clay or metal, and you’ll find that vintage pieces will coexist quite nicely with newly made items in the rustic style, providing a lovely contrast throughout your home.
BOHEMIAN
Here there are no rules, though warm, earthy colours, metallics, and more natural materials such as terracotta are common.
In a bohemian styled home, you’re likely to see hung tapestries, mixed patterns, jewel tones like purples and oranges, tassels, pillows (everywhere!) and anything ornate!
Bohemian furniture is not easy to come by, but you’re looking for chaises and poufs with dark timber frames, upholstered in rich and vibrant colours and textures.
Remember! These are just a helpful guideline for you. If you want to put a Moroccan looking arm chair on a minimalist rug, right next to a Scandi lowline, go for it! It’s your home, and there is no right or wrong way to style your own home.
Most importantly of all have fun exploring your individual style!