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How To Punch Up Your Home's Personality

Written by Jaymi Naciri Posted On Wednesday, 23 July 2014 10:53

Your home is boring. Drab. Blah. Snoozeville. Which is weird, because you're bubbly, fun, and full of life. Right? Isn't it time your home matched your verve? Your vigor? Your joie de vivre? Lucky for you, there are some easy ways to punch up your home's personality. Follow the tips below and your house will soon be the life of the party.

Color

White walls work well in 1920s Spanish architecture. And mental hospitals. For everyone else, come on - inject a little color. Painting is easy. It's cheap. And no matter what you do (or do wrong), you can always paint over it.

If you're nervous about going too deep, bold, or bright, take it slowly. One room, or even wall at a time. If that's still too much, leave the walls the way they are and go for colorful accessories.

Accessories

Yes, this is the place for those who are color averse when it comes to walls.

"One easy (no painting) way to spread some color around is to pile on some pretty pillows," said Better Homes and Gardens. "Mix (don't match) throw pillows in the same color story for a fresh and lively look that has a lot of impact without being expensive."

 

Art

Look around. What does your art say about you? If it says "college student" when you've been in the working world for at least a decade, if it's a mishmash of neutrals nothingness, or if you started to nod off before you got done scanning one wall, it's time to pump it up.

Styleathome.com offers great tips for the art novice, including guidelines for adding a large piece in a small space and focusing on the details to create balance. They also offer some tips for adding art on a budget, so if your big worry about delving into the world of grown-up art is that is might cost more than the $10 posters you bought in high school, well, you're right. But you won't be off by much.

Light

Light - or lack of light - creates the mood in a room. If it's dark in your space, chances are people won't want to spend much time there. Make sure you have ample light overhead, spread around the room with floor and table lamps, and in task-related areas. The flicker of candles can also help create a soft glow. Bringing in mirrors can help all that beautiful light bounce around the room. And don't forget mood lighting via dimmers and architectural lighting to show off art or special details in your home, said Forbes.

"Strips of light-emitting diodes, known as LED lighting, let you decorate with colors of light. They can illuminate architectural details in a rainbow of colors, add special effects and provide a colorful kick to the base of a kitchen island or under cabinet lighting. Set to a single color or color changing patterns, eco-friendly and long lasting LED lighting can create a colorful glow under a sofa or bed, or, spaced around the base of a glass sink, make the vessel morph from blue to green or purple, depending on the water temperature. The light added to these unexpected places will create a dynamic space and lots of visual interest."

Next level

Now that you're a pro at picking colorful accessories and grown-up art, and lighting it all properly, go next level by creating layers. Throw rugs and throw blankets create layers with textiles. The same can be done with texture throughout the room. Are your accessories all the same material? Mix it up by bringing in something new. Metal, glass, wood - a mix can help create interest.

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