Our homes are an extension of who we really are. They should reflect our personality and be a space we are incredibly proud of and can be ourselves without worrying about the outside world. However with increasing demands on our finances, turning your humble abode into your dream home can seem like an impossibility.
Well known designers have endless budgets to create beautiful spaces, they are able to use expensive paints to give a stunning texture on a wall, embrace bold and well made furniture which is bespoke or handmade. They also have a creative eye which is trained in picking out complimentary schemes and the latest must have trend. However you don’t need to have an endless budget to recreate a little of that magazine, designer style you spend your sunday mornings reading about.
One of the first things to remember is that these homes you see in photographs are all very staged managed. There are no children or pets running around them, there is no husband to leave coffee rings on the table. Everything is primped and perfected beyond any reality. This means the first thing you need to do is get organised. Use companies such as IKEA to get inspired with some clever storage solutions and have a really good declutter.
A lot of designers use paints such as Farrow & Ball to create an expensive look, however this paint is both pricey and really difficult to keep clean. A lot of other brands now colour match, so you can get your hands on tester pots of your favourite colours and have them recreated with a better priced paint. You can also source ultra matt paints which give a stately home feel to any room.
When it comes to decorating the room, spend money on a few really gorgeous old items then mix them up with more modern reproductions. You could opt for stunning antique barometers mixed in between great value frame or mass produced illuminated letter art. This will give you a little feel of grand home, whilst balancing it off with better value products. You can also do this with photo frames. Spend your money on the images or paintings that are going in the frames, then source a cheaper frame instead of having it professionally mounted. IKEA supply brilliant black edged frames with pre cut mounting board which will give you a really classy look.
Another way of adding luxury to a room is by adding textures through textiles. So you may have a white leather sofa, you could then add faux fur throws or big chunky knits. Try keeping everything the same colour if you are mixing textures. If you want to mix colour then try to stick to the same colour theme.
Neutrals give a really luxury feel and if you use clever lighting design to create areas then will have more impact and definition.
You don’t have to spend a fortune to create your dream interior. Just take a slightly different approach and get inspired.
