Interior design doesn’t begin and end with the choosing of colors, purchase of furniture and that last lick of paint. In order to transform your house into the home of your dreams you’ve no doubt thought of the many smaller products and accessories that you’d like to place on sills, shelves and within frames around your property – and the personal effects that you’d like to display with prominence. Usually referred to as home accents these items will bring color, texture and character, and give your home the personal touch it so deserves.
Interior design is a personal endeavor, but you may like some of these stunning home accent ideas…
A feature wall
A feature, or accent wall is a great way to experiment with color and texture, without pushing your budget or having to be too bold in the first instance. Accent walls blend colors, patterns, textures and tones, and become instant centerpieces and talking points – as well as enabling homeowners to express a little more imagination. Simple, but effective ideas include the creation of a showcase wall with integral shelving and clever lighting, a patchwork wall made from a hotchpotch of colored fabrics, or a textured wall created with wooden panels or exposed brickwork. Your decision to design an accent wall will enable your creativity to shine.
Soft furnishings
Throws, pillows, scatter cushions, rugs, tapestries and drapes are among the easiest ways to add warmth, texture, color and personality to your home. Soft furnishings are usually functional and comfortable and can be switched around as you change your mood and rearrange your home. What’s more they will accentuate the theme or style of a particular room or space or add a touch of boldness or class if you’ve kept things fairly neutral. Besides, who doesn’t love a comfortable pillow to snuggle up to?
Decorative shutters
Forget curtains and drapes for a moment; there’s a stylish substitute in town. Decorative wooden shutters are a popular way for homeowners to dress their windows, offering sophistication and functionality in increasingly attractive measures. As well as adding color, texture and character shutters are adept at controlling the flow of light and heat around the home, helping to keep spaces warm and cozy in the winter and bright and breezy during the summer. Tier on tier shutters are particularly popular, providing versatility and personality in droves. Other window dressings you might like to consider include screens, transfers and decorative window films; all of these accents can protect privacy and uphold your home’s creativity.
Lighting
The way we light our homes can say a lot about who we are, as well as adding glorious personal touches here and there. If you’re choosing to install shutters or blinds the chances are you’d like to make the most of the natural light available and open your home to the elements. However, you might prefer sophisticated spotlighting, elegant chandeliers or something altogether more retro. Whatever you decide, lighting plays a hugely important role in how your home looks and feels. Is your abode quaint, warm and cozy or bright, modern and fashionable? This is one home accent that you can alter with the flick, or twist of a switch.
Flora and fauna
These kinds of accents are naturally beautiful – quite literally. The inclusion of plants can do wonders for your home. Seasonal flowers provide color and vibrancy, while some species of houseplants can absorb moisture, toxins and static electricity, as well as improving the quality of the air within your home. So, not only will your house rock its new look, but you’ll also be working towards a better, cleaner way of life for your whole family. Plants are effortlessly charming, but you can create additional accents with the vases, pots and planters that you use to house them. Your home could become your own secret garden.
Accessories
We’re told not to sweat the small stuff, but when it comes to home accents nothing is too small to be insignificant. While we’d never advocate going for the cluttered look a few well-placed knickknacks, ornaments and accessories can turn any house into a home and demonstrate the characters of the people living there. Picture frames, postcards from exotic locations, timepieces such as a clock or sun dial, artwork and candles are hugely popular in interior design circles and will provide your home with the finishing touches it has been crying out for.
They say that home is where the heart is, and these home accents will ensure that your palace really reflects your passions, personality and preferences. Whether you’ve added color with a feature wall, warmth and depth with lighting, texture with a rug and cushions or character with a knickknack or TWO your home will be all the better for your interior design intervention. Feel free to have a play around with the home accents that you choose; no two days ever need be the same again.