Use Your Home to Make a Big Impression
Your home is your castle. You obviously get to decide how it looks and feels, and you model it around your own personal tastes and styles. Don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise! But your castle needs to feel important. It is somewhere that you spend a lot of your life. Making a bold statement about who you are through the decor of your home demonstrates confidence in the place where you should be most comfortable in your life; at home, while it also says to all of your guests; ‘this is me, and I am proud of it.’
Here are a few ways that you could make that statement within your home and leave a big impression on your visitors. You don’t have to spend the earth to have a beautiful or lavish looking home. You just need the inspiration and creativity to pull something together that is uniquely you.
Focal Point Furniture
Large, focal-point items such as dining tables or sofas really attract the eye as you walk into a room. The quality and look of the piece will definitely make a statement about who you are.
Nothing screams class like a solid wood dining table. Oak is an affordable wood that has a reputation for not only being sturdy and long-lasting, but also for its beautiful grain. A well-crafted dining table will show that you are a generous host, that socializing around meal times is essential to you. The quality of the wood shows that you consider the long-term and are practical; while the stain and the design of the table will represent your ability to appreciate the more beautiful things in life.
Your sofa similarly demonstrates some important information about your life. A large, sectional sofa will show that you are family oriented as it has the space to sit several of you close together. It also shows that you also enjoy finding time to relax as these are often a very comfortable sofa for lounging on while binging Netflix.
A Chesterfield style sofa will show that you have class. Beauty and style are important to you, and you are not afraid to show that you like everything in your world to be perfect; and why shouldn’t it? After all, it is your world!
The colour choices are also important. Pick vibrant colours if you have a personality that you believe stands out. Reds, yellows, or even a mix of colours will let your guests know that you are not afraid to be bold. There is nothing wrong with choosing more subdued colors, though. An elegant cream shows that you are refined; keeping a light colour looking pristine is hard work, and it shows that you have the perseverance to maintain perfection.
The fabric of your sofa is also significant. A leather sofa is fairly easy to maintain and clean; demonstrating a practicality, whereas something in a rare fabric might show an eye for detail.
Walls
Your walls say so much about you. Even an entirely white room says something. It could show that you are quite tranquil or even; clinical and precise, or it might be chosen so as to allow other elements of your home design to jump out at those visiting.
Blues and pinks are calming colours, while more vibrant colours might show a more passionate or creative persona, while yellow is a very uplifting colour and improves mood.
Feature walls can be used as bold statements. Think about papering one wall with a design that you really like. Pick the wall wisely as it might end up looking cluttered or clumsy based on where it is and what furniture will surround it.
Decorations
Photos and artwork are very personal; in the age of social media, we are very used to putting forward a very idealized view of who we are. We pick the photos we want people to see that represents our interests and ultimately, ourselves.
The same is true of the home. We carefully filter our memories to find the perfect ones; not only is this for our own benefit, but it is also for visitors to our homes.
There is no right or wrong when it comes to personal photographs, but pick well-taken photos that show you and your life in a positive manner. Photos from a drunken night out might be amusing to look back on, but, when placed in a frame on your wall may not give the best impression.
Close friends and family in photos show that you hold loved ones important to you; while a scene of a favourite place is often a good talking point and shows a different sentimentality.
Artwork demonstrates personal tastes. A traditional style landscape or portrait shows a conventionality, while other styles may show creativity or a quirky aspect to your personality.
Floral displays can be beautiful but do require replacing periodically. These let visitors know that you allow your home to evolve and change and that you go out of your way to regularly spruce up your home.
Curtains
Curtains and blinds are often overlooked. They are an afterthought so often, yet they are important. The amount of light that is allowed into a room sets the tone. A bright, naturally lit room is very uplifting; whereas less light coming in can establish a more sombre tone.
Curtain colours and fabrics follow much the same rule as with sofas. If you choose a deep burgundy in a velvet it will exude luxury; while a thin cotton yellow curtain will appear dainty, quirky and uplifting. Roller blinds have a certain practicality to them, while Venetian blinds, with their complexity and design, look smart and clean.
However you choose to decorate your home; remember that it is your home, your choice and that it reflects who you are. But ultimately, however much money you are able to spend on it; make it your own. Your home is not the place to make compromises, your home is the place you set the expectations.
