Congrats, you've got the pad but it's a style disaster a little bit more crash than flash. Before panicking consider accessorising as it's these finishing touches that can
turn effortlessly bland and boring rooms into snazzy and super cool. Its cheap, its easy and its highly addictive!
Turning your pad into a fabulously stylish abode is what decorating is all about. Whether you've got a McMansion or a one bed apartment, be it your own or borrowed, whether you're decorating the loo or library its the details (mementoes, personal treasures, books, lighting plus that hammered tin bowl you picked up from a far flung joint in India) that bind a space together and add the wow factor. It's called giving a home a heart and soul and it's the trend of the moment.
Accessories are easy to replace so you can afford to have a bit of fun with them. So whether its quick to arrange cushions, new bedding or rugs, or a speedy update of door handles follow in the footsteps of the fashion forward and introduce oversized elements in your design.
Lighting is key and layering is the watchword, mix and match a selection of pendants, recessed, table and floor not to mention a smattering of candles and fairy lights to create interesting side effects. Select bulbs that are relatively low in wattage not only do they create a beautiful atmosphere they also make you look way younger! Beyond quality opt for a little quirk like our animal inspired table lamps for example - they lighten the mood, are super chic and strike that perfect balance between functionality and fun.
Shadows should never ever be eradicated altogether as they add depth, drama and intrigue to a space.
Hanging artwork whether that's an original canvas, a flea market find or a print reproduction adds instant kudos to walls and makes a huge impact in your home. Whilst some statement pieces deserve to be hung alone others such as drawings, photos and small scale prints) work best in groups, clustered by a staircase, above a sofa, or simply strung along a wall. I'm all for the organic cluster - prop or lean some pictures against the wall, and unevenly space others so it kind of looks almost part of the composition. It has the very same impact of a large single work without the formality.
Kitchens are one of the hardest spaces to accessorise often times neglected and viewed as purely functional, yet they are the hub of the home and should be treated just the same as any other room - glamorous and fabulous.
Clear down worktops of unnecessary mess (all those rarely used kitchen gadgets shove in the cupboard) and devote a section to say an impromptu mini bar, another nook to a display of favourite recipe books. Cluster brightly coloured blooms in vases, layer t-lights on surfaces for the ultimate unexpected after dark effect.
Displays only work when objects - no matter how grand or trivial - are arranged in aesthetically pleasing rhythms. It's not about being cowed by a rigid scheme rather it's about how the eye flows from one object to the next. Negative space, (gallery speak for empty spacing) is key allowing groupings or stand-alone pieces to breath.
You can also dictate the mood when displaying objects - want serene then make sure all objects are similar in size and equally placed. Want energetic then mix it up - perch say the odd poodle light next to an old globe, next to a ceramic vessel housing a big blousy bloom sitting on a cluster of tomes.
Its not so much about following the trend of the moment its more about creating a home that lifts your spirits, has a heightened sense of drama and becomes super exciting as a result.
You can spend top whack on sofas, cabinets and up the minute entertainment systems but they won't give you half as much satisfaction as all the little details, the objects that are meaningful to you and you alone. Displaying stuff with chutzpah creates a home like no other and has movie star written all over it.