From House to Home: How to Furnish Your Space for Comfort and Style
October 16, 2021
If you find beauty and functionality in your home, it doesn’t matter whether it’s huge or small, contemporary or retro, humble or lavish. A home is what you make it. However, if you feel your abode doesn’t tell your story or makes you warm and fuzzy inside, it’s time for a change. No, rearranging your exciting furniture for the 100th time won’t help. Talking about giving your place a complete makeover with new and inspiring household furnishings. Furnishing a home is one of the most exciting things in life, but it certainly isn’t a simple task.
So, how do you furnish a house from scratch? While it’s very easy to fall in love with the stunning furnishings in a well-stocked home improvement store, without proper planning, there’s a number of things that could go wrong. Just because something looks good online or in-store doesn’t mean it’ll look good in your space. Dimensions, layouts, styles… There’s a myriad of design principles to consider before heading out to your favourite home emporium.
Figuring out Your Style
Some people have a special love for the golden oldies and decide to transform their space into a time capsule with retro furniture. Some like things up to the minute and choose the latest home furnishing products to achieve a modern aesthetic. And there are others who prefer a comfy yet rugged living space and opt for the lovely mix of old and new design concepts called industrial style.
Since every eminent home improvement store offers a plethora of furnishing styles to choose from, the first thing you’ll need to do is to figure out what look you’re going for. Whatever your case is, you can easily find home improvement products that are up to your taste. The key here is to keep it consistent to create a harmonious look where everything has its own place and purpose.
Creating Visual Interest
While harmony is the backbone of any good interior design, too much of it can make your place seem dull and uninteresting. That’s why it’s a good idea to implement variety in your home by using contrasts and opposites. To achieve this, you can play with colours, textures, shapes and angles. Your goal here is to break the monotony without losing the unity in the overall image. For instance, you can include an accent chair to create an eye-catching yet functional focal point or create a feature wall with artworks to add interest and energy through colours and textures.
Making the Best Use of Space
You can have the nicest things in the world, but if they’re not cut out for your space, it still won’t look right. There’s nothing worse than a stuffy home that feels like it would crumble on top of you any minute. Or not being able to use or access your features due to a bad layout. For instance, what good is a stylish dresser if you can’t open the doors or drawers because your bed is blocking the way? To avoid making these mistakes, make sure to carefully measure and plan your room layout before you buy new furnishings. Seriously, don’t eyeball it, because every inch matters.
Making a Difference Between Must-Haves and Nice to Haves
Instead of asking yourself what every home needs, ask yourself what your home needs. Although you can find hundreds of checklists on the internet, it’s better to create a personal one to ensure you make the most out of your space. You see, not every piece of furnishing is a must-have. For instance, a cosy fireplace is surely nice to have, but you can live without it. Or you can probably get by without ornaments, but you can’t go without proper lighting. Dividing your checklist into must-haves and nice-to-haves will help you get your priorities straight and save you time and money.
First on the list of essentials is seating furniture. Sofas, chairs, armchairs, stools, lazy bags… You can choose from an endless list of furnishings to create a comfy nook for relaxing or entertaining guests. If you’re working with a smaller space, you can pair a compact sofa with small poufs that can be easily stacked away when not in use or used as footrests for the ultimate couch-potato experience. If you have a huge space, consider getting an L-shaped seven-seater sofa that can double as a divider to create two separate rooms from one.
Then, you’ll probably need a dining table and some chairs to bring that fine dining experience to your home. Don’t worry, even if you have the tiniest of dining rooms, there are cleverly designed dining sets built for functionality that’ll fit your space like a glove. Speaking of tables, you might need a coffee table for your living room. These come in all shapes and sizes, so you’re bound to find a perfect match for your space.
Next, you’ll need to think about storage. Keeping things neat and clutter-free is key for a pleasant living space. When shopping for storage furniture you can either go for off-the-shelf products or opt for a bespoke solution to make the most out of your space. From cabinets and dressers to wardrobes, these elements are paramount for keeping your home away from the brink of clutter.
It’s also important to mention that your lighting fixtures can make or break the entire look. Instead of going for a single source of illumination, incorporate various types of lighting that blend well together. Having multiple layers of light adds to the visual interest, allows you to highlight design features and set the right mood according to the occasion.
Once you have your essentials figured out, it’s time to move on to the so-called nice to haves. These add life and energy to your home making it feel more… you. From rugs and carpets to pillows and throws all the way to wall art and ornaments, you can use all of these things to add your personal touch. For without decor, homes would be just gloomy cells. With that being said, you can now start furnishing your 2.0 home.