Interior decoration doesn’t come naturally to most people. The average person’s house is a mismatch of styles and designs. Such homes tend to be hard to relax in; the more comfortable your home is, the more joy you will extract from being there.
However, without experience in interior decoration, it’s normal not to know what constitutes an aesthetically pleasing design. Making changes and upgrades to your house when you have no idea what looks good can be difficult. This post will simplify things by offering some décor advice suited to all home types:
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Backyard Additions
Your property’s interior isn’t the only place you need to think about; your backyard deserves some thought too. Improving outdoor spaces is much easier than it is working on indoor ones. You could install a concrete water fountain or a Koi pond. Small changes to your backyard can change its dynamic and make it a much nicer place to spend time. Think through any changes you are making and ensure they suit your home’s current design. Backyard upgrades should always match your house, for example, if you have a traditional cottage then changes to your garden should be more traditional than modern.
Window Furnishings
The average person doesn’t give their windows much consideration. Instead of buying attractive window furnishings, they pick up the cheapest curtains they can. Small changes to your windows can completely change the dynamic of the rooms that they are in. In interior design circles right now, plantation shutters are extremely popular. These shutters are typically found in large manor houses and country homes. However, you do not need to have a mansion to buy them as they look great everywhere.
Upgrading Walls
Don’t overlook your walls either. The way that the walls of your house look will have a significant impact on how your house looks. Most ordinary people paint their walls because paint is an easy and cheap way of adding flair to a room. Wallpaper is much better than paint, however. Wallpapering your walls can be a good way of adding character to your property’s interior. If using wallpaper appeals to you then try to find some that has been made by hand, ideally using ancient block-printing methods. Many of the artisan brands in India make wallpaper this way; it is always better quality than the kind of wallpaper found in department stores.
Replacing Floors
What kind of flooring do you have in your house? Most likely you still have the same floors that came with the house when you first bought it. The average person never changes the floors in their house. If the floors in your house look good then there is really no reason to change them, to be honest; however, if they are scarred or dated, invest in some different ones. Take your lifestyle into consideration when choosing new floors as types like carpets are usually unsuitable for people with pets and children.
Building Extension
Building an extension can be a good way of boosting the value of your house. Right now the property market is crashing, so you should be doing everything you can to ensure that yours retains its value or increases in it. An extension will not be cheap but it will be an effective way of making your house more desirable to homebuyers in the future. Adding one will also make your home larger and give you the opportunity to design a room from scratch meaning you have full creative control over how it looks.
Persian Carpets
Persian carpets are often perceived by young people as dated and ugly. However, they are great investments and can significantly improve the way that rooms in your house look. Right now many people are selling theirs in favor of more modern carpet designs. In the future their prices will increase again, experts predict. Now is therefore the perfect time to pick some up. The best way to get Persian carpets is to shop at auction houses. Auctions tend to offer the best deals on them. You can get much better deals at auction than when dealing with private sellers.
Regular Cleaning
Unless you ensure your house is spotless at all times, it will never look its best. Dirty houses are not aesthetically appealing, there is no denying it. Improving your property’s appearance could be as simple as deep cleaning it once or twice a week. If you have an exceptionally large house then you may want to hire a maid, so you don’t have to worry about cleaning everything independently. You can hire maids to come in a few times a week or even live in your spare bedroom, cleaning every day. Always vet maids before hiring them so you can be sure they do not have criminal backgrounds. If you are going to clean yourself, avoid using abrasive chemicals. Studies indicate household cleaning chemicals can be exceptionally bad for people’s health.
Antique Furniture
At auction houses you can also buy antique furniture, which can look great in more traditional houses. If you are somebody who appreciates tradition and wants their house to look dated, head to your local auction house and buy as much as you can. When shopping at an auction it is always important to go in person and view the items you are bidding on. Do not make the mistake of bidding from home. When you bid from home you do not get a true impression of what items actually look like. The photos posted on auction sites are usually altered in tone and hue, which sometimes makes them look newer than they actually are. Condition reports can be misleading too.
Giving Character
When you are designing your house, try to give it as much character as you can. Add things that you like and think are charming. Do not feel as though you have to design your house a certain way because that is what is popular among interior designers at the time you are doing your research. Your house is yours and should therefore be a reflection of your personality and interests, not somebody else’s. The only person whose advice you should take as far as interior design goes is your partner, provided that they live with you; you can also employ an interior designer to work on your house for you if you do not have any clue what to do or what looks good.
Redesigning your house can be a good way of maximizing its value and making it a more enjoyable place to spend time. As you will likely spend a large chunk of your life at home, you need to ensure that it looks good. You can do that by following the guidance given here or making your own changes that you think will look better.