Friday Five | Five ways to add depth and interest to your home.
How has your week been guys? This week was more challenging. Its was a bit like watching ‘The biggest loser,’ (did anyone else used to watch that?) where they all lose about six stone in the first week and then don’t lose a thing the second week. Last week lulled me into a false sense of security that this was going to be a breeze… This week however has taught me to take each day as it comes and that if we have one day where we are all happy and Freddie has been amazing and finished all of his work, Eva has been an angel and I feel like I’m #mumgoals, then the next day is probably going to be an absolute car crash in every way possible. Each day is a fresh start and even though every day feels like ground hog day at the moment, we need to live as much in the present as we can and lower all of our standards and expectations, I mean I haven’t worn makeup or proper clothes in almost 2 weeks now…
Ok, so now onto the real reason you came… Ever decorated a room, downed tools and thought, ‘this just looks a bit flat.’ It’s something that I used to think a lot before studying. I could never put my finger on why my newly decorated room looked unfinished or just a bit boring. If this is something you find yourself thinking, then I’ve listed five ways below that you can add some depth and some interest to a room without having to change the whole scheme. I hope that they help!
1 | Pop in some plants.
Plants are a sure fire way to add colour, texture and interest to a room. Not only do they look and smell good (if they are real!) but they also have a huge benefit on our mental health, you just need to do a quick google search on biophilic design to realise this. Plants come in all shapes and sizes, hanging plants looks great draping from a shelf or mantle and a tall orchid looks fabulous as a table centre piece or on a kitchen island. Chose a spiky plant to add some drama, or a rounder leaf for a softer feel. The bonus with plants is that you also get to choose a plant pot and there are many many fab, colours, materials and textures out there to chose from which can also add depth to a room design.
2 | Layers are key.
Look at the cushions you have on your sofa. If they are all the same size, colour and texture they probably all blend into one another and are a bit bland and boring. I don’t mean to offend, but layering is so important when creating a room scheme. It doesn’t have to be too dramatic either, by slightly varying colours, textures, patterns and sizes you are adding so many layers and elements to a scheme. If you want to stick to one colour, then try slightly different shades of that colour, or different sizes and shapes of the same colour. Each cushion will then be a standalone piece in the room creating different layers and interest. This helps to life a scheme and take it from flat, to warm, cosy and fabulous. This is just the cushions!! Imagine if you applied the same theory to more of the elements in the room!
3 | Dress the walls.
Painted walls can often look like a flat, blank waste of space, especially if the ceilings are particularly high or they aren’t broken up with a door or a window. In these cases, its essential to add interest to them so that the room doesn’t feel cold and unwelcoming. The huge new trend for panelling is a great way to add some interest to a wall and can be done relatively cheaply. There are many DIY tutorials on social media that you can follow. To add some further interest, I would opt for varying heights and different patterns, you can also paint the panelling in a contrasting colour to add a bit of drama and really make it a feature.
Mirrors, gallery walls, clocks and artwork are also great ways to add depth to a bare wall. My rule is to go for the biggest that you can afford (that doesn’t look ridiculous!!) as there’s nothing worse that a lonely piece of art on a gigantic empty wall. I love gallery walls that are symmetrical and use the same size and colour frames. There is also a trend for hanging Art asymmetrically to add some interest.
Wallpaper is making a huge comeback and its coming back bolder than ever. If you aren’t brave enough to paper a whole room, you can stick to a feature wall or create some panels using beading and paper within them.
4 | Let there be light.
Its absolutely crucial to get the lighting right in a room. A badly lit room makes it feel cold, dark and depressing and we DO NOT WANT THAT!!! Having your lighting on different circuits is a great way to be able to use the lighting to your advantage. A mix of spotlights and pendants work well in larger open plan rooms especially if on different circuits as you can use them as and when you need them.
Lamps are my absolute must when designing as they not only look great, but I just love the warm and cosy light they give off in the evenings when you don’t want the bright ceiling lights on. I don’t think you can have too many lamps if I’m honest, as long as they all add a different colour, texture, pattern and purpose then they can only add to a scheme.
5 | Mix up the materials.
It’s easy to want to stick to one type of material in a room to keep consistency, but all this does is create a flat design. Mixing materials adds different colours and textures which we know adds interest and depth to a design. I like to stick to 2 metals and 2 shades of wood as personally I think any more than that, they tend to compete for attention. As for soft furnishings the more materials the better! Linens mixed with velvet and wool all work well to create a dramatic and interesting scheme. If you want to keep things more subtle, stick to similar colours and let the texture do the talking.
I hope that this helps you enhance your home guys because I really believe being happy in our homes is so important, ESPECIALLY at a time like this! If you have any questions or need some help then please let me know.
Lots of love, take care and stay home
Jade