Editor’s Note: In 2021, we’ve covered a lot of big home projects on Wit & Delight. This year, we’re improving things a bit (more about this here!). Over the next few months, we’ll be focusing on ways to get creative with design and make small (but still impactful) updates. In that spirit, we’re re-sharing this article, first published in July 2020. It’s a lovely representation of this new W&D ethos for 2022. Enjoy!
If you’re reading this post from the comfort of your home, take a look around your space. (If not, imagine what it would look like.) What do you like most about the space? What do you not like about it? Is there anything about the broader design elements and structure of your home that you would like to change?
Now ask yourself this: Why Do you want to change those? Aside from smaller decorating decisions that easily update relatively quickly, what is it about the overall design of your space that makes it beg for change?
A lot of what we think we know about design is based on what we’ve heard from others. It relies on advice from design experts, glossy magazines, and even the pages of this website sometimes. That’s not to say designers don’t have valuable expertise — they sure do. Instead, it is to say there is no exactly right to design a house.
Move into our home made me rethink a lot about what I used to think I knew about design. That made me see the beauty of working with what you had before (and if you had) when you made big changes.
I’ve been thinking about this topic a lot lately — the difference between what’s labeled “good” and “bad” when it comes to home design. Move into our home made me rethink a lot about what I used to think I knew about design. That made me see the beauty of working with what you had before (and if you had) when you made big changes. Regardless of the style of the house you live in currently (unless it needs to be updated for safety or functionality reasons), there are ways you can work with your home to make it look like it is. a fun space for yourself.
Today I share some ways you can approach design from a different lens and love your home as it is. now.
This post is not a statement to stop making changes you want to make your house. By all means, keep doing what works best for you! Rather, it’s a reminder that not everything that falls outside of “standard” design advice is something that needs to be changed. It’s a reminder that it’s perfectly OK to accept things that might be considered a little out of the ordinary, a bit outdated, a bit imperfect.
Use this post as a starting point, filled with the ideas I’ve been thinking of. If you have more ideas on this topic, feel free to share them in the comments section below!
1. Let it be.
First thing is first! Let your home be.
Whether you’ve just moved in or you’re just looking to change up your home, allow yourself time to notice the look and feel of your space before making any updates. Even if it’s a house you’ve lived in for many years, if you don’t actively pay attention to its intricate features, you may have missed something along the way.
Since moving into our house, I’ve been constantly surprised by how much I’ve come to love things that I once thought I wouldn’t.
Bold color on all four walls? Big fans.
Interior shutters in the bedroom? They are very realistic and we are actually planning to keep them for the long term.
Even the concept of closing kitchen and living space are the things I love more and more, after years of being conveyed that the concept of openness is the only way to go.
Before painting, before turning off the lights, before embarking on remodeling, consciously pay attention to what the spaces in your home look like and how they change throughout the day and night. Focus on how you use them naturally, so if and when you make design changes in the future, you’ll have a really clear idea of what you want to update to optimize your home. his home for you.
2. Stress, stress, stress.
One of the best ways to create zones of interest in your home is to design around spaces that are already natural accents.
Add a running track to highlight a long hallway that connects the main living areas in your home. Or, if you’re looking showroom wall hanging or paint an accent wall, consider choosing one that has been organically highlighted through the structural nature of the space. Maybe it’s an alcove in your entryway or a slanted wall leading up the stairs.
If you can’t immediately identify these features in your home, take a moment to consider the following. When you walk into a room, where are your eyes naturally drawn? What wall or other structural feature stands out immediately? Instead of being overwhelmed by a large space or a blank canvas, focus first on highlighting the area that grabs your attention immediately, then design around that area. .
3. Work with dimensions.
Depending on the feel you want in a particular room, you can work with existing features to create a specific design approach. Here are a few examples of this.
If you want make your space feel bigger:
- Hang a mirror or two to reflect light throughout the day.
- Take advantage of bright paint colors throughout the space.
- Consider furniture with visible legs. The open area underneath the furniture opens up your space a little more visually.
- Add bookcases, tall plants, or floor lamps — pieces that draw the eye and “fake” the illusion of height. Or, hang artwork on higher walls to draw attention upwards.
- Hang curtains higher and wider than the actual window height and width to open up the space. Also, choose thin, light window shades to let in more light.
- Consider incorporating clear pieces, such as glass or acrylic countertops, to visually take up less space.
If you want to make your space feel more intimate and cozy, do the opposite! Choose a dark paint color, keep the accents slightly below the ground, and use fewer mirrors in the area.
4. Experiment with layout.
If you feel like the layout of your space isn’t right, before you rush to buy new furniture that “fits” better, consider how you can change the layout more easily and have more functions. more power than not.
Start by actively paying attention to what’s working well and what isn’t working well about an existing layout. Can you move easily around the room? Does your current layout optimize the activities you do most in the space?
Next, experiment with different layouts yourself. For example, when we first move into our house, we put TV through the fireplace in our family’s room. After a few weeks, we decided to move the TV to the wall to the left of the fireplace. After using the room for a while, we realized it was the flow that was more suitable for us. Plus, placing the TV on a larger wall allowed me to hang an overflowing library wall around it. It was a creative experiment with results that I love.
5. Amplify the design features of your home.
Do you live in a classic aisle? Or a house with 80s influences? Why not bring in an item or two that pay homage to the existing style of the home? Instead of just relying on new purchases, try Shop for vintage items. They have the power to amplify the inherent features of your home.
If your home has transparent arched doorways, consider bringing in a mirror or arched artwork to reflect the structural quality of the space. If your home has mid-century modern elements, consider bringing in a mid-century modern side table or side table. Or, if your home has ornate structural accents like crown molding, consider adding a decorative frame or patterned furniture to accentuate its aesthetic to its fullest. .
There is no designated “right” or “wrong” design guideline. There’s only life in your home and how you choose to embrace it and bring out its quirks.
The advice above is not the be-all and end-all on how to design according to the existing features of your home. Instead, it’s an invitation to start thinking differently about how you approach your space. There is no designated “right” or “wrong” design guideline. There’s only life in your home and how you choose to embrace it and bring out its quirks.
The best part about design, I’m continuing to learn, it’s a safe space for us to be creative. At times, design can seem like an objective endeavor, best done by following rules and guidelines. However, it’s really a very subjective process – one that will be dictated by what’s right for you, your family, and the space you live in.
Kate is currently learning to play the ukulele, leaving her husband, children and dogs desperate. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.
