Out of the many challenges we face as designers, one of the most common is when the client wants to include the collection of artefacts and furniture they own into the new design. These items may be introduced to the designer at a stage as early as the design briefing phase or at the final stage of decorating and accessorizing. The former, certainly the perfect stage, helps the designer to understand the values and memories associated with each of these items and this in turn contributes in creating a cohesive design for the space. These memorabilia adds character to the space and can be considered as one of the many aspects that make a house feel like home. These items help in personalizing a space by creating a familiar territory for the inhabitants.
Many a times the client themselves undertake this task of decorating just for the joy of doing up their space their own way. This often comes as an afterthought once the construction has been completed. At this stage, they find themselves at an impasse as the things they own and want to retain belong to different times, different materials and also different design styles. Your collection may be a potpourri of various styles and the real challenge is to make them all sync to create a beautiful space. We’ve narrowed down some cost effective and easy fixes to help you get started.
Developing your style!
General rule for styling is to pick your accessories based on the design style. In this case, the trick is to work backwards. We already know the accessories for the space hence the design style needs to be developed from the available items. First and foremost thing to do is to look at the things we own with fresh eyes. This way we realize the true potential of the collection we own. This makes way to sprouting new ideas of reuse and redesign of these items to blend into the style you choose for the space. The process also helps to prioritize what needs to be displayed in the public zones of the house and what needs to be purged.
A 100 year old furniture was stripped off its paint and fabric to reveal the beautiful teak beneath. The resulting product was an authentic colonial tropical furniture.
P.C. : Studio Vista Architects.
Create focus!
Best way to create a focus with the things you already own is by hero-ing them. Take that special piece of furniture or your collection of bric- a- brac and place it against an accent wall to make a bold design statement.
Bric-a-bracs set against accent walls.
Choose a color palette!
Color is the biggest game changer when you are looking to redecorate or dress your home. Choosing the right color is a topic that certainly needs more elaboration but we are just going to briefly address it for now. These pointers come in handy every time you want to reupholster your furniture or renovate your space. Wall colors and fabrics are the best ways to bring in that pop of color to the space. While choosing a fabric for furniture or in the occasion of painting an accent wall it is essential to first consider the wood tones of the furniture that exists in the space.
Another aspect to keep in mind while picking a color is the size of the room. Darker tones of wood and contrasting colors can make a small space seem smaller and more cluttered whereas a larger space offers various possibilities.
While deciding on a color to match the wood tone, the cue is to look for the dominant undertone in the wood itself. Darker wood such as mahogany and rosewood has a red undertone therefore contrast can be achieved by the use of complementary color such as shades of green and yellow ochre whereas subtle, calm and neutral feel can be achieved by pairing it with grays and whites.
LEFT: Yellow accent wall complements the Teakwood furniture
RIGHT: The Blue wall contrasts effectively with the teakwood console.
P.C. : Studio Vista Architects.
Oak and most varieties of teak has an orange undertone. Teak works well with cream and tan to create a neutral color scheme whereas contrast can be achieved by teaming it up with blue, teal or charcoal.
Express your personality and talents.
Bookshelves and neatly arranged photo frames are slowly becoming a common practice. Think of fun quirky ways to display your talents and personality.
When one of our clients, an avid traveler, wanted his house give out the vibe of his personality, we created a corkboard atlas for the family to pin in their favorite travel memories and we made sure it found a conspicuous place in the home.
A pin up map to display pictures of places traveled - P.C.: Studio Vista Architects
Add more life to your space.
We mean plants! Planters and flowers add a new life to the space. Even better if the plants you pick for your interior are from your home garden. To add further interest to your space, turn some of your artefacts into planters.
Upcycled and re-purposed objects used as planters
Decorating your home does not always involve buying a lot of new stuff. There are innumerable material online on how to create something new out of your possessions. Real feel comes in when you find the right use and place for the things you own and make them an integral part of your living space. This process of establishing a connection between your possessions and your space is both challenging and exciting, moreover it needs to be done with an extra quotient of love. We hope you liked our take on this topic and would love to hear your thoughts and comments on the tips we shared.
P.S. All images taken from the internet have been hyperlinked for further reference.
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