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October 1, 2022

How to Decorate your room: Tips & Ideas

A home without decoration is somehow unfinished. Moreover, it will not feel homey, but bare and uncomfortable. A stylish decoration in any room works wonders. Once a room is decorated, it gets a personal touch and looks cosier and warmer in no time.

Decorate your room: Tips & Ideas

In order for the decoration to succeed and not make a room look cluttered or restless, it must match the interior. If the interior is rather minimalist, decoration, for example, should likewise be used only reduced. In addition, you can also set wonderful visual accents in the room by deliberate breaks in style with the right decoration. A decoration that stands out from the rest of the furnishings in colour or material makes the room look more lively and varied.

living room with nice decor
Source: Ferm Living

Room decorating: the 1x1

Colour as the most important element in room decorating

Colours have a direct influence on our well-being and are essential in decorating. The decoration should always be coordinated with the colour scheme in the room and pick up on the dominant colours - but no more than two, so that the whole thing doesn't have a jarring effect. 

For the colour selection of home textiles and accessories, it is best to orientate yourself on the colours of upholstered furniture and walls and choose other nuances of the same colour family. In this way, the whole looks as if from a single mould and yet wonderfully varied. 

Monochrome rooms in particular should be decorated in similar shades. For example, if the predominant colour of a room is gray, all gradations from anthracite to stone gray to light gray are suitable for decorating.

In addition, monochrome rooms can also be excellently decorated with metallic accessories in silver, gold or brass. These do not affect the monochrome colour scheme, but still set shiny accents in the room.

Colorful interior
Source: Leolux

The right order of decorating

Once a room is furnished, the question arises: where to start decorating? It's best to work your way from the big pieces to the details. That means starting with large decorative pieces such as carpets and curtains, and using them as the basis for decorating the room. 

In doing so, the large-format textiles should be colour-coordinated with the rest of the furnishings. While in a monochrome ambience everything is in the same colour scheme, carpets and curtains are wonderful for setting large-scale colour accents. 

Once the basis for the decoration is in place, it's on to smaller decorative pieces: Pillows, murals, vases. 

Play with contrasts

To decorate a room in a varied way, it is advisable to play with different sizes and shapes. Thus, large with small decorative pieces, angular with round and light with dark can be combined. Such ensembles have a visually attractive effect and are ideally suited to effectively set the scene for decoration.

Tip: You can put this decoration principle into practice by giving your decoration a frame. For example, combine round candlesticks and vases with an angular tray or a coffee table book. The contrasting shapes and materials create visual variance, so your decor will stand out on its own.

different shapes and sizes of home decor
Source: Bloomingville

Decorate in odd groups 

Our eye perceives arrangements of 3, 5 or 7 pieces as more natural and therefore more harmonious than a decoration with elements in even numbers. 

It is also recommended to decorate a room with vases, pictures and candlesticks of different heights. To do this, arrange higher decorative parts behind lower ones and thus create visual harmony. 

Especially chests of drawers and sideboards can be wonderfully decorated according to this principle and used as a stage for your favourite pieces.  

Group room decoration according to common features

Whether you decorate a room from the front or recombine existing decor elements: An atmospheric decoration is characterized by a unifying element. Like a frame, this holds the entire decoration together visually and makes it appear as a whole. This frame or red thread can be a colour, similar shapes, the same textures or a common theme. 

Example: you have a small collection of vases and want to use them as room decorations. Are the vases all made of the same material? Are the vases all the same or similar in colour? Are the individual vases similar in style? If so, your collection has a unifying element and looks harmonious together. If not, the different vases could still look cohesive together if you combine 1-2 new ones that pick up the colour, shape or material of one of the other vases. This way, the ensemble has a common framework, even if some specimens are out of line.

Similar room decoration on a sideboard
Source: Bloomingville

Contrasting room decoration

Effective room decoration thrives on vivid contrasts. However, this does not speak against a monochrome room design.

So, you can opt for maximum contrast decoration or decorate a room in colour nuances. 

For example, maximum contrasts achieve colours such as black and white, but also dark blue and light gray or dark green and cream look quite contrasting.

If you prefer a calmer interior, just stay in one colour family and pick out different nuances with which you set accents. 

In this way, you can complement the basic colour of your interior with decorations that contain more white or more gray. In this way, soft contrasts are created that make a room look discreetly dynamic.

Leave room for decoration

For room decorations to develop their full effect, they need space. So leave enough free space between your decorations. This way, each group can be noticed on its own, making the entire room look more balanced. 

Tip: The free space should be about the same size as the smallest group.

Different groups of decor
Source: Meridiani

Decorating a room: Step-by-Step

When decorating a room, we start with the biggest pieces: Carpet and curtain. Further on we work our way from big to small and thus equip the whole room with an atmospheric decoration.

1. Choose the right carpet

A carpet provides warm feet, absorbs noise and provides visual cosiness. In addition, it is ideal for adding a colourful touch to rooms, making them look more dynamic.

For a discreet interior, choose a rug that blends in with the existing decor in terms of colour and style. 

However, you can also decorate your room with a rug that will be a break from the rest of the interior. 

For such a break, you have several options:

  • If your interior is rather monochrome, it can be a rug in a bright colour.
  • If your interior is rather cool (for example, a lot of stainless steel and concrete), a fluffy, soft wool rug will contrast nicely.
  • If the interior is straightforward and clean, an extravagant, organically shaped rug visually loosens up the room and creates a stylish break in style.

carpet as a centerpiece
Source: Liv Interiors

2. Curtains: essential room decoration

Curtains belong on every window, because they have the power to transform rooms from the ground up. At the same time, they also serve a practical purpose: they darken rooms, keep noise out and heat in. Of course, depending on which material you choose. 

The same applies when decorating with curtains: pick up on the colours of the room and choose fabrics that match the room or the desired effect of the room. Do you want the room to look light and airy? Then delicate linen curtains in light colours are a good choice. Do you want the room to look elegant and luxurious? Then choose heavy fabrics like velvet or brocade. 

3. Favourite pieces as room decorations

Decorate your rooms with real favourite pieces. It can be a photo as a wall mural, a holiday souvenir or a beloved heirloom. All these things remind us of beautiful experiences or dear people and thus promote our well-being. 

Give these things a stage! It is not so important whether the vase of grandma fits perfectly into the rest of the decoration. Just make fit what does not fit yet and, if necessary, complement the vase with two others that give the whole a frame.

a favorite piece used for decoration
Source: Ferm Living

4. Decorate room with pictures

Murals are a wonderful way to fill empty walls with life and decorate rooms with a personal touch. 

Especially large-sized murals can look super as a solitaire. If your pictures are rather smaller, combine them rather with each other. The reason: it looks unharmonious if too small pictures hang on a wall that is too large.

To combine pictures effectively in a gallery, there are numerous possibilities from Petersburg hanging to grid or row hanging. 

In addition, pictures in any case need a system as a common element. This can be a common colour scheme, a unifying theme or the same style. 

Tip: Be bold and hang pictures in unusual places or at unusual heights - for example, just above the edge of the table. This creates surprising effects. And: Wall pictures do not necessarily have to be hung up. Leaned against the wall on a sideboard, you can decorate rooms in a casual way.

wall pictures as decor
Source: Meridiani

5. Decorate rooms with patterns

If you want to be on the safe side, decorate only with single-colour decoration. Combining different patterns can quickly look wild and unharmonious.

But if you know two tricks, you can use different patterns for decoration. Either you mix similar patterns in different colours, or you stay in the same colour family or colour composition and combine different patterns with each other.

Tip: If you want to decorate with patterned objects, bring in monochromatic pieces. They provide calm and balance. Alternatively, you can also choose finely patterned decorative objects in faded Colours or delicate pastel shades - from a distance, they look like monochrome and textured.

If you want to really express your love of patterns, the easiest way is to decorate your bed or sofa with differently patterned pillows. 

nice patterns combined
Source: Bloomingville

6. Seasonal room decoration

Rooms can always be redecorated according to the current season. Thus, in spring, summer, autumn and winter, a new wind always passes through our home when we refresh the room decoration. 

While delicate pastel colours predominate in the spring, it may become more gaudy in the summer. In autumn, nuances of brown, ocher and gray ground us in our home and in winter we long for warm colours from red, orange to violet. 

Materials also differ with the seasons, changing from light, airy fabrics to heavy, cosy soft textiles. 

The easiest way to adjust the decoration in the home to the seasons: Simply change out the pillowcases. Alternatively, you can decorate your rooms with matching decorative objects.

In addition, for festivals like Easter and Christmas, you can give your rooms a decor update with special table and window decorations and bring a breath of fresh air into your home.

Seasonal decor
Source: Bloomingville

7. Decorate rooms with pillows

Pillows are the simplest decoration option and are wonderful for adding colourful accents. In addition, they spice up a minimalist interior and make a living room or bedroom look cosier in no time. 

Tip: Dare to combine pillows of different sizes, shapes, colours and materials. You will see how transformed your gray sofa will be at once.

cozy look created with pillows
Source: Bloomingville

8. Matching vases as room decoration

Vases are not only functional, but they are also perfect for decorating rooms to great effect. However, your vase of choice must also fit. Do you decorate more often with single flowers or branches, or with whole bouquets? Depending on the case, narrow, tall vases or heavy, low spherical vases are better suited.

Either choose vases to match the décor or use them deliberately as a stylistic contrast. For example, a rustic, handmade ceramic jug can look effective in a modern, minimalist interior and set off your floral decor great.

Or are you furnished with a lot of wood? Then why not decorate your rooms with elegant metal accessories in warm gold or brass. The cool materials contrast wonderfully with the natural wood and create exciting accents.

vases are great pieces to decorate your room
Source: Bloomingville

9. Decorate your room with lamps 

Luminaires create an atmospheric ambience, make rooms look warmer and cosier, and are also an effective decoration for the home. So when decorating a room, they should definitely be included.

Tip: Small table lamps are well suited to decorate the home at different heights with light. This creates different islands of light that make the room look more cosy.

10. Books as room decoration

Using books to decorate a room is not new and has been known since the rise of decorative coffee table books. However, there are other ways to use books as stylish room decor: If you have a small library, you can sort your bookshelf by colour. Such Rainbow Bookshelf attracts all eyes and makes the room look more tidy and calm in no time. 

Moreover, recently, coffee tables are decorated with different stacks of books. These are arranged at right angles to each other and are in turn the base for other decorations such as candles, a tray or a vase of flowers. 

coffee table with books
Source: Ferm Living

As you can see, there are basically no limits to a beautiful room decoration. To decorate your room effectively, there is one thing you should do: be brave and dare! There is no right and wrong in decorating, and remember: make suitable what does not fit (yet).

Disclaimer
We do not own the right some of the images . We do try to provide the original source, however, this is not always possible. Should you wish to have an image removed or you would like to make a  correction, please contact us [email protected].

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