(ARA) – With more and more people staying put in their homes, homeowners have realized the importance of creating a space that is meaningful to them and their families.
Heirlooms and vacation tchotchkes are no longer hidden in closets and cupboards, but rather displayed to tell a story. Paired with the onset of do-it-yourself programs aimed at instilling design confidence in all, this new zeal is leading everyone to stop asking, “How does this look to you?” and start asking “What does this say about me?”
Adding personality to a space shouldn’t be a difficult task. Look in your closet, jewelry box or to your favorite home accessories to get a sense of which styles and colors attract you the most. If you’re getting mixed signals because you love your sleek black suit as much as your vintage watch, don’t worry. There is nothing wrong with mixing and matching styles. Just ensure you tie your design together with one cohesive element, such as a common color.
Here are a few ideas for infusing your identity into your home’s decor:
Color your world.
Color is a great way to add personality to a room. Neutral hues can actually make a room appear quite dramatic when carried throughout in various textures, such as accent pillows, rugs and upholstery. You can go bold with vibrant, saturated hues as well, in anything from artwork to furniture to wall color.
“Switching up a room’s color with a quick coat of paint can really change the look, feel and personality of it,” says Jackie Jordan, director of color marketing for Sherwin-Williams. “If you want your room to ooze with energy, you might choose reds and oranges, while those looking for serenity might like cooler blues or creamy neutrals.”
For color inspiration and paint tips, visit Sherwin-williams.com or your neighborhood Sherwin-Williams store.
Customize your space.
Companies have taken the demand for personalization to heart and are increasingly offering homeowners unique ways to tailor their spaces. For example, Decorá Cabinets recently introduced a color-matching system that allows you to customize an opaque finish of your cabinetry. Now your kitchen island can perfectly match the robin’s-egg blue of your grandmother’s tea set.
“We want the imagination to run wild with our new custom color-matching system,” says Emily Small, brand manager for Decorá Cabinets. “Maybe you love the hue of a Spanish tile you found in a salvage yard – we can match that color to create a one-of-a-kind look for your home.”
To promote its new color-matching system, Decorá Cabinets is hosting a sweepstakes on its Facebook page. Three lucky winners will receive $500 for submitting an image featuring the colors that inspire them. Visit facebook.com/decoracabinets for more details and to enter.
Find your inspiration.
For those looking for a little inspiration, try these fun ideas to personalize your space: Frame your grandparents’ old love letters and hang them in a bathroom. Use a shadow box to display a collection of concert tickets. Look to your heritage – if you’re Scottish, investigate your “clan tartan” and make a throw pillow out of the plaid pattern. If you like the ideas, but don’t have the history – fake it. Begin your own story and make your home truly one of a kind.
