The 3 Most Significant Ways to Increase Your Home’s Décor

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One of the beautiful things about interior design is that there is a wide spectrum of styles, meaning there’s something for everyone. While there are lots of interior design options out there, it’s common to simply fall back on whatever you have gathered over the years, with no clear direction in terms of design. Even though you may dream about a beautifully designed, picture-perfect decor, you just haven’t made it happen. While it is common to get stuck in this rut, there are easy ways to go about getting the home decor of your dreams. Three of the most significant ways to increase your home’s decor include layering your lighting, incorporating natural materials, and taking the time to declutter your space. 

Layer Lighting

Unless you follow design trends and concepts, you may not have heard of layering lighting before. But don’t let that scare you. Layering lighting simply means using multiple sources of lighting in a space. The most common method of layering lighting is to use three layers: 

  • Overall Lighting. This is the main light source in a room. Common fixtures for overall lighting include recessed lighting, chandeliers, ceiling fan lights, or other sources of overhead lighting.  
  • Task Lighting. This is focused lighting that provides focused light to make certain tasks easier. Task lighting tends to be a light source that is directed towards a specific area within the room, such as the counter, desktop, etc. and is important for tasks such as applying makeup, cooking, and so on.
  • Accent Lighting. This type of lighting is more ambient in nature. It gives that extra bit of glow to enhance your design and provide low-level lighting. Common sources of accent lighting include cove lighting, in-cabinet lighting, or toe-kick lighting. 

Each of these types of lighting can be used individually or can be used in combination with one another. For instance, accent lighting and task lighting can be used together to create a workspace that is free from shadows. However, to achieve the best results, use the same color temperature for all forms of lighting. 

Natural Materials

Using natural materials in home decor is a growing trend and for good reason. For starters, natural materials are often found in highly stylized interior design. Simply incorporating natural materials into your own home decor can enhance its overall style. Plus, the good news is that natural materials tend to stay in style, unlike other trends that have been seen in interior design and home decor. In addition to all of this, natural materials are known to be long-lasting and durable compared to others on the market. Take natural stone countertops as an example.

Natural stone countertops, like the options from Marble, have been a growing interior design trend for the last decade or so. There are many natural stones available such as marble, quartz, quartzite, travertine, and granite, each with their own benefits and lending a distinct look to your kitchen or bathroom. These stones do tend to be more expensive than other options such as laminate tile. For instance, granite countertops cost around $40-$60 per square foot. This means that homeowners spend about $2,000-$4,500 on installation and materials when they choose a granite countertop. (For perspective, it costs about $795-$1,620 to have laminate countertops installed). However, unlike laminate countertops that last about 10-20 years and go out of style quickly, granite countertops lend a classic style and can last up to 100+ years if properly maintained. 

Declutter

Clutter is your enemy. It is dragging down your home decor and likely causing you unknown (or perhaps known) stress, trouble finding things, and a general feeling of overwhelm. This is why the growing design trend towards minimalism is so refreshing. Increasing your home’s decor through decluttering doesn’t mean you have to throw everything away or even fully embrace the idea of minimalism. It simply means consider the things that you have and get rid of what you don’t need. 

Chances are you are like most other people and you’ve been hanging on to things that you know no longer serve you. Give yourself permission to finally move on and get rid of it. When it comes to your home decor specifically, it can get a little confusing as to what the right balance is. Truthfully, there is no right or wrong answer. It is solely how your space makes you feel. But it’s always a good idea to make sure you have a home for everything you own. To declutter your home decor, go room by room. Take some time and assemble all of your decor items and go through them one by one. If you are sick of seeing something or if it just doesn’t appeal to you anymore set it aside for donation. Then slowly add things back one at a time, evaluating your space each time before you find a home for something else. 

If that seems overwhelming, simply start by removing one thing from your shelf and give the remaining decor more ‘breathing room.’ When you remove extra decor you create a space that feels airier and light. You certainly don’t have to use all of your existing decor. If you aren’t ready to part with your decor, simply move it out of that space. Then you can circulate as you see fit. But if you can’t see using it again (even if you repurpose it or refresh it with a fresh coat of paint) get rid of it.

Don’t Get Overwhelmed

Oftentimes when we consider increasing our home decor, it can get overwhelming. When we feel overwhelmed we often don’t act and things remain as they are. To prevent this only tackle one room at a time. This can help the project feel more manageable and helps you take that first step. Once you take the first step you will find yourself on your way towards having the home decor you’ve always dreamed about.