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If you have been bored with the decoration you have at home, why not start changing it? Go ahead and start giving it more personality! To inspire you, we want to show you this decalogue where we tell you the ten basic keys so that you always get it right.
1. AN ACE IN THE SLEEVE: SIMPLICITY
It is easier to get the decoration right when the basic furniture – in the case of the living room, the sofa, the coffee table, or the sideboard – are pieces of simple design.
A sofa with smooth upholstery is more appreciated than a patterned one since you can choose the cushions without fear that the motifs do not fit together.
A sofa with light upholstery offers more possibilities than one in a striking color (pink, orange, green …) since you can add an armchair or a rug in an intense tone to your living room without asking yourself: will it match? The least problematic color for the sofa, without a doubt, is white, followed by light gray.
A discreet sideboard or coffee table – with simple lines – will allow you the freedom to add furniture of any style in the future without having to change the whole decoration. The safe bets: unadorned furniture with basic designs. What finishes are easier to combine? The color white and light woods, such as oak or beech. Sofa, from the firm Crystal. Armchair, by La Albaida. Coffee tables and carpet, from Ikea. Mirrors, by Almacenes Masol.
2. SEEK THE LIGHT
A dark room seems smaller. Additionally, the lack of light makes even bright-hued details dull and sad. Even if you don’t have a floor-to-ceiling window, there are tricks to make an environment appear brighter.
Paint the ceiling and at least three walls white: they reflect natural light and multiply it.
Dress the window with a white curtain or blind. The idea is that they nuance the luminosity, not that they cut it off.
If the floor is dark, look for light rugs that illuminate it. If they have texture (wool, long hair, fibers …), you will make the environment, in addition to being bright, cozy, and warm. Interior design and headboard, by Rocío Olmo. Wallpaper, by Coordonné.
3. ANALYZES CENTIMETER BY CENTIMETER
When we imagine how to decorate a room, we tend to think “here I will put the sofa; there, the dining table …” But the visual space is not the same as the real space. Before buying any furniture, get close to the walls and look at them carefully.
Is there a radiator? Then you will not be able to place the sofa or the sideboard since they will be away from the wall. Any furniture should start right after the radiator.
Where is the telephone or TV antenna input? Its presence will determine the distribution since your television (and the furniture on which you plan to place it) should be next to the antenna socket. But don’t despair: if you don’t like where it is located, you can always move it.
Is there any setback, no matter how small, or does a pillar protrude slightly? Any irregularity in the wall will prevent you from attaching a bookcase to it since the space behind it is very unsightly. The solution? Rethink your layout again or order custom furniture. Sofa, similar in Ikea.
4. TRENDS, WITH MODERATION
We all like to have our house in fashion, but … do you really want to change the sofa or dining table every two for three? To avoid this, limit “on-trend” décor to accessories that can be substituted without altering key pieces of décor.
The best candidates to have a fashion house without headaches (or pocket) are vases, cushions, and wall decoration: paintings, letters, garlands, false trophies … Vases, by Lou & Hernández. Ant, bird, and a wooden tray, from EsteOeste.
5. THE PAPERS, ONE BY ONE
The wallpaper creates a feeling of intimacy that translates into a cozy atmosphere. But, unless the space is very large, a completely wallpapered room runs the risk of looking cluttered. Does the paper and limit it to a single wall: the surprise effect will be very decorative and you will be able to give a feeling of depth to the wall you place it on. Wallpaper by Amy Butler. Desk and chair, from Ikea. Oriental wardrobe and armchair, by Kulunka.
6. STUDY DOORS AND WINDOWS
Observe where they open, because they may condition the decoration when it is irreparable.
If you plan to place the sink next to the window, make sure the sash will not bump into the sink when you open it.
The blinds are beautiful, but if you want to open the window without having to raise them completely, you must have a model with sliding leaves.
Analyze the layout of the bathroom. If space is limited, the path of the door may prevent you from placing a closet or adding one more toilet. And the same can happen with any other room in the house. Before furnishing it, study alternatives: it may be worth modifying the opening from left to right or replacing the door with a recessed leaf. Lavabo, by Flaminia.
7. TEST BEFORE HANGING UP
Wall decoration is somewhat more complex than it seems. When you combine several paintings or photographs, it is important that they maintain a balance between them so that the composition is harmonious. So that you do not regret it or fill the wall with useless holes, the trick is to place the paintings on the floor and try all the compositions until you find the one you like the most. When you move it to the wall, you will do it with a shot.
8. NO FURNITURE SHOULD BE ALONE
Take a look at this picture. Now cover the painting and the vases placed on the sideboard with your hand, to visually eliminate them. What does it lose charm? A well-decorated house is not only one that includes colorful furniture, but one that adds a plus of aesthetics with small details. It is not a question of cluttering the surface, it is enough with a complement so that no furniture is “naked”. The resources that are always successful are:
In the case of a side table, a lamp. The ideal: that its base is small so that it does not occupy the entire surface, like a flexo.
On a coffee table: at one end, an A4-size book with a colorful cover (art and travel books are usually very decorative); and at the opposite end, a medium-sized vase (those that exceed 25 cm in height are more difficult to integrate).
In a low sideboard, apply the same criteria as for the coffee table, but put a couple of vases instead of just one.
On a tall sideboard, like the one in the image, place a composition of medium-sized vases (two or three, with staggered heights) or a couple of candles. Sideboard, by Erico Navazo. Armchair, by Objetology.
9. UNITED BY A SUBTLE THREAD OF COLOR
Es un recurso sencillo que tiene resultados muy atractivos. Consiste en tomar como referencia un color del ambiente y añadir un par de detalles más en el mismo tono. Evita incluir a muebles: así, cuando te canses del color elegido, podrás variar sin alterar el resto de la decoración.
En el salón, elige un cojín (en este caso, el diseño con rayas rosas); busca un plaid a tono (no hace falta que sea idéntico, pero sí que esté dentro de la misma gama) y añade una flor entonada (puedes colocarla en la mesa de centro o sobre el mueble del televisor).
En el dormitorio, puedes repetir el mismo juego con un cojín y una mantita doblada a los pies de la cama. Portavelas, de Segunda Época.
10. COPY IDEAS YOU LIKE
Browse magazines, surf the networks, look for inspiring photos on Pinterest … Cut out and print the ones you like the most and make your own decoration notebook at home. The best interior designers present their ideas, so why not copy them? You will have the guarantee that they work. And don’t be in a hurry. Decorating correctly is a good goal, but the important thing is to enjoy and delight yourself until you get there. Mesa, from Madrid in Love.
