Too many homes, condos, and apartments have been built in the last few decades that are cookie-cutter; looking pretty much the same—bland, boring and too many square-shaped, boxy rooms.
They’re not really life-enhancing spaces beyond the basics.
But we want more than that. We want our homes to have character; to be distinctive. No matter the size.
We want the space we call home to possess a degree of enticement, interest, and an element of surprise. A bit of the unexpected is a good thing, too.
We don’t consider ourselves bland and boring, so why would we want our home to reflect that. No, a thousand times no.
So if you find yourself looking around such a room and wondering how you can bring your excitement to it, take a look at these photos. It just may spark a few ideas, and there are many others. Every room in your home should make you say, “I’m so glad this is where I live!” It just takes mindful design.
This shabby-chic styled kitchen has used an old weathered door placed onto a wall. You can find architectural salvage shops where you can find all manner of pieces that can add so much interest to a room.
I added a fireplace mantel and surround in an apartment I lived in. I placed tiles on top of the existing carpet and backed it with mirror and instead of dried branches seen in this photo, I used candlesticks of varying heights. Great fun.
I’ve used molding like this for several clients. It’s easy and it’s very inexpensive. Purchase the custom cut-to-order molding at a lumber yard or a big box store. They can be painted or even left the same color as the walls. It adds so much architectural interest to a room.
Who said all closets need boring wood sliding doors? Sometimes, a beautiful fabric curtain can be just what the decorator ordered.
There’s no window behind this bed. Adding a curtain wall adds elegance and texture. It’s hung just below the ceiling giving a feeling of more height.
This small studio space uses curtains to separate the sleeping area. They’re applied to the ceiling on a track and they’re crisply pleated giving a neat finished look. Also love the bursts of color that bring this all-white room to life.
There’s so much color and texture in this living room, that you don’t notice its boxy shape. For all of the color, the same shades are used throughout the pieces so it’s not jarring to the eye.
This is a small square bedroom, but the mirrored closet doors double the space. The papered focal wall along with the mirrored nightstands, lamps, and ceiling fixture add glamour and understated elegance.
Wallpaper with double-sided tape has been used to the closet sliding door to add interest. This application can be added to any surface such as tabletops, drawer fronts, headboards, and book shelves. The best part? If you tire of it, it’s easily removed with no damage to surfaces. If you want a more permanent fix? Decoupage.
A quiet elegant box of a room that uses a darker paint color to create a focal wall and the large standing light fixture is unexpected, giving this living room an element of surprise.
Until next time…
Blessings,
Nancy
P.S. If you have some thoughts, but you’re not sure, please send me an email. I’d love to help. Remember, you deserve a home that has the essence of you written all over it.
