By Aisha Ashraf from Accentuate Home
So you just bought a new home!
Yeah, I know stamp duties, agent fees, large down payments and now the fear of large monthly mortgage payments looming in front of you.
Moreover, you’ve just spent a lot of time and brain power trying to decide on the best investment for you and yours… The last thing you (or your wallet) wants to think about right now is how to decorate the space.
Do not fret take a deep breath and relax. It’s not as daunting as you think it is.
Here are five simple tips to take your home from boring to fab.
Personalise
Though impersonal and cookie-cutter, at least you know the general bones of your home are fresh and modern. So no updates required there.
Having said that you don’t want to feel like you are living in a showroom so to that I say personalise. Put an element that will make the space uniquely yours and light fittings are just the tool to add that “wow” factor. Look what I did in one of my projects on a kitchen island. I made a light fitting with a raw wooden beam.
Measure your space
Make your tape measure your best friend. If you’re unsure how to create a plan on paper, use masking tape to “draw” out the actual dimensions of furniture needed in your room.
This will help you visualise and buy things that will look good rather than those which you think will look good and those that you got a super deal on.
Don’t worry I do it too when I’m unsure of the size of a space. The biggest faux pas is a room with furniture that is off-scale or furniture that doesn’t fit… oops.
Buy essentials first
A big mistake people make is to get bogged down with the details and end up buying accessories first. I say buy the sofa first. Invest in something that will last for a while as that is something you will use the most.
It should be comfortable and durable and of a standard size which could move with you to the next home if you so wished.
A three-seater or a modular sectional is usually a good way to go. I would also go neutral on the colour palette and inject colour with throw cushions, rugs and paintings.
Paint
Paint is a great way to inject color and sass. If you have very little wall space (most apartments have a lot of large windows these days) do it on ceilings.
Mixing and matching
I love mixing new with old, expensive with the not so expensive and big with small. I love to juxtapose items to create a visual tension between objects and to create dynamism within a space.
If all furniture is bought from the same store, same brand and same finish (convenient though isn’t it?) YAWN. Don’t be afraid to throw in a little bit of Ikea with your new Minotti sofa. Trust me no one will know the difference.
