Bring Your Home to Life - Home Décor Ideas That Will Make a Difference

Featured item: Wall art

Have you recently flopped down on your couch with a rare ten minutes to ruminate, and been hit by a sudden case of décor ennui? Maybe you’ve been coasting along with the same style since you moved into your first rental… Or perhaps during the crazy ride of shacking up, buying your first home and having kids, you somehow missed the moment where the bus was supposed to stop and let you off for a moment to take in the scenery – and just maybe get a chance to plan some of your own. 

Well, let’s face it, the bus never really stops for more than a few minutes. And unless you’re actually an interior designer or somehow bribed your way into a spot on Extreme Home Makeover, you’re probably not going to have the luxury of redoing your entire home in one go. Doing things piecemeal style is more the norm these days, and the cool thing is, it makes creating your perfect home an adventure for you and your favourite ‘homies’ for the rest of your lives. The question is, with limited time and budget, and a billion brilliant home décor ideas up for grabs, where’s the best place to begin? The simple answer is: somewhere! Start with one idea you love and work your way from there. Here are a few favourites on our list that can help you start small to make a really big difference and bring your home to life, one inspired step at a time. 

Make first impressions count

We’re often so focused on creating beautiful rooms, kitchens and bathrooms – where, granted, we spend most of our time – that we might forget to pay some attention to first impressions. Sure, you and your guests may only spend a few seconds at the entryway, but there’s always been something instinctive and profound about crossing the threshold into someone’s space – you want to be sending the right message. Whether it’s some warm and friendly lighting, a touch of nature to transition from outdoors to indoors, or a few hand-picked items that set the tone for the rest of your décor, have some fun finding your own way to say, ‘This is us. Come on in.’ 

Have a lightbulb moment

It may be stating the obvious, but the design is obsolete before you put some light in the picture. Clearly, lighting is a necessity, but it’s just as much about the atmosphere. Both the quality of the light and the aesthetics of your light fixtures can hugely impact the emotional tone of a room. It’s also about playing with lighting angles and dynamics – overhead lighting is a no-brainer for functional areas like kitchens, but in living areas and bedrooms you’ll want to up the mood with lamps that can function as additional or alternative light sources. Lampshades are also a fun and inexpensive way to experiment with colour and texture in a room. If you’re short on space for standing lamps or just prefer to go with something more modern, wall sconces and hanging pendants are the perfect way to add some eye-catching flair.  

Paint to accentuate 

We all know a new coat of paint can do wonders for a lacklustre room. But you don’t have to go all out with a wall to wall overhaul. Creating an accent wall with paint or tasteful wallpaper can have just the desired effect and create extra interest by highlighting the room’s best features. 

If these walls could talk…

Don’t feel like breaking out the paint rollers? Create a statement wall just as effectively with a gallery wall, mounted collectables, or a unique textile wall hanging. Don’t be shy to let your personal tastes shine – there’s no need to default to the traditional family photo wall. You’d be surprised just how many different things can work in a frame or in a mounted constellation. Why not let that antique china out of its cupboard prison, or make a display of your collection of old hats? Or how about a framed series of shiny nuts and bolts for an urban industrial look? Whatever frames your fancy.

Spread the rug

Every long-awaited homecoming should be rewarded with some comfort for tired feet and eyes.  And what better way to do both than with some rug love? An area rug is a great choice when you’re looking for a one ticket item to make a big difference because it can cover so many bases. 

A well-chosen rug can help anchor furniture that might otherwise be ‘floating’ in the room, bring structure and definition to an open-plan living space, and help pull a colour or décor theme together, all the while adding warmth, texture and even some extra sound-proofing. So go ahead, you won’t regret rugging it up.

Throws of passion

If you’re after a quick and rewarding makeover fix for any wilting bedroom or living area, go for instant gratification with a fresh batch of scatter cushions or a couple of sumptuous throws.

Changing up the shapes, colours and textures will make it feel like a whole new room without burning a hole in your pocket, Plus! it allows you to dip your toes into something new without all the commitment of a long-term relationship. No naughty, just nice!

Featurize your fireplace

If you’re lucky enough to have a built-in fireplace, there’s nothing to make a room feel more cosy and romantic on those chilly nights. But how about turning your fireplace into an even bolder design feature when it’s not in use? Stack it with a collection of some kind – vases, a wine rack, large candles, or even books make a great fireplace display...just be sure hubby doesn’t mistake them for some winter kindling when he decides it’s time to start stoking the love fires again…  

Got some wheels turning? Need a little more hands-on inspiration? Browse through our extensive online collection of unique décor and art, to see how we can help you bring your home to life in a big way.