Top Tips for Revamping Your Home in 2019
- 29 Aug 2019
- Articles
Whether it is a case of simply adding to a look you have already begun to create or starting from scratch, taking time to research and assess all your options is essential before making an investment in any particular style.
Here are some of the most popular styles currently trending in 2019 and some ideas on how to achieve them in your own home.
Go modern
Taking shape around the turn of the twentieth century and eventually reaching its height in the 1930s, modernism has never entirely fallen from fashion, managing to maintain its relevance over 100 years later. As a style of interior design, it borrows from the movement and combines it with contemporary features to create a clean aesthetic that pays homage to the latest technological innovations from an industrialised society.
Like minimalism, it follows a defined principle of “less is more,” incorporating glass, chrome, concrete and steel into a simple colour palette, often comprised of plentiful shades of white, black and grey. However, the idea is not to create a ‘cold’ feeling, and earthy hues - such as turquoise, brown, rust and green - may be used to add warmth where necessary.
Modern interior design is structured around simple vertical and horizontal lines, an open plan layout that rejects ornate flourishes, large windows letting in lots of natural light, and simple streamlined furniture. Furnishings should be set back rather than protruding, particularly with regards to bookcases and shelves, while rooms should be clutter-free.
Key features of a modern interior:
- Simple colour palette
- Emphasis on industrial materials
- Open-plan
- Streamlined furniture
- Simple vertical and horizontal lines
Go bohemian
A favourite among people wanting to improve contact with nature and peace within their home, bohemian interior design adopts a number of different elements to create a rich and stimulating space full of visual interest and relaxed tones.
Used to refer to social habits that are unconventional and informal, a bohemian look is achieved by using warm and earthy colours, combined with expressive patterns without being too overbearing. Base tones are muted, shapes are contrasted, and furniture should be low-lying.
Plants also play an important role in creating a bohemian space, adding dimension, colour and purifying your home, bringing the whole area closer to nature. Whether a hanging basket, vases on tables or cacti on window sills, installing botanical elements to a room is a relatively cheap and interesting way of developing a relaxed bohemian style.
Brand new furniture, rugs, curtains or lighting elements aren’t recommended; instead it is better to opt for objects that have a personal, slightly worn feel to them. The more mysterious and well-loved the furniture and materials seem, the more alluring the space.
Key features of a bohemian interior:
- Expressive, contrasting patterns
- Natural, earthy tones
- Low-lying furniture
- Emphasis on botanicals
- Well-loved, personal objects with history to them
Go traditional
Rooted principally in eighteenth and nineteenth-century sensibilities, a traditional interior design consists of dark jewel tones, elaborate furnishings, and upholstery comprised of high-end fabrics, such as velvet, silk and leather.
One of the leading principles of a traditional home decor is its strive for complete harmony and order. Consistency and symmetry play a significant role in this endeavour, as they help to avoid a wild and chaotic aesthetic that goes firmly against the style.
Traditional homes also incorporate classic art and antiques that reflect history to create an elegant space. Heavy bookcases, ornate light fittings, cast iron radiators and large fireplaces all contribute to this particular aesthetic, while at the same time offering a comfortable and cost home with all the modern conveniences.
Interior designers who specialise in a traditional style often emphasise the experimental freedom that comes with the look despite its attachment to the past. Rather than strictly adhering to specific requirements, traditional is more a celebration of previous eras that highlights its best features and gives them a modern twist.
Key features of a traditional interior:
- Dark, rich colour palette
- Elaborate furnishings and traditional fabrics
- Emphasis on harmony and order
- Heavy materials, such as oak for furniture
- Relatively large degree of freedom
Go minimalist
Achieving a minimalist look involves taking some of the key principles from modern interior design and stripping them down even further to create a functional and aesthetically timeless space. It borrows the monochromatic colour scheme, simple use of lines and mentality of “less is more” from modernism, yet condenses it down to accentuate the beauty of forms. Typical materials associated with a minimalist style include chrome, steel, glass, plastic, ceramics, natural stone, and textured wood.
Minimalism celebrates architectural design and places importance on freedom from unnecessary items and clutter, in order to produce a calming space that focuses only on objects that are important to day-to-day living. Furnishings, accessories and colours that do not fit the overall aesthetic should be discarded, particularly those that are considered especially ornate. Anything that can be reduced should be, such as replacing curtains with Shuttercraft shutters.
This tends to suit people who are uninterested in pretentiousness, as well as those who are looking to create a simple and effective style without breaking the bank to do so. Most of the furnishings incorporated into a minimalist interior design are very easy to obtain, unlike those required to achieve a traditional decor, for example.
Key features of a minimalist interior:
- Born from modernist interior design
- Emphasis on reduction
- Use of simple monochromatic palette
- Easy to find, well-designed furnishings; nothing over the top or pretentious
- Materials include chrome, steel, glass, plastic, ceramics, natural stone and wood
