Top Tips to Personalise Your Home..
“There is a magic in that little world, home; it is a mystic circle that surrounds comforts and virtues never known beyond its hallowed limits.” ~ Robert Southey
At Parrys, we understand how meaningful a home is. It provides shelter, warmth, a place to love and be loved, a space to enjoy friends and spend time with family. It can be grand or cosy, modern or antiquated, minimal, or full of memories. Home has many different connotations depending on the individual.
We have put together ten tips on personalising your space in a way that speaks of you, your personality, values, and dreams. And you don’t even need to pick up a paintbrush!
- Re-invigorate the Entrance
We have all heard the term ‘kerb appeal’, and the first impression of your home really does make all the difference. Whether you are stepping up to the front door after a long day at work, or you are welcoming friends as they venture down the path, you want to make a beautiful first impression. The front door itself can make a big impact without needing to change the colour. Try replacing the door furnishings with a statement door handle or door knocker. Hanging colourful flower baskets and positioning herb or evergreen planters by the front door also creates a real sense of warmth and a well-cherished house. You could even invest in an antique boot scraper or unusual porch ornament to add a unique finishing touch.
- Display Personal Collections
We all have unusual artefacts from our travels, or a range of porcelain inherited from a grandmother. Putting these on display shares some of your life history and gives your home a more lived-in feel. Collections can also be a fabulous conversation starter with guests. It doesn’t matter how small or how unremarkable they appear to be; you are sharing a piece of yourself.
- Create a Photo Wall
Creating an eclectic photo wall is a fantastic way to give instant personality to a new house. Not only is it heart-warming to spend the time rifling through old photos selecting the ones that will make the final cut, but you will find yourself spontaneously smiling each time you catch sight of your loved ones and special memories. It is also an interesting way to tell your life story through images, which, again, can spark conversation.
- Share your Talents
Do you knit, paint, or make crafts? If you do, be sure to have these items out in your communal spaces. Too many of us are bashful about our talents and keep things squirrelled away out of sight. Be confident! Placing your knitted throw over the back of a chair or putting a homemade piece of pottery on the mantlepiece connects your home to a deep part of your personality and reflects it out radiantly.
- Hang Key Hooks
Where we put our keys seems to be a human conundrum. We all seem to have a home for them, be it on the boot rack, by the telephone, or in the fruit bowl, yet we all lose them, often daily! Creating an artistic space to keep everyone’s keys will bring a smile to your lips each time you leave and enter the house.
- Hang Statement Art
You know that piece of art in the local boutique that you eye enviously each time you visit? Well, next time, why not treat yourself! Moving to a new home is the perfect time to buy a large statement artwork piece that makes your heart sing. It is usually cheaper than redecorating, and a large colourful piece will do the same job as a feature wall. Tying the colours into your soft furnishings and other decorative items in the room will make your guests wonder if you had an interior designer!
- Incorporate House Plants
House plants really do make a house a home. They show that the person who lives there is nurturing and appreciative of the environment in which they live. If you are a disaster for keeping house plants alive, never fear; there are some easy options out there. Ferns, palms, ivy, succulents, and peace lilies are robust and need minimal attention. The beautiful green leaves and fronds bring the outside indoors and create a sense of beauty and natural calm. Plants also help oxygenate the atmosphere, which can help you sleep better at night – a win all around!
- Add Soft Furnishings
Ever since Changing Rooms brought the throw cushion to the forefront, it has never lost popularity, and for good reason too. It is astonishing how much impact colourful cushions and throws make when used to bring together the colour scheme and décor of a room. What’s more, they create a sense of cosy comfort, inviting you to snuggle up with a good book and a cuppa.
- Make a Statement Outdoors
Gardens should not be neglected here as they serve as an extra room to the house. Do not worry if you are not a gardener or don’t wish to slave away toiling over flower beds at weekends. Instead, focus on how to turn the space into something useable and enjoyable. Invest in some comfortable garden furniture and add some excitement with a fire pit, chiminea, or even a hot tub!
- Change the Light Fittings
This one is a secret weapon. We often move into a new home and neglect changing the light fittings which have been left behind. We may think they are overhead, so out of sight, out of mind, or perhaps simply think ‘they will do’. However, replacing a light fitting is a quick and easy improvement that can have a sudden and dramatic impact on the persona of the space it occupies. Don’t believe us? Give it a go!
Moving somewhere new is an especially exciting time for you to make your mark and turn your new house into a special place that you love coming home to. We hope these simple personalisation tips have inspired you!