Attempting to style the home of your dreams can go one of two ways. You can play the long game and approach it methodically and with patience, or you can go at it like a bull in a china shop and wind up regretting all of your purchases quickly after buying them.
Then there’s the issue of actually deciding on what look you want to go for. What is your vision? How would you sum up your look in one word? How can you achieve said look without spending half your life savings?
Here are our favourite tips and tricks that will quickly see you rocking the interiors equivalent of double denim quick smart, you sass queen you.
Pinterest and ‘gram
OBVS! While perfectly styled Pinterest homes can seem completely unattainable, you can still use the platform as a great destination to source inspiration for your own. It’s a stellar way of working out what sort of aesthetic you want to go with, and you can draw elements from a plethora of images to create your perfect vision.
Similarly with Instagram, create a folder on your Insti and save all of the #interiorgoals pics you’re scrolling through. You’ll quickly be able to identify common patterns and trends and you’ll be able to pinpoint what sort of aesthetic you want to go for.
Get snap happy
Of course you’re not going to kit your entire lounge room out like a hipster Melbourne coffee shop, but you can take elements of anything and apply it to the space you have to work with.
Pinpoint what it is you like so much about said hipster coffee shop. Is it the grain of wood of the table? The art on the walls? The colour or shape of the light fittings? The way the pomegranate seeds are sprinkled so decoratively atop the smashed avocado? (Woops, sorry got side tracked!). This will really help you focus your search.
Have a game plan
This one is IMPORTANT. If you’re starting from scratch and moving into your own place for the first time, avoid ‘going general interior shopping’ at all costs. You’ll end up with a bath mat, four different styles of towels and a decorative stags head. All worthy items, but also completely random and without cohesion. You’ll feel pressure to get your project going and probably wind up panic-buying things that won’t fit in when you have the rest of your space sorted.
Don’t live in a space you hate
Although we encourage patience while you’re waiting to work out exactly what you want, that doesn’t mean you have to live in a space you hate. Buy candles, fairy lights, succulents and plants to jazz the space up while you wait for inspiration to strike. Making the most of the space you’ve got will ensure you approach the restyling task with positivity, and don’t hurry into anything because you’re just so desperate to change a drab and dreary space.
If you aren’t sure, go cheap
Despite your solid foundation of interiors knowledge, there will likely be some things that you just can’t decide on. If this is the case, always, always buy el cheapo. A $70 coffee table from IKEA will thriftily bridge the coffee-table-of-your-dreams-sized gap in your lounge room whilst you wait for the perfect piece to come your way. A costly purchase however, ain’t gonna be so easy to replace if you regret your decision.
If you’re looking for more interiors inspo, check out these five interior design apps that make decorating your home a breeze.
