How to add an original solution even to the simplest, most basic interior. To get a harmonious interior, it is considered correct to start from the chosen style. But how to understand which one you like? 10 Simple tricks that will make your interior unique.
The main thing is to find what inspires you: your favorite country, philosophy of life, certain colors or textures, surrounding architecture, nature. This will help you choose a palette, materials and decor in a single concept that will be meaningful to you.
#1. Diversify textures. 10 Simple tricks that will make your interior unique.
An interesting way to refresh a boring interior is to add a variety of textures. First of all, this concerns textiles, but you can also experiment with furniture, wall coverings or decor. Several different fabrics or, for example, wooden surfaces will make the environment deeper and more expressive. This is a great way to refresh the interior if you want small changes rather than radical transformations.
Wood is a fairly neutral material in color. Therefore, it is good to balance bright solutions in the interior, for example, a contrasting wall or a kitchen set in a spectacular color. Be careful with very saturated shades of wood, which have pronounced notes of orange or red: pear, cherry, acacia, oak. It is better to use them with neutral colors, for example, gray or beige.
Different types of wood combine well with each other. To make the combination harmonious, choose contrasting light and dark shades of wood. For example, wenge and maple. It will be good if you can separate them – a light floor and a dark ceiling, as in the example in the photo. Here, white walls act as a border between wooden surfaces. Thanks to this technique, the space turns out to be voluminous, with carefully worked out textures.
A more non-trivial solution is wooden beams on the ceiling, which can often be seen in chalets. Of course, beams will not be appropriate in any interior: they are intended for country houses and rooms with a decent height. You can think about this option for decorating the ceiling if you want a classic interior.
You can add wooden decorative details to the interior. Wooden figurines, boxes, dishes – all this will add coziness to the atmosphere and make the house more environmentally friendly.
#2. Add live plants. 10 Simple tricks that will make your interior unique.
Live plants make the space more cozy. If you already have flower pots, add brighter and more spectacular varieties to the collection, which will attract attention. Indoor flowers will significantly change the mood of the room, adding new colors and natural accents. A blooming oasis with a summer mood will appear in the house. And we are not only talking about indoor plants in pots – fresh bouquets work on the same principle. And you can change them often, according to your mood or season, each time filling the interior with new colors.
Plants make a space feel fresher, more welcoming, and add life to it. Place a beautiful vase on the dining table or a chest of drawers in the bedroom.
#3. Arrange several small relaxation zones throughout the apartment. 10 Simple tricks that will make your interior unique.
Sometimes everyone needs to relax alone. Therefore, the apartment should have several secluded micro-zones. They can even be located within the same living room: a sofa opposite the TV – for watching a movie, an armchair by the window – for relaxing with a book. You can find a place for a small armchair in the bedroom or on a heated loggia. Place bar stools by the wide windowsill in the kitchen to sit with a cup of coffee. In a separate bathroom, you can create a small spa zone in which you can be alone for a couple of hours.
(1) – “By incorporating curved room designs, they can create spaces that improve our mood, reduce stress, and increase creative thinking.”
The living room usually combines many functional areas, so it is quite difficult to allocate a separate space for reading. If you have an empty corner or a couple of meters of free space, this is already enough. Hang a couple of shelves, attach a lamp to a clamp and put a compact mini-chair or a bean bag chair.
It can be used not only while reading, but also as the main furniture in the room, for example, when guests arrive. Try to arrange the books in an interesting way. For example, if you have a decorative fireplace, you can place a couple of shelves inside and place books on them, and put an armchair and a lamp next to it.
#4. Set aside a place for sports. 10 Simple tricks that will make your interior unique.
Not enough movement? Equip a place for active activities that you have never been able to find time for. For example, an atmospheric yoga corner can be made in the bedroom – and decorated in boho style. There is space for a horizontal bar or exercise machine on a glazed balcony or in the hallway.
When using the entire area seems like an impossible task, try to separate at least part of it. For example, with a beautiful curtain or screen. And organize the most comfortable space in the resulting corner. There probably won’t be enough space for a full-fledged treadmill or elliptical. It can be replaced with a compact stepper – it provides the same type of load. A fitball, dumbbells and a mat will fit in the same corner. You can also buy weights, they won’t take up much space. Think of a suitable rack to store disassembled dumbbells, weights and a mat.
#5. Where can I set up a space for meditation?
Meditation is a modern way to relax and combat everyday stress. It is comfortable to do in the familiar environment of your home.
On the loggia
A heated loggia is great for meditation for several reasons.
You can close yourself off from other family members there.
You can open a window and meditate in the fresh air.
If you sit on the floor, you won’t be visible from the room, which will help you avoid embarrassment from prying eyes.
The loggia is well lit by natural sunlight, which is more beneficial for meditation than artificial light.
By the window
There is a meditation that involves detached observation of what is happening around you. The best place for it is by the window. Choose a comfortable high chair, put candles and plants nearby to set a good mood and meditate.
In a hammock
A hammock is an interesting addition to the interior of a living room, bedroom, loggia or even a work interior, and also a great place for meditation. It is easy to relax in it, it creates a feeling that you are floating in the air.
#6. Use themed decor. 10 Simple tricks that will make your interior unique.
You can simply choose new unusual shades that you have not used before to transform the space. You will not need much decor: 1-2 details will be enough, and you will already get the desired mood.
(1) – “That room shape can significantly impact individuals’ emotional experiences and creative productivity, emphasising the importance of considering this factor in architectural design.”
Add a couple of bright details
Bright shades always look dynamic and refresh the interior. You can add new color accents to the space at any time of the year. A couple of bright details will become that necessary feature that will make the interior complete, harmonious and updated.
#7. Add local lighting
Lighting affects the comfort of everyday life, the correct perception of surrounding colors, and the atmosphere in the rooms. First of all, technical indicators are important: the intensity and color of the glow, the area of its coverage, energy efficiency. But we must not forget about aesthetics, because lamps and lighting fixtures are a full-fledged part of the interior.
The feeling of coziness is also formed by lighting. It should be multi-level and different in intensity. Bright ceiling lamps and, for example, garlands create completely different moods. At the same time, adding a local source is not difficult – one free socket for a lamp or floor lamp is enough.
Natural materials
Lamps made of rattan, wood, recycled glass, linen, alabaster are especially popular now. They make the space warmer and more cozy. This design fits into the general trend of eco-friendliness and connection with nature in the walls of the house. In addition, natural materials diffuse light well, creating soft, pleasant lighting.
Natural design
Lamps in the form of leaves, flowers, branches, butterflies or water drops.
Asymmetrical silhouettes, natural imperfections of lines.
This type of lighting makes the room more lively and cozy. It goes well with indoor plants, wood and other natural textures. It is suitable for any style where references to nature, ecology and naturalness are important.
Organic shaped lamps are made of glass, metal, wood or fabric. They cast beautiful shadows, create a play of light and reflect it. They become an accent in the room, even if they are made in subdued colors.
#8. Get rid of visual noise. 10 Simple tricks that will make your interior unique.
Comfort is not only beautiful accessories, but first of all a feeling of cleanliness and order. If you want to improve the atmosphere in your home, tidy up, and also get rid of unnecessary things, free up surfaces. At the same time, if necessary, review the storage so that the chaos of small things does not accumulate on shelves and countertops. You don’t need to remove everything at all – just make sure that there is no visual noise in the interior.
The apartment will immediately be filled with air, will become visually cleaner and more spacious. Act decisively: if some things cause doubts and you are not sure whether you will need them or not, put them in a box or on a distant shelf for a while.
#9. Update the decor
Another quick way to change the interior is to update the decor. You can buy new and sell the old, give it away, or put it in a box, so that you can later return it to a prominent place if you want. If you didn’t plan to buy anything, you can simply swap the decorations in different rooms. For example, move the decor from the bedroom to the living room, and from the living room to the bedroom.
Or hang a poster from the hallway to the kitchen. It’s easiest if the apartment is decorated in a single style and the accessories echo each other in colors or themes. Then they will look appropriate in any room, if you want to swap some details.
#10. Add things with history. 10 Simple tricks that will make your interior unique.
Things with a real history make the interior more individual and characteristic. And they can also remind you of something good: for example, about childhood in grandma’s apartment, travels, older relatives, etc. Anything will do: from beautifully framed family photos to carpets, lamps, decor, restored furniture. Use what is meaningful to you, and then the interior will be filled with warm, pleasant associations.
Restore old furniture
Vintage details add a special gloss and character to the space. Sometimes a wooden chair or a worn sofa can become the main accent in the interior if you put them in order. To do this, you can take the old furniture to a restoration workshop or try to refresh it yourself.
Complement the antique furniture with appropriate details – one or two will be enough. Take out old paintings or photos and put them in new frames. You will get a unique space that will be significantly different in atmosphere from what was before.
(1) – US National Library of Medicine; The impact of room shape on affective states, heartrate, and creative output; K Strachan-Regan, O Baumann; 2024 Mar 16.
