5 Essential Style Ingredients Every Home Today Needs

Our home provides a place of shelter, a place for our family and friends to gather, and a refuge from the outside world. But many of us don’t think about turning our home into our own unique self-expression, a place of sanctuary by the merits that is designed and furnished just for us to relax, rejuvenate and enjoy. By taking a closer look at some of the essential aspects that should included in a modern home, we can create a space that is a welcoming oasis from the world, as well as a stylish form of expression and creativity.

An Integrated Theme

A beautiful home starts with an integrated theme that flows throughout the space, something that only someone with an eye for detail and creativity is skilled at crafting. An integrated theme doesn’t mean that everything in the home has to match, and in fact, the integration of style and design may be very subtle. But having a connection between 1 or 2 items in each room throughout the house creates an atmosphere of style and connectedness that pulls the home together as an integrated whole.

A color theme could be a good place to start, or a theme among home fittings or decorations can help to add the subtle yet striking effect of coordination. A friend with an artistic eye or an interior designer can of course always help you out in pulling together an integrated theme, rather than disseminated bits and pieces.

Comfortable Furnishings

Having the perfect home does not mean having a museum that can’t be touched, used or enjoyed. Most importantly a home should be comfortable and a place of relaxation and freedom, where you can kick back and live your life naturally without having to protect too many precious ornaments or fittings.

If you live in a cool climate, it’s a good idea to have warm, plush furnishings and plenty of rugs and throws to stay warm in the house, and a fireplace is a great way to have heating that adds atmosphere as well. For warmer climates where outdoor entertaining is favoured, choose a comfortable yet versatile outdoor setting that’s perfect for any weather is also a great addition for a house that’s comfortable for both you and your guests.

Inside Out

While many people focus on the interior of a house and making the insides look good, it’s actually the outside of a house that creates a first impression to any passers-by or visitors. However, despite this fact, many homeowners neglect the exterior of their house or the front yard, despite the impact it can make on a first impression.

As duly noted by one modern home decorator in Toronto, garden decorations and exterior house maintenance are just as important as interior design. Of course, having your outside match with your inside will also depend on your climate and environment, whether you live in an urban, suburban or rural area and how much yard space and garden you have as well.

Enlightened Spaces

A critical, yet often overlooked aspect of interior design is lighting, and having the right lighting can really change the atmosphere in a house. One favourite of interior designers everywhere are dimmer switches, which help to create a certain mood in the room and can be changed as needed. Of course a similar effect can be created by having a variety of light sources that can be used and interchanged according to need. This could include table or floor lamps, an overhead light source and downlights, each of which can be separately controlled and adjusted according to your need.

Keep it Simple

The golden rule is always to keep it simple. Simplicity not only is more cost effective, it’s also stunning and easy to keep clean without having a lot of bits and pieces around to clutter up the house. Having less stuff means less to put away, clean and tidy up, which reduces stress levels and creates a harmonious environment.

One of the key factors to having a simply clean house is plenty of storage space to put away items when they’re not in use and keep areas clean and tidy. Of course you can always source extra internal storage if you find you don’t have enough space in your home and there’s a lot of valuable items you want to hold on to.