Increase the longevity of your home décor

A perfect summer house décor. Pic: kidlark.com

I have been thinking of redoing my home. You know its summers and you want your home to look bright and lively. Also, with summers – especially in the UK - the thing is you want to soak in the goodness of the sun as much as you can, enjoy the sunlight when the days are just soooooo long and you have plenty of time to organise barbeques, get-togethers and (especially this year) World Cup parties. And to do that, you want your home to look and feel just perfect.

With so many home décor glossies flooding the market, people often make the mistake of doing up their homes just by looking at the pictures - either because a specific style looked pretty or because it is in vogue. I admit, I too have fallen prey to having my room done just the way a home décor magazine thought rooms should look like. But, soon I realised, my home is my haven, my most prized possession - so now whenever I decide to do style my home, I just pause and think about three main issues - budget, my personal style and longevity.

Keeping up with the trends in home décor can turn out to be a pretty expensive affair and your personal choice is well, your personal choice. So, while I can’t really do anything about the first two things – budget and your personal style, I can surely share some tips and tricks for the third, i.e the longevity of your home décor.

So this year, instead of following the latest, opt for timeless, and believe you me, a classic home décor scores over fleeting fads any day.

Here are some home décor trends that I personally like and I think will keep your style fresh for years to come.

Less is always more

Going minimalistic is the mantra that you should be following. Fitting in more stuff than required will make the place look cramped. The less you have crowding your shelves and tables, the better your home will look. The same goes for the layout of each room. Chose and keep those furniture items that are measured according to the space in a room.

Add a little pop

You can brighten up your room or living room just by adding some bright coloured cushions or with some interesting décor items like a candle holder or a bright multi-coloured vase. Pic: Macy's.com

The trend in colours keeps changing every year. From lemon green to fiery orange, decorators will suggest you different colours according to different seasons, but as much as you would like to stick to the ‘in fad’ colours, don’t make the mistake of bringing home a blood red couch or painting the living room lemon green. To add that extra pop to your room, what you can do is choose accessories such as throw pillows, vases and even art in bold accent shades. These are easy to swap out every season or the next year.

Chose utility over style

As posh as that couch with egg-shaped seats looks in the magazine, don't buy something on which you can't comfortably sit. The same goes for other furniture and utility items in your home. Buy stuff that could actually be used, instead of investing in something that you are going to just place in a corner to be looked and admired at by your guests.

Comfort comes first

Choose comfort over style every time. Pic: sheknows.co.uk 

A visit to a home décor or furniture shop might make you want to buy ‘oh that jazzy little sofa that can be folded into an armchair’, but remember - just as the functionality of a product is important, comfort too plays an equally important role - especially when you are buying furniture. It's not worth if you have to replace your couch because you just can never relax on it. Buy something that looks good but at the same time feels good too.

Say no to clutter

According to Vaastu and Feng Shui (whatever you follow), a neat and organized house is a happy house. Having smart storage solutions never goes out of style and will ensure your home is always in order. From bookshelves to hidden closets and drawers to compartmentalized kitchen, you can easily make storage a part of your design aesthetic.

Colour them in warm tones



Whatever be your style or décor, warm, neutral colours will always look chic, royal and in trend. Pic: cdn.decoist.com and househunting.com 

Shades like caramel, plum and earth are all timeless because they warm up your space. Colour your walls in these warm tones and you can be rest assured that your home will always look chic and cozy. Some people are also preferring pastel shades instead of warm tones to bring a more vibrant and lively touch to their room – but it ultimately depends on your personality and the kind of personality that you would want to give your home. Warm shades will make your home classy and chic, pastel shades will make it look vibrant and lively. So, pick whatever you like most.

While all the above mentioned ideas are simple tips and tricks to increase the longevity of your home décor, you must also keep in mind that not every single thing in your home must fall in the ‘timeless’ category. Trying to do so might make your home look boring rather than inviting. The trick here is to try and balance both. Follow the above mentioned tips and mix them with the latest trends to keep your décor fresh and fun. For example – you can paint your bedroom walls in a warm colour like ochre, and then give it a little pop by putting in the latest fabric print curtains or on your bed sheets and pillows. This way, as the trends come and go, you can easily update these items without requiring a complete makeover.

If you have some interesting DIY home décor tips and tricks, do share them with me and I am still in the thinking mode for doing up my living room J