Personalise Your Home: How to Use Furniture and Decor to Create a Unique Style

a bedroom with brown velvet ottoman and neutral decor

When you walk through your front door, you should feel an immediate sense of comfort and harmony. This feeling comes from living in a space that doesn’t just shelter you but also reflects who you are and what you value.

When you personalize your home, it transforms a mere living space into a personal sanctuary, imbued with your unique interior design style and essence.

How to Personalise Your Home

Personalizing your home goes beyond mere aesthetics. It’s about creating an environment that fosters happiness, relaxation, and inspiration. It’s about designing a space that tells your story, where every piece of furniture and decor holds a purpose or a memory.

Personalizing your home ensures that your home doesn’t just look like another page from a catalog but instead reflects your tastes, passions, and experiences.

There are many ways to decorate your home to better suit your personal style. However, for most of us, choosing the right furniture and decor is the most cost-efficient way to transform a living space and make it our own. By being deliberate in your selections, you can create a space that is welcoming and uniquely yours.

Here are six tips to help you add personality and design your home with furniture, art, and decor.

Mix and Match Interior Design Styles

green cabinets with a biofuel fireplace. There are bricks around the fire, a mid century chair and lots of plants — Rustic, mid-century, and biophilic designs all sit together perfectly

If you are anything like me, you’ll probably struggle to pick one interior design style and stick with it. The past couple of decades have seen certain interior design aesthetics rise to the top in terms of popularity.

Notably, Japanese, North American, and Scandinavian-inspired minimalism have surged in marketability, with every other new home seemingly employing a minimalistic aesthetic.

The demand for minimalist furniture is on the rise, and you’ll find a minimalist dining table for sale in almost every major store and online marketplace in the UK, US, Philippines, and beyond.

While these styles can look great, mixing and matching different interior design styles can be challenging and more often than not, do not reflect the homeowner’s personality. The key to blending styles effectively are:

Balance
Common elements
Colour scheme
Focus on scale and proportion
Use transitional pieces
create focal points
Layer textures and patterns
Don’t overdo it!

The easiest way to personalize your home and avoid a generic look is to consciously mix and match furniture and decor styles when you decorate your home. The trick to successfully blending different styles is maintaining balance.

This doesn’t necessarily mean a 50/50 split. Instead, you can choose one style as your base and sprinkle in elements of the other styles. This can be an 80/20 or even a 70/30 split.

a sage green living room with tv above the fireplace — You can mix styles like this bathroom with its modern look and eclectic color scheme when you decorate your home

Experimenting with related but sufficiently dissimilar styles can help you create spaces that look put together but not completely derivative.

You can usually combine a bohemian dining table and midcentury-style chairs in a way that doesn’t look off-putting. Without any strict style constraint, you’re free to create interesting and deeply personal juxtapositions within your home.

Look for common elements between the styles you want to blend. This can be color, shape, materials, patterns, or any other design element. Using these commonalities will help create a harmonious blend.

Pay attention to the scale and proportion of your furniture and decor items. You want to create balance and harmony in your space, so avoid combining a lot of large, bulky pieces with small, delicate ones.

Transitional pieces, which are items that can fit into multiple styles, can serve as bridges between your chosen styles. A minimalist or neutral wood table, such as the many furniture concepts by Rove can work in both a Scandinavian and a modern industrial design scheme.

Display Your Personal Collections

a bookshelf in the living room with a boucle chair and a woman looking for a book — Display all your favorite books on a shelf. Image: Soho Home

Collections are the best way to personalize your home. Whether you collect antique books, vintage cameras, or quirky knick-knacks, themed collections can tell visitors a good deal about you whilst also adding character and charm to your space.

Choose a few key pieces that represent your style instead of a haphazard collection that will look more cluttered than interesting.

Using proper shelves and display cabinets and grouping items by color or theme can help keep your collection from being overwhelming, allowing them to show off your interests and personality better.

Remember, the most important thing is that your space feels like you. Don’t be afraid to personalize and tweak the rules to fit your own tastes and needs. It’s your space, so make sure it reflects who you are and what you love when you design your home.

Use Colour to Your Advantage

a green and pink living room with a green wall, large fireplace, pink and green velvet sofas and lots of plants — A green and pink living room

Color can evoke emotions, set moods, and tell others something about your personality. However, if you use it haphazardly, it can make your home feel cluttered and uninviting.

As a rule of thumb, you want your walls, furniture pieces, and decor to be within a general color palette, only deviating from it occasionally for items that you want proudly displayed. The best way to set a color theme is to paint your walls with one or two colors that evoke the look or mood you want to create.

Some examples are:

Blue: Shades of blue are often used to create a calm, serene environment. They’re typically used in bedrooms and bathrooms where a peaceful atmosphere is desired.
Green: Symbolizing nature and renewal, green is another color that can have a calming effect. It’s versatile and can be used in just about any room. It’s also been associated with concentration, making it a good choice for home offices.
Red: Known to stimulate the appetite, red is a popular choice for dining rooms and kitchens. However, it’s vibrant and energizing, so it’s usually best used as an accent color rather than the primary color scheme.
Yellow: This color is cheerful and uplifting and can brighten any room. It’s ideal for kitchens, dining rooms, and bathrooms, where a lively, energizing feel is appreciated. Be cautious, as too much bright yellow can feel overwhelming and agitate some people.
Gray: A neutral grey provides a cool, balanced mood. It’s a versatile color that can be used in any room and pairs well with most other colors.
White: White creates a sense of cleanliness and purity, making it ideal for bathrooms. It’s also often used in minimalist design styles because it gives a crisp, clean feel to a space.
Black: Although it’s uncommon to use black as the dominant color in a room, it can add depth and sophistication when used correctly. It’s often used in modern designs and pairs well with bright, bold colors.
Pink: Light shades of pink can create a calm, comforting atmosphere and are often used in bedrooms. Hot pink can bring a playful, energetic vibe to a space.

If you can’t repaint your walls, you can still usually bring forth the color palettes you desire through your furniture. To round things out, you can also use accent dividers, throw pillows, curtains, and artwork that fits the color palette you’re visualizing.

Add Pieces with Interesting Textures

a living room with mustard sofa, rattan chair and coral wallpaper — Lots of different textures in this room help add depth and personalize your home. Image: Dunelm

You need more than just color to make a room interesting when you decorate your home. You also need to make sure that there are elements that add the right kinds of texture when you decorate your home. Textures in living spaces can help balance your space and bring together different interior design styles.

Here are several ways you can incorporate texture:

Rugs and Carpets: These can be a great source of texture. Consider a plush rug in a seating area or a natural fiber rug like jute or sisal. Even a rug with a high pile or interesting woven pattern can add a layer of texture, try out carpets in Dubai.
Cushions and Throws: A mix of fabrics on your sofa and chairs can add instant warmth and depth. Consider velvet, faux fur, linen, or wool in a variety of patterns and colors. You can also use quilted or knitted throw blankets.
Curtains and Window Treatments: Textured curtains can add an extra layer of richness to your room. Consider materials like velvet, silk, or heavily woven fabrics.
Wallpaper: Textured wallpaper can add a sense of depth to a room. There are many options available, from grasscloth to embossed designs.

Loaded bookshelves, furniture with rattan weaves, woven baskets, and items made with bare or reclaimed wood can also create interesting textures, but be careful not to overdo it.

Try to balance softer, smoother textures with more rough and tactile ones, and balance more intricate patterns with simpler designs.

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Incorporate Greenery

a wooden bookcase in the living room with a grey occasional chair next to it. There are lots of plants and a wooden floor — You can’t beat adding plants to a home to add personality. Image: Cuckooland

Jumping off the previous point, plants add plenty of life, vibrancy, and texture—to an otherwise flat and lifeless space. Incorporating plants in your design could reflect your love for nature and the outdoors. This can show that you value the natural world and are conscious about bringing that tranquillity into your living space.

The type of plants you choose can say a lot about your lifestyle. If you have a busy schedule, you might opt for low-maintenance plants such as succulents or snake plants. This can show that you’re practical and considerate about your commitments.

On the other hand, if you choose more demanding plants, like orchids or ferns, it can show that you are dedicated, patient, and nurturing.

If you use unique ways to display plants, such as vertical gardens, hanging planters, or unusual containers, it can show your creative side and your willingness to think outside the box. A brilliant way to personalize your home!

If you can take care of them, including plants throughout your home can create a laid-back and inviting atmosphere. If you have limited space, consider terrariums, planted aquariums, green walls, and hanging plants to provide your living area with the greenery it needs.

Use Lighting to Influence Mood

a dark navy kitchen with chandeliers above the island — Lighting can completely change the ambiance of a room

The lighting you choose can significantly impact the mood of a room. A warm yellow light will tend to provide a relaxing atmosphere that’s perfect for a dining area or bedroom while an invigorating white task light may be more appropriate for a home office or kitchen.

Likewise, the lighting fixtures you choose can be focal points themselves, adding a bit of your own personality to your home.

Here are some ways you can manipulate lighting to influence the mood in your interior design:

Natural Light: Nothing beats the quality of natural light for its mood-boosting properties. Large windows, skylights, or doors can fill a space with uplifting, natural brightness. For privacy and light control, consider light-filtering shades or curtains.
Layered Lighting: A well-designed room has layers of light. Ambient lighting provides overall illumination, task lighting directs light to certain work zones, and accent lighting highlights specific objects or architectural features. By layering light, you can control the brightness of your space and change the mood as needed.
Dimmers: Installing dimmer switches is an easy way to quickly adjust the mood of a room. They allow for the versatility of having bright light when you need it and softer light when you want to create a more relaxed or romantic atmosphere.
Warm vs Cool Light: The color temperature of your lightbulbs can greatly affect the mood of a room. Warm light (lower Kelvin number, around 2700K) creates a cozy, welcoming atmosphere, while cool light (higher Kelvin number, around 4000K or higher) is energizing and can enhance concentration, making it a good choice for workspaces.
Decorative Lighting: Decorative lighting fixtures can be a great way to express your style and set the mood. Chandeliers can add a touch of elegance, pendant lights can create a modern look, vintage lamps can contribute to a rustic atmosphere, and colored LED lights can create a playful or dramatic mood.
Highlighting Art or Architecture: Using light to highlight art pieces or architectural features can create drama and intrigue, drawing attention to the design details you want to showcase.
Candles and Fireplaces: For a cozy and intimate setting, candles and fireplaces provide a warm, flickering light. They can also create a romantic or relaxing mood, especially in the evening.
Outdoor Lighting: Don’t forget about your outdoor spaces. Landscape lighting, patio lights, and lanterns can create a magical atmosphere and extend the usability of these spaces into the evening hours.

a neutral living room with large snug sofas and artwork

Personalising your home and creating a unique style is a journey of exploration and expression. It’s not just about following trends or replicating designs from a catalog; it’s about creating a space that truly reflects who you are and what you love.

By thoughtfully selecting furniture and decor, considering colors, textures, and lighting, and incorporating elements that speak to your personality, like plants or unique art pieces, you can transform your home into a personal haven.

Remember that balance is key when mixing different interior design styles, textures, and colors. Also, don’t be afraid to break the rules sometimes. Interior design is a form of art, and it’s the individual quirks and deviations that often personalize your home.

Whether you’re aiming for a minimalist, maximalist, vintage, modern, or blended style, what matters most is that your home brings you comfort and joy. After all, your home should be your sanctuary – a place where you can be truly yourself.

So be bold, be creative, and most importantly, have fun in the process of personalizing your home.

Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you, I will receive a very small commission if you click through and make a purchase. These links help to pay the editorial costs of writing a blog. For more information, please read my full affiliate disclosure here.

I also use Artificial Intelligence Image generators to create some of my images. These are to show you examples of my ideas and inspiration when I cannot produce the real images myself.

Personalise Your Home: How to Use Furniture and Decor to Create a Unique Style