In today’s world of interior design, social media acts as a major source of inspiration. Whether losing yourself for hours on Pinterest or checking up on the latest posts from your favourite Instagrammers, social media is a great tool for anyone wanting ideas to redecorate or to share their passion for interiors. With this in mind, we have invited some of our favourite interior bloggers to share with us exclusively their style tips and top tricks for home décor. Read on to meet the experts!
I’m Claire from @myfirsthomebyclaire. I bought a new build in August 2016 and I have loved sharing my journey of making the house a home. I love neutral and warm colours so most of my house is tones of beige and grey with added accent colours here and there.
I have recently started painting each room and it’s surprising what a difference it makes. I used to always play it safe when picking paint colours and it never used to make much of a difference. I have now started going for slightly darker colours that may look too dark as a tester swatch but I have found once the room is finished it really makes an impact and doesn’t make the rooms look small like I imagined it would. Don’t be afraid to play around with colours and get lots of testers to see what works. I have also spent a small fortune on masking tape but it’s so worth it to get those neat lines, especially if you are going for darker colours.
"Don't be afraid to play around with colours"
My usual style is very much rustic, shabby chic and classic but I often find I don’t tend to stick to one particular theme or style. I just buy things I love and go from there. Last year I wanted to give my guest bedroom a makeover and knew I wanted a really high headboard and a crystal chandelier. I find that once you have chosen your statement pieces for the room that the rest is easy. From there I added some velvet cushions and throws and a fur rug. I absolutely love this space, even though it’s completely different to my normal style. It’s a good idea to make mood boards to see everything together before you start so you can plan the look you are going for. Pinterest can be a great for creating these.
My favourite key pieces in my house are my beloved tall grey headboard as it makes such a statement. Secondly is my dining table, with its chunky oak legs but sleek wooden chairs so they take up less room, and it ties the room together nicely by matching my worktops. Third is my ottoman bench in the bay window in my bedroom, I just love how it adds a little luxury to the room. Last but not least is the gorgeous window arch mirror in my hall. With no real window in this room it gives the illusion of a window while also making the room look bigger.
If I had to give one piece of advice, it would be to stay true to yourself and what you love and it will all come together!
Love
Claire x
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Hi, I’m Kirstie, creator of the blog Alice Willow Home. I’m 23, from Manchester and it was when I bought my first home last year that I realised my love for interiors; particularly pastels, flowers and all things country. I live with my fiancé Anthony and rescue Springer Spaniel, Copper – who features regularly on my Instagram.
I never considered myself much of an interior ‘expert’ until I purchased my new build home back in July 2017. Yes I have always loved homeware, but a passion I didn’t know existed was able to bloom when I became a homeowner. Through my passion for self-care, interests in colour and style, I’ve been able to design my dream home, something that anyone can do if you’re brave enough to trust your style.
I’ve documented my journey from the very beginning on my Instagram account @kirstie_alice_home, something which started as an outlet for my own amusement. However, what was once a small collection of images soon blossomed into an account that I pour my passion for interiors into. I believe that in order to have a home that you and your loved ones can truly enjoy, you need to find your style and surround yourself with things that express your personality (and individuality!). I aim to create a cosy space I can relax in, so have always opted for softer pastel colours and, being a lover of nature and the outdoors, I display my personality with country cottage style furniture and accessories around my home. You have to create the perfect space unique to you.
My favourite spaces at home are my living room and bedroom, both of which I have styled to be relaxing. I love to use colour, so when purchasing or up-cycling homeware I tend to go for soft pastel colours, because that’s me.
I also love seasonal homeware and believe that changing the smaller furnishings in your home to match the seasons (much like decorating for Christmas but on a smaller scale) can create a home perfect for any Instagram enthusiast! You don’t have to spend a fortune either – simply buying seasonal fresh flowers can make a difference. I also like to change my pillows, throws and candles to match the seasons.
"Simply buying seasonal fresh flowers can make a difference"
Style is in the little details as much as the big. I have a love for small collections of objects, like ornaments or photographs, grouped together to create a ‘mood’. I have these small collections scattered around my home displaying all the items I love. You can create a collection anywhere in your home, personalised to you.
There is a difference between owning a house and creating a home, and that’s down to your unique style and passions. What objects do you love? What have you dreamt your home could look like? By putting your stamp and character into your house, an amazing thing happens – an area is created for you to relax and seek sanctuary in.
Thank you for reading!
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Grey Wooden Folding Tray Table
I’m Louise, based in the North East, and I’ve been known to chat a little too much about everything interiors. I’m the creator of the Instagram account @homeatthemews, my guilty pleasure and where I get to share my home and true passion with all of you like minded ‘interior obsessives’! Louise x
So I’ll confess…I’m Louise and I’m a hopeless show home addict. If there’s a show home to stalk I’m there! I’m not afraid to say that I love being seduced by the palest tone of carpet throughout, glamourous oversized lighting and luxury soft furnishings, all ‘matchy-matchy’. There’s something about it all that makes my heart beat fast!
I’ve always bought new build properties or houses that are relatively ‘new’. My current home (and probably my forever home, but who knows?!) is a new build with 1930’s styling. I fell in love with it from the first viewing because it had so much character. New builds can lack personality, but here’s just a few ideas on how to create that homely but perfect style:
I love a classic interior look. I always choose more traditional styled pieces for sofas, bed frames and larger bits of furniture. These are the items you budget more for that you don’t want to be replacing every year. Choosing a more traditional look means you have some beautiful, timeless pieces that will see you through the years and won’t date. Let your home-style develop and build around these favourite pieces.
Some of my ‘most asked about’ items are my statement bedroom mirror and bed frame. One or two simple, but show-stopping items, give each room a personality and the ‘wow’ factor that show homes always seem to create. I like to stick to neutrals for walls and flooring and this lets the main pieces take centre stage!
Keeping a traditional vibe doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in the latest trends (much to my husband’s disappointment!), I always choose a few ‘on trend’ accessories at the start of a new season and love to mix these with my classic home-style. I don’t follow every rule, that’s not what creating a home is about to me. If you love it and it makes you happy when you walk in the room? It’s right!
As a girl with a little experience in the interior world the one piece of advice I can give is take your time, don’t feel like you need to buy a whole room’s worth of furnishings in one day and most of all, enjoy creating a beautiful home that reflects you.
P.S If you see something truly gorgeous and you can’t get it out of your head…you should probably buy it x
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Nickel Touch Table Lamp and Shade
Bentley Designs Antique Bed Frame Collection
Let me start off by introducing myself. My name is Sarah and I am the founder of the home Instagram page @oliviagrace_home. I created this page to log our home renovation and extension journey, which I share all my home interior, bargain finds and DIY/décor tips.
I am currently all about anything Scandinavian/Nordic interior related. I swoon over anything white, wood, copper and gold and I’m also a large fan of exposed bricks. As much as I love the dark coloured walls and over accessorised look the Scandinavian interior can offer, I am trying to create a much more light, airy and simplistic approach in our family home.
Over the years of our home transformation I have been tackled with many obstacles and I would love to share with you some of my best decorating top tips on a budget, YES BUDGET, if you could hold a degree in budget DIY I am sure it is a subject I would be graded an A* in, which is a first let me tell you.
Top Tip 1: Probably one of the most important items of kit for me whilst decorating is a roll of black bin bags. I open a bag up and lay it flat on the floor and put my brushes and paint tub on top. This creates what I like to call a ‘magic carpet’ as I can then transport my equipment by sliding it across the floor. It also protects the floor from any paint.
Top Tip 2: I paint one wall at a time, so instead of washing all my brushes and paint tray after each use I seal all the items into individual black bin bags. This helps keep the paint moist and stops it from drying out. Please seal the items individually as you don’t want different paints mixing, and it creates less of a mess. I did recently start using sandwich bags for my paint brushes as I found this was less messy and more effective. So just stick the brush inside and tie a knot and when you return to decorating you simply open the bag, take the brush out and carry on from where you left off.
Top Tip 3: Skirting boards, what a chore refreshing the skirting boards can be. Well I am here with my multi-functional black bin bags yet again to make your life easier. Slide the opened bags under the skirting board to protect the floor, continue to do this all the way along the wall with as many bags as you require. If you use a scraper or knife you can push the bag right under to make sure the bags are securely wedged all the way along, this makes it so much easier when painting as you don’t have to worry about painting the bottom part of the skirting board or getting anything on the carpet.
Top Tip 4: One way to cut costs when accessorising is the simple method of re-spraying/painting accessories you already have. You can purchase different coloured spray paints, or alternatively you can get good quality paint tester posts, which depending on the material of the object you are painting could be equally as effective.
Top Tip 5: Look on your local selling sites. Don’t be afraid to look for second hand, décor is like fashion and it updates daily, you might save yourself a few quid by buying something pre-loved. This allows you to find something else to buy with the money you have saved, helping you get more for your money.
I hope you found some of these tips useful and are able to incorporate them next time when decorating.
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White Toaster With Wood Effect Trim
Hi! My name is Nina and I am 29 years young. I live in the wonderful city of Manchester, and have just recently taken the plunge to become an official home owner for the very first time. My home is a two-storey apartment which sits within a stunning listed building and was part of an incredible restoration project, check it out on my Instagram page @nina_moves_in. I am obsessed with interior design and home styling, and I am very excited to be able to share my passion and tips with you.
Styling your home can be such a challenge; where do you start? How do you know which colours work well together? Where do you find affordable accessories, and pieces of furniture that can pull it all together?
I believe there are three simple steps you need to follow in order to successfully create your very own styled haven!
Step 1: Find your favourite key colours
If you haven’t already selected a dreamy colour or two, head down to a paint and wallpaper store and collect some samples that you’re immediately drawn to. Create your own mood boards at home by teaming different textures and shades together. Have a play around with paint tester cards to see which colours match well together. My favourite thing to do is type my colour of choice into Pinterest and see what other combinations & ideas have been thought about before. My favourite colours are grey and blush pink, and a lot of my inspiration came from Pinterest; so I’d definitely recommend this tool.
"Create your own mood boards at home"
Step 2: Find that statement piece of furniture
Room dependent, of course, you should hunt down the most amazing, statement piece of furniture to be the central focus of that room. For example, if it’s your bedroom – find an amazing bed. We spend a third of our lives in our beds so make sure it’s the right decision. If it’s your lounge, find a gorgeous, cosy sofa that everyone wants to dive on. After all, it’s your main chill out space for lots of lounging and film marathons!
Look for something out of the ordinary, something that makes you go ‘wow!’. I found this bed for my master bedroom and loved the tall bedhead and studded detail that lined its sides. As the bed frame is grey, I chose a blush pink bedding to stick with my chosen colour palette – and my vision came together perfectly.
I then found a stunning chandelier to hang over the top of the bed and provide a hint of elegance to the room. These two purchases speak volumes for my bedroom, and allow the attention to be drawn to these key pieces in particular. The room gives a fresh, simplistic look that feels brand new each day.
Step 3: Finish off the look with pretty little things!
This step is really important, as it’s the best way to really express your personality through accessories and soft furnishings. I’ve used a lot of sheepskin rugs and Mongolian fur to create soft, cosy textures in my bedroom, dining room and lounge.
Keep it simple!! If you try to put too many items in one room, it becomes cluttered and the focus then becomes on the mountain of accessories you’ve bought, instead of the wall colours and statement furniture that you may have given more thought to.
I like a clean and simple finish to my home décor, but others may dream of wild prints and busy patterns.
There really is no right or wrong way to decorate your house – much like fashion, it’s all about personal preference. Have fun finding the styles and colours that suit you. Your home should be something you’re super proud of, so take the time to dress it well!
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