Take into consideration the final time you walked into a house and felt one thing. Perhaps it was curiosity, a way of calm, or a shift in power you couldn’t fairly place or describe. A house’s character isn’t restricted to distinctive accents, charming home windows, or authentic hardwood flooring. It’s the end result of particular person expression inside its partitions. It’s the best way we add life to an in any other case empty shell. It’s what makes our properties private. 

Restricted budgets, Instagram envy, and overwhelm can all contribute to the sensation that having “character” in your house is out of attain. I’m not proof against wishing I had another person’s ground plan, funds, or broad sense of fashion. It occurs to all of us. So why not search for methods we are able to embrace what’s ours and let the character come from inside? It may be simpler stated than accomplished, however this submit is supposed to present you a head begin.

These are seven of my favourite methods so as to add character to your private home…

1. Contemplate the distinctive qualities of your area.

Having an understanding of the small print of your private home you received’t change is a good place to start out. A big facet of constructing “character” in a house is determining methods to create a novel mixture of components that characterize your private fashion. The best place to start out is to brighten your private home with items that distinction the fashion of the structure. 

In case your area is tremendous conventional, the distinction of midcentury trendy items may very well be a good way to infuse extra character. Geometric-printed pillows on a standard sofa would make for a superbly distinctive assertion.

In case your area is industrial, a crystal chandelier may shine in a completely totally different means.

In case your area is trendy, a daring de Gournay-inspired print on an vintage chair would create a surprising point of interest. Take the (very) trendy condo the place Joe and I first lived collectively, pictured beneath, for instance. Amid all of its sharp traces and white partitions, I did what I may to infuse character. I added vintage items, just like the trunk pictured beneath, and substantial furnishings that contrasted towards the in any other case ethereal really feel of the area, just like the adjoining outsized leather-based chair.

2. Embrace items with “imperfections.”

There may be nothing I really like greater than somewhat little bit of effortless-looking put on and tear on a chunk of decor or furnishings. From the worn spines of books to the nicked edges of a espresso desk, imperfections = LIFE, and life breathes power into a house. A bit like a classic rug with holes shouldn’t be instantly appeared over when purchasing. With a patch or restore, it may possibly contribute its personal distinctive high quality to the general story of your private home. 

This can be a significantly useful factor to remember when purchasing thrift shops, vintage outlets, and FB market. These imperfections could also be simply what your private home wants, which brings me to my subsequent level.

A house’s character isn’t restricted to distinctive accents, charming home windows, or authentic hardwood flooring. It’s the end result of particular person expression inside its partitions. . . . It’s what makes our properties private. 

3. Store secondhand!

Nothing makes a house really feel extra distinctive than one-of-a-kind items. I really like purchasing at locations like Goal as properly, however I discover myself extra connected to the items I’ve discovered amid the issues nobody needed, figuring out that sourcing the identical merchandise elsewhere is unlikely.

The hunt can really feel overwhelming at occasions, and in case your first few journeys to the vintage store usually are not fruitful, chances are you’ll wish to hand over earlier than realizing the magic of discovering that excellent merchandise hidden behind a bunch of junk. However I guarantee you, in the event you keep the course, the search will nearly at all times be properly price it.

For my purchasing ideas, learn this text: “7 Thift and Vintage Buying Tricks to Assist You Discover Objects You Love.”

4. Show your collections.

A lot of my decor is centered round issues I like to gather—vases, brass collectible figurines, colourful candles, and lace tablecloths, to call a number of. Small decor components look nice in odd numbers (three, 5, seven) and may add visible curiosity to bookshelves, espresso tables, and aspect tables, particularly when styled in various heights and sizes. Absolutely anything can turn out to be a set!

5. Make area for hobbies.

Along with displaying off your collections, dedicating area to the fruits of your favourite hobbies can add some life to your private home. Love puzzles? Add somewhat cafe desk in entrance of a window, drape it with a tablecloth, and stack a few of your favourite puzzle containers on prime. (Anthropologie at all times has a stunning collection of puzzles!) All of a sudden you’ve added a brand new seating space, a bit of cloth for texture, and a reasonably little vignette that additionally works as a refuge after an extended day’s work.

6. Add coloration and sample.

Whether or not it’s by recent flowers, contrasting throw pillows (these pillows are so fairly), patterned blankets, or prints in your wall, each area advantages from the life that coloration brings. That doesn’t imply portray an in any other case “boring” room with a heat coral coloration is correct for everybody, however generally we overlook that even in essentially the most minimal of areas, we are able to discover a objective for one thing dynamic. It may very well be a big rug in royal blue or a small-scale patterned print on curtains.

Some properties scream coloration, whereas others use it in ways in which make you really feel it earlier than you discover it.

For extra on the facility of colourful dwelling decor, learn this text: “5 Colourful Properties and Precisely What I Love About Every One.”

7. Gown your home windows with texture.

One in all my favourite methods to make blah home windows look “full” is so as to add blinds AND curtains in differing textures. Woven wooden shades (these are my favourite) with striped linen curtains? So so pretty and layered, with zero development required. Valances have a nasty rep for feeling stuffy, however if you’re adorning a bed room that lacks architectural curiosity or just wants some “oomph,” this may be a good way to make it really feel polished.

Inform me, what’s your favourite means so as to add character to your private home?

Editor’s Be aware: This text accommodates affiliate hyperlinks. Wit & Delight makes use of affiliate hyperlinks as a income to fund the operations of the enterprise and to be much less depending on branded content material. Wit & Delight stands behind all product suggestions. Nonetheless have questions on these hyperlinks or our course of? Be happy to e mail us.

Kate is at the moment studying to play the Ukulele, a lot to the despair of her husband, youngsters, and canines. Comply with her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.