Jen Stanbrook
I’m a strong believer that it’s the little things in your house that make it a home.
These are the pieces that give your home warmth, personality and a welcoming atmosphere that otherwise would be missing.
This is how we make our house feel lived in. These small items create the memories, the experiences and the stories of our lives as we share them together in our home. They are special, and we shouldn’t underestimate their importance. They are essential to your interior design yet often forgotten. So, with that in mind, let me share some of the small touches in my living room that help it feel homely and warm.
Vases and Candles
I tend to decorate with accessories like vases and candles. These are the pieces that add colour and contrast against my dark living room walls and I’ve recently discovered the wonder of faux plants and silk flowers. These beauties also add extra height along the mantlepiece.
Top Tip:
Don’t be afraid to mix up the colours of your accessories and show off your personality. If you prefer a more monochrome palette the rule still applies: layer your blacks, whites and greys for a richer look.
Soft Furnishings
Soft furnishings are incredibly important in our living room. They soften the sofas, add comfort and colour as well as a variety of patterns. Whilst the family may complain about the abundance of cushions, I soon find they become attached to a ‘favourite’ and complain when they’re switched around. It’s these little things that make a difference to our home.
Top Tip:
Use cushions of different sizes and shapes to create a layered showcase on the sofas. If mixing patterns, stick to one colour throughout as an ‘anchor’ and have a variety of larger and smaller patterns in the collection.
Lighting
Lighting gives a room atmosphere – particularly in a living room – and especially if you have darker walls. I’ve opted for some wall mounted lights here as floor space is tight and the overhead glow is great for reading. The adjustable element allows us to position them where they’re needed most making the room work in the best way for how we live.
Top Tip:
Layer your lighting with wall mounted, floor and table lamps allowing you to create an atmosphere you love and a space that’s functional and practical too.
Adding Metallic Accessories
Most décor schemes benefit from a shine of metallics nowadays and mine is no different. It’s the little things like this that help pull the décor together and add a bit of light relief against the dark colour palette. I also love the richness of the metallic sheen in this space and the warmth of the golden finish.
Top Tip:
It’s fine to mix up your metallics but if you don’t feel confident doing this stick to a more contemporary metallic and opt for a brass finish. Its brushed look is a modern way to bring a shimmer into your living room.
Decorating with Plants
Plants have become an essential element of my home in the last couple of years. After shunning all plant life for a decade or more, I’m finally embracing all things green and filling my living room with an abundance of cheese plants, pileas, rubber plants and more.
Top Tip:
If you’re not great with keeping plants alive, opt for a few faux specimens. The quality these days is excellent and it’s often difficult to tell if it’s real or not. Even better, go for a blend of real and faux for peace of mind.
Decorative Flooring
I mentioned pattern in cushions earlier, but I also want to show how pattern on the floor can be layered and combined. This feature really shows how we like to do things a little differently. It shows that we love bending the rules and making our home our own. These layered rugs and footstool form part of the texture in this room that make it unique and fun. As you can see, it really is the little things that make our house a home.
Top Tip:
Make your home an extension of you and your family. Add the little touches that mean something to you all and don’t be afraid of getting it wrong. After all, it’s only wrong if you don’t like it or enjoy it.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this tour around the extra little things in my living room. Do let us know how you make your house a home and what decor touches are important to you.
