MR Direct Sinks and Faucets

Designing a room is tough. Designing an entire home is tougher. And getting all the elements to work together for a cohesive look is one of the hardest things of all. It often takes years of decorating to finally feel like your home has a distinct personality.

But it doesn’t have to take so long. And you don’t have to be an experienced designer to create a cohesive home design. Designing a cohesive home is about understanding how your decor can bring out your personality.

We’ll tell you how to frame and decorate your cohesive design below.

Your home, no matter how well decorated, cannot be cohesive if it doesn’t fit your personal style. So, before you start decorating, toss out all the pictures you’ve saved from décor websites and magazines, and forget all the “must-have looks.”

Think about what you like and what makes you feel at home. Here are some ways to guide your process:

• Close your eyes, and imagine walking into the home of your dreams. What do the rooms look like? Bright and open? Rustic and cozy? Modern and chic? Start there.
• Remember past homes you’ve lived in. What did you like about those spaces? What didn’t you like? This will help you understand your design personality.
• What are some of your needs/wants? Are you wanting a large kitchen table for family dinners or plenty of closet space?

Now that you have an idea of the personality/feel you want your home to show, walk around your house and ask yourself a serious question about your décor: Do you love it?

You might find that a number of decorations and pieces of furniture no longer connect with you or the style you are wanting to portray. If this is the case, consider getting rid of these things. Having a blend of both personal items and décor pieces that show your style is important. Your home should be the perfect blend of functional yet stylish.

When you find all the things you love in your home, you’ll be at the decorating starting line. These are the things that either connect to your personality or show off your design style. Now, it’s time to turn these items into a cohesive design for your home.

With a feeling in mind and some décor you love, make a design plan for one room. Just one! This might be your bedroom, living room, or kitchen. Once you’ve created a look you love in this room, “echo” the design in adjacent rooms.

Remember that an echo is not an exact copy. It’s slightly removed from the original. You don’t want every room to look the same. You just want every room to share the same concept!

For example, your living room might be a cozy den with wooden furniture and a fireplace. The adjacent room might be a well-lit bathroom with white tile, green plants, and a bamboo sink. If you intended to bring tranquility and nature into your home, then the bathroom décor would be a cohesive echo of the living room’s rustic, natural design.

Change is constant. Seasons change, your personality changes, and your décor will change too. When you decorate, it’s important to plan for change-proof cohesion. You can do this by layering your décor.

Certain “base layers” will remain in place year-round (large furniture, appliances, paint), and “secondary layers” can be removed and replaced (artwork, foliage, decorations).

The base layers should be the core of your home’s personality, and the secondary layers should embody how you feel at different times of the year. This will make it easy to change up your décor without interrupting your home’s cohesive look.

Creating a cohesive home design isn’t about uncovering some mysterious secret your home is hiding. It’s about taking a look at yourself and creating a space that amplifies your personality. With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to creating a cohesive home you love.