The Finer Features: 6 Ways to Make Any House Look Elegant
I think it would be fair to say that we all wish our homes were a little more elegant, regardless of what style your home identifies as. An elegant home feels put together, with every piece of furniture and decor perfectly hand-selected and curated within the space. If your home is looking a bit lacklustre and has received little attention and styling over the years, today we are going to discuss 6 ways to make any house look elegant.
1. Explore new materials and textures
There are certain materials and textures that you associate with elegance, and then there are some you want to avoid. Try and incorporate marble, mahogany, fur and metals where possible, even if it’s just a marble coffee table at the centre of your living room. Be careful not to mix too many materials and textures as you want a clean look and feel, so work with samples before you commit to bringing them into your home.
2. Incorporate artwork
Artwork can do a fantastic job of commanding space and setting the tone of a room. There is also so much variability in what artwork you can introduce to your home, much of which will bring elegance to your decor. If you are not sure where to start when it comes to art for your home, look at the architectural structure and style of your home and let that inspiration and style code guide your selection.
3. Experiment with balance
Luxury retailers, museums and five-star hotels all have one thing in common – the balance they achieve in that space. Having an elegant home is not about squeezing as many beautiful things you can find into one room, but to curate a space that only has essential items that contribute to the look and feel of the home. If you’re still not sure what we mean, pick up a copy of Vogue and study the rooms in the photographs and see how the stylist has depicted the room with their choice of balance. Less is more and be intentional with what you bring into your home.
4. Let the light set the scene
Light has such a huge influence over our mood and the way we perceive a space. Ambient lighting can elicit quite an elegant glow, although so can softer white light. Have some fun manipulating the lighting in your home with the light sources available to you, and also try and incorporate natural lighting where possible as this is truly your finest lighting option and you can dictate how much you introduce.
5. Stick to a theme
Another way to make your home look more elegant is to tie your home design and styling to a specific theme. This could be a classic theme, a French-inspired theme, or anything that is synonymous with elegance and easily identifiable as a cohesive theme. The theme you choose will likely inform your colour palette too, so decide on a theme before furnishing the rest of your home.
6. Keep it sparkling
When was the last time you polished your fittings in your home and made sure everything was sparkling? So many homeowners go to the trouble of bringing in these stunning silver, copper or gold hardware – only to leave them lifeless and unloved. You might also want to replace your door handles, window hardware and those other items that you don’t really think about but can really transform a space. You also want to have sparkling floors, surfaces and mirrors to really exude that opulent look.
You are on your way to making your home look more elegant, but make sure you think about how these 6 tips here will work in with one another. Consider what inspiration you can take and how you can put your own personal flair on this elegant home you are creating.
