Thanks to places like IKEA, we can take much of the thought out of having a clean and well-organised space. They offer us ready-made, perfectly curated rooms at a reasonable price – not to mention that most of their items will last for years. 

But once you have kitted out your room almost identically to the picture in the catalogue (and not just the Ikea catalogue), you can start to feel like your space isn’t personalised enough. 

What’s great is that there are so many designers, small boutique stores, and more that can help turn your interior into something that feels truly personal. Not everyone has natural taste and style – so it can make it trickier for those that don’t to pull something together that they love. 

It is essential that you don’t try to rush things like interior design, especially if it is not your strong point. Slowly add pieces that you love, and you’ll see that maybe you do have a sense of style and taste. 

Try to avoid adding anything you aren’t 100% sure about. If you don’t love it, and you can do without it for a short while, try to hold out until that happens.

Let’s take a look at things that you can add to give your interior a hefty dose of your personality! 

Furniture 

It is the most important stuff in the room, but it doesn’t always have to be what people notice first. However, having furniture that matches in colour and style of texture can bring the room together with no effort at all.

If you are taking it slow and adding piece by piece, use some features or colours from your first piece to guide the rest of what you buy.

For example, if you opt to get a green velvet sofa with gold casters, gold can be the leading feature for the next piece. You might opt for something in the same style but a different texture – there are a lot of things you can do to tie in your larger items.

Fabrics 

The fabrics that you choose will have a significant impact on the overall ambience of the room, with softer textures like wool, chenille, and velvet and an opulent and luxurious feel. While leathers, soft or firm, and industrial metals will give a sleek and up-market look.

Consider the fabrics carefully because they will have a considerable impact on how the whole room feels.

It’s not just the rooms as singles, though; you can choose a theme for the whole house to create a cohesive look. Or you can opt for each room to be utterly unique to the next. Often studios and apartments feel bigger and more well thought out if the theme flows from one space to the next.

Prints and artwork

Artwork and prints immediately add some interest to the walls – but many people struggle to work out what they want to put on the walls. Painting, photos, and all types of artwork are very personal.

Gallery walls can be the answer to the prayers of those who don’t know where to start, or you can take a more measured approach.

Choosing the suitable artwork or the right place to hand it will make a significant difference in how people appreciate the art.

Here are some artwork hanging tips:

• Start by measuring the space you want to place the artwork in
• The ideal width of the artwork will be the wall width x 0.57
• For the height, the artwork should ideally cover between ⅔ or ¾ of the area
• The perfect middle point of the artwork is 1.45 from the floor – or at eye height
• For low ceilings, anything under 8 feet, envision the wall in four parts and hang the artwork in the third section
• For the perfect diagonal look on a staircase, add a piece every third step
• If you already have a lot on the walls, consider if you’d be better off placing shelves and smaller prints and artwork

Gallery creation tips:

Get some tape and a measuring tape.

• Choose your main pieces – typically more prominent than the others
• Select the placement for that first – tape the outline
• Leave a space of about 5 centimetres between each item – tape the shapes for them all
• Stand back, take a look and make adjustments
• Add your main piece to the wall, and then the following, working outward from the main piece

Play with the shapes and styles, you can add four of a kind in the gallery, or you can start with your main interest piece in the corner and work outwards.

Don’t be afraid to add other things to the gallery wall. Some people add small floating shelves with ornaments, polaroids, and more.

Shelving 

Adding shelving can create a lot more wall space which is excellent – but they can also be a feature by themselves. Use unvarnished wood, perspex, glass, metal and more. Add further interest by using industrial bracket shelving; use the underneath of the shelving as well as the top. Hanging plants are a popular choice for adding dimension and texture to shelving.

A few of your favourite books, more miniature artworks, plants and more can make your shelving a great addition to your interior.

Rug 

Rugs are incredible for breaking up the floor a little, and one of the biggest trends is to stack a couple up in layers. You’ll need to watch for the corners and perhaps use some adhesive to avoid a curling rug corner, though.

The great thing about layering rugs is that you have a variety of prints, styles, and thicknesses, and it always looks attractive.

A bonus for this is that you can move them around when you need to.

Lighting 

You no longer have to choose from bright daylight bulbs or warm cosy orange tones bulbs. Getting a bulb that has a range of settings in terms of warmth and brightness is the easiest way to make sure you get the most from your lighting.

Warm bulbs are ideal for creating a relaxing and cosy atmosphere in the evenings, and over the winter months when the days are dark, using the lighter daylight setting will keep your home bright too.

No need to compromise one way or the other here with smart bulbs.

It is always a good idea to add a couple of floor lamps or table lamps if there are several places in the room that are often dark. Or if you’d like to bring attention to some specific details in the home. For example, if you have a curated side table, a lamp that is over the top of it can draw attention to the items you have there.

Contrast 

Playing with contrast can be a lot of fun. There are several different ways to bring contrast into your interior. You could have a very modern room, with industrial features and details, leather or another modern fabric on the seating, and a lot of glass. In contrast, adorn the walls with artwork from a different time.

You can also add a contract by having monochrome everything – then a bright pop of colour on the walls.

Play around with abstract, modern, classics, and more until you find something that works for you.

Florals and plants 

You might decide on faux plants depending on your budget and how much care and time you have. Either way, adding greenery to any room will elevate the look.

Opting for larger indoor plants can fill corners, add some life to a space, or complement a minimalist or natural interior design.

It’s not just the plants that you add; you can find a vast array of exciting vases and plant pots to add to. Classic styles and modern takes on plant pots mean that no matter what your taste is, you can find anything from skull pots and pots with breasts to giant pots that go on the floor.

Wallpaper 

If you have small spaces in your home, like cupboards, hallways or walk-ins, spend some time thinking about how you can elevate their look. Small areas can benefit from having bright colours and patterns added.

What’s more, fun is that while you might have a favourite designer and can’t stretch the budget to be able to do a whole room – you might be able to get a single roll and do a small space in your home.

You can also turn wallpaper into artwork, backsplashes, drawer liners, or put it in the back of a cabinet.

Cosy 

No matter which room you are focusing on, you ideally want it to be warm and welcoming to you. Blankets, cushions, beanbags and even cushions for sitting on the floor will all add softness to your room.

This could be one of the final touches that you use to bring the room together too. Try to get a range of soft textures and colours when adding in your cosy touches. Often an eclectic mix of textiles is precisely what you need to add to your personality.

If there are a couple of rooms that just feel blah, and you need some extra motivation and tips to get it looking stunning, here is the post for you: ​​HOW TO ADD NEW LIFE TO A BORING LIVING ROOM – Pouting In Heels.