Most people think they must purchase expensive furniture and accessories to have a stylish home. While this may be true for some, it is unnecessary. There are many ways to personalize your decor and make your home look stylish without spending much money. You may even be able to use items you already have around the house.
Personalizing your decor also makes your home feel more joyful, warm, welcoming, and reflective of your family’s personality. No matter how classy the interiors of a house are, it will feel cold and impersonal without personal touches. Your home is a blank canvas waiting to be filled with memories and things that reflect your personality. Read on for ideas on how to create a personalized and stylish home.
Use Family Photographs as Decor
Add family photos. That is the best way to add a personal touch to your home. You will love looking at them all over the house, and they will make lovely conversation starters when guests come over.
Frame family photos and prop them up on side tables and shelves. Have some professionally blown up and hang them on the wall like a gallery. Scour flea markets, garage sales, and thrift stores for interesting frames that you can use to display your family photos. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on these frames — just look for ones that you like that complement the photos and the style of your interiors.
In addition to old photos, keep taking new ones as your children are born and grow up, or when they get married and have their own children. As the family changes, the photos in your home must reflect these changes.
When someone in the family has a baby, make sure to get the services of a photographer specializing in newborn photography to get the best photos. Some families try to do this themselves, often with hilarious results. You may want to have those funny photos to add a humorous touch to your decor, but do not waste the opportunity to have professional photos showing your newest precious baby in the best way possible.
Personalize Your Art
Unless you are an art collector, you don’t need to purchase expensive art for your home. Hang artwork that your children have created. Children’s art is always charming. Frame the originals or have them enlarged before framing.
You can also create art with your children in one afternoon at home. Purchase a large canvas that corresponds to the wall space you want to decorate, some brushes, and water-based, non-toxic acrylic paints in the color scheme you want. This can be neutrals such as shades of beige and gray or dramatic complementary or contrasting colors. Line the garage or driveway with plastic as protection. Then have fun flinging paint on the canvas. You’ll end up with a truly personalized abstract painting.
Showcase Your Hobbies and Talents
A great way to celebrate your family’s talents is to display each member’s hobby or passion. Put up a glass case for trophies or medals won by family members.
If someone plays a musical instrument, provide a place for it in full view instead of storing it out of sight when not in use. If someone plays a sport, highlight it. For instance, if your son is a baseball player, you can frame his jersey and autographed baseball and hang them on the wall. If your daughter plays tennis, you could mount her tennis racket on the wall or have it framed above a piece of furniture.
If someone knits or crochets, use some finished items around the house, such as table doilies or pillowcases. Suppose someone in the family enjoys cooking or baking. Display cookbooks and cooking utensils.
Use Memorable Items as Decor
Another way to add a personal touch to your home is to use memorable items as decor. For example, if your family went on a beach vacation and collected shells, arrange them in a large bowl or vase and use them as a centerpiece.
You can also frame postcards or other memorabilia from trips. If you have a lot of items, put them in a scrapbook that you can display on a coffee table or side table.
You can make it a tradition for family members to bring home something from each trip to add to the collection. Such traditions help bind the family closer together.
Celebrate Your Ancestry
If you are proud of your heritage, show it off in your home. Display photos of ancestors and heirlooms that have been passed down in the family. If you don’t have any such items, visit flea markets and thrift stores for vintage finds that come from the same part of the country. You can also look for items that are inspired by your ancestors’ homeland.
For example, if your great-grandparents came from Italy, you can look for a beautiful piece of pottery or an antique wooden carving to display in your home. If they came from China, look for an intricately carved jade dragon or a set of porcelain tea cups.
These are just some ways you can make your home decor personalized and stylish. Use your imagination to come up with more ideas that reflect your family’s unique personality.
