Author

EmmaJ

Incorporating art into your home is one of the most effective ways to elevate the quality of your everyday life and make a significant difference for the better. It doesn’t have to be anything big, of course, and not everyone loves huge art pieces that take up a big portion of your living space. Sometimes even the smallest and most subtle things can mean a lot and introduce a difference into the way you perceive your surroundings, so here’s why art is so important in interior design and how you too can make the most of it.

 

Art sets you apart

Let’s make things really simple and state the obvious first – not everyone can afford or imagine an art piece in their home. This basically means that those who can are automatically different from the rest and their interior is unlike the interior of their friends, family and neighbors. Including just one piece of art – a painting, a sculpture, a framed photograph or an art installation – into your home will set you apart from everyone else and instantly turn your home into something special. All you need to do is learn how to choose a proper art piece, and you’ll create a special vibe in your own home in no time.

 

Art as a focal point

Every room needs a focal point and something that will attract the attention of the visitors in a matter of seconds, and what better way to do so than by a piece of fine art? Whatever you choose, you have to position and emphasize it adequately, and whoever steps into your home is going to be amazed by your taste. What’s more, this solution isn’t just visually attractive and inspiring, but also practical: lots of people have a problem decorating their interior and arranging a great focal point, but having a piece of art in your possession makes this quite easy. All you need to do is find an empty wall and proudly showcase your art piece to the world.

 

Art explains your life philosophy

Another amazing thing about art is how versatile it can be. Whatever form you choose, you’ll be able to adapt it into your lifestyle and interior design, and it will show its appreciation by explaining your life philosophy. Modern art wall pieces – from digital art prints and graphic minimalism to oversized photographs and 3D wall art – show how contemporary and innovative you are, while a classic Rembrandt or Goya tell more about your traditional view of life more than you ever could. In short, art speaks on your behalf and defines you, so keeping it around is always a good idea.

 

Art shows your creative side

Not all home art has to be expensive and created by famous artists – even the most uncreative people can come up with memorable art pieces on their own. This way, art can show your creative side and state that you know how to handle your camera, canvas or clay. It also says you’re not afraid of displaying your creation and letting it live its own life in familiar surroundings. Every artist’s home is probably full of different art pieces and that’s just the way it goes, so why don’t you become an artist as well and showcase your creations?

 

Art adds color and texture to the room

No matter how hard you try and how much money you invest into it, furnishing your rooms is never easy and they can always seem unfinished or incomplete. That’s why you need some wall art that’s going to make it complete and perfect. Art adds color to the room and helps you decorate it more adequately, but it also introduces a ton of texture. So, whether you opt for a sculpture or practical piece of wall art, it will bring the whole room together quite effectively, and that’s what we all need when it comes to interior design.

 

Not everyone is a fan of art and can imagine hanging a painting in their living room, but if you think outside the box for a moment, you’ll surely realize why art is so important and what sort of a change it can bring to your life, so step out of your comfort zone and embrace it!

Home interior and personal environment play a huge role when it comes to your well-being, mood and general fulfillment. In that respect, designing and decorating your home the way you personally find appealing is essential for leading a healthy lifestyle. So, if you’re on the lookout for current trends and inspirational ideas when interior design is concerned, check out the top 2018 ones.

1. Colors and metallic finishes

If you’re ready to transform your home from the beginning, it’s important that you choose a color palette before proceeding with any other work. This will allow you to narrow down your choices and help you focus on your ideal environment better. Generally, trends for 2018 still feature neutral colors such as pastels, whites and grays. However, this year the possibilities are definitely bigger. Green and brown have become very popular as well, and really bold colors (bold, not bright!) that are fairly muted can make the home look absolutely stunning. With this kind of color palette, various metallic finishes as well as stone and marble are also at the top of the popularity list. Mix and match them the way you personally find the best. You’ll definitely create a unique interior and still maintain a trendy personal space.

2. Aspirational design

Creating an aspirational space only means that you’re making something special and original for yourself. Essentially, this particular trend allows people to move away from anything usual and ordinary in order to boost their own home’s functionality. Obviously, this is a different aspect for everyone. So, you basically don’t have to follow any of the traditional rules – if you feel like your bathtub would look the best and be most practical as a part of your open floor design, go for it! As mentioned, it’s all about ditching the interior design magazines in order to focus on your own preferences and needs when it comes to the design and décor, but layout as well.

3. Statement details

source: https://freshouz.com

Playing with statement pieces and details for your home interior will be a lot of fun in 2018, especially considering that the minimalist movement is still very strong (and it should be) but the need to add a personal touch to your environment is equally strong as well. In that respect, making the most of the space you already have without necessarily cluttering it with stuff is key to great minimal-personal combo. For instance, functional and sleek furniture these days usually have some interesting patterns and designs to boost the look. You also have the freedom to DIY some of your furniture pieces to make them stand out more. Obviously, playing with paint, wallpaper and tile is always a good option. This year, a statement ceiling is especially popular. There’s also the beauty of textures that effectively add warmth to your home as well as personality. So, don’t ignore the change rugs, curtains, throws and cushions can make in your home.

4. Wall art

Wall art has always been an important part of home interior. And this trend wasn’t ever unpopular. It’s just that this year brings a whole new aspect of using wall art in one’s home. Essentially, if you like this particular look, the point is to create your own personal galleries and cover your entire walls with art pieces you like. You can even choose your favorite photos, thus making a personal museum of sorts. While the rest of your home may still be on the minimal side, and you don’t want too many things lying around, when wall art is concerned it’s either go big, or go home. And, since you’re already home, you may as well unleash all your creative freedom onto your walls.

5. Interesting plants

source: http://www.belgianpearls.be

You’re probably already aware of the numerous health benefits that indoor plants have on you. In recent years, plants were a must-have addition to any home interior, but due to the rising popularity of Scandi style, the accent was on tall and sleek plants, that usually have one unformed vibrant color. However, even though the minimal approach to design is still big, the need to add more personality, as mentioned, has become somewhat of a priority for the majority of people. And one of the best ways to do this is to enrich your home with plants that have colorful, patterned and rich foliage.

What trends are you looking forward to and plan to incorporate into your own home? Is there something truly unusual and creative that you’re especially proud of and want to share with others? In the end, it’s all about expressing yourself without losing the needed functionality of personal environment, so don’t get pressured into a magazine-perfect interior design if that’s not something that clicks with you.

Our home is our sanctuary. It is the place we go to feel most like ourselves, to feel completely accepted and at peace. In order to feel that way, it needs to feel like YOU. That’s why adding pops of personality to your home is so important to creating a space that reflects who you are. I’m here to show you how you can add personality to your home with 5 easy projects!

Adding Personality To Your Home

1. Paint your cabinets

Your kitchen cabinets are one of the main focal points in your home. If you have older cabinets, they may be in good enough condition that you can paint them. If you want to purchase new cabinets with an endless world of possibilities, go for our unfinished alder cabinets, in a classic shaker style, that are ready to take home and paint today! Get bored with one color? No problem! Choose another and completely mix up the look!

unfinished alder diy backsplash aqua kitchen cabinets louisville cincinnati
Click here to shop in stock cabinets!

2. Adding a fun backsplash

Backsplash is one of the best ways to add a great touch of personality to your home! There are so many styles, sizes, colors and shapes of backsplash tile options available, that you can find something that fits you perfectly. Play on the colors of your cabinets and countertops to tie the look together. Or, if you opt for neutral cabinets such as these, a colored backsplash is a great way to add a fun pop to your space!

blue-backsplash personality to your home
Click here to shop tile!

 

3. Adding bathroom wall tile or a shower surround

Your bathroom is one place that you go to get away from it all, to relax and unwind. Whether it’s a hot shower or a relaxing bath, you should feel like you’re in your element. Being in a well tiled shower or bathroom can also make you feel like you’re in a hotel, which makes it a getaway in your own home! Adding a fun wall tile or shower surround is a great way to make this space feel like your own and add personality to your home overall.

Click here to shop tile!

4. Finding a unique flooring choice

Flooring spans every room in your home. From the time you walk through the door, it’s there. Let your flooring set the tone for your home by choosing something bold, or something that speaks to your personal style! This is the perfect way to add personality to your home. This distressed, white plank laminate whit pops of blue would make a perfect rustic statement. Or, go modern with something sleek. Don’t want wood? Try a brick tile flooring! The options are endless!

Vintage-Homestead-Laminate adds personality to your home
Vintage Homestead Laminate – $1.89/sf – Click to shop flooring!

5. Choosing fun cabinet hardware

Cabinet hardware may seem like a small thing. But believe me, the right hardware can make a big impression! Take this St. Vincent hardware in a golden champagne finish. It looks modern and geometric, or even earthy like a tree branch. You can find a fun set of cabinet hardware to fit any style, but that will be memorable and a true showpiece in your home.

st-vincent-amerock-hardware-adds-personality-to-your-home

 

How will you add personality to your home? Let us know in the comments below!


Written By: Allie Bloyd, Marketing Director at Builders Surplus

Just when you think there are no more new and innovative trends in kitchen design, the creative people from this home improvement niche surprise you. We have seen a lot of great stuff in 2017, from the rise in eclectic style full of mixing and matching to the introduction of newer materials like the tempered glass, both for worktops and the dashboard area. Lets not forget about the open concept kitchen opening slowly toward the living room. And for the fashionistas among kitchen designers, there was a great comback of colored metals in 2017, from gold to  brass and copper.

The kitchen design trends coming our way in 2018 are even more surprising and will have you grabbing your shopping cart in no time. Let the discovery begin!

The two-tone cabinets are making a comeback

Until now you could only see this type of mixes in old kitchens, when some of the cabinet doors were replaced and others stayed. Now we can expect to see it in brand new kitchens. Possible combinations can include black and white as the more effective contrast, for a gentler vibe opt for the gray instead of the black option. In rustic kitchen design we can see this trend reflected in the combination of painted and plain wooden cabinets, mix of navy blue and natural oak, will be especially popular.

The color revolution

In 2018, we can expect some new color schemes to enter our kitchen. No more will the blues, whites and grays dominate. We are here to welcome the new reigning queen of kitchen color – the dramatic purple – not only will it be seen in splashes in kitchen design, but we can also expect it to cover larger spaces. Another color we can expect to see is petrol-green both for back walls and cabinets. Oh what great contrast will it bring to your kitchen space. And if these two are not enough, we can look forward to bold, exotic shades, with orange dominated pallets. You can just see the kitchen opening up like a beautiful colorful flower.

New tech is invading kitchen design

Like with everything else in our lives technology has found its way into the kitchen. And 2018 designs will show us just how much. From smart storage space to 3D printers for pancakes. You will definitely see more and more of tech solutions in your kitchen. One of the smart designs include sensor control accessories, that you can open just by waving your hand, a smart trash bin and handy toaster ovens being the perfect example. Of course appliances are getting smarter every year, now most of them can be controlled by an app on your phone. However when it comes to design, retro is still in, and you can get all the lovely features packed up in a vintage design.

Getting close and personal

Personalization options are one of the innovative trends coming in 2018. Imagine being able to get your own design printed on the new kitchen tiles. This trend will definitely bring a lot of uniqueness to the design world. In case you are not feeling creative and inspired you can work with a trusted kitchen designer to get the best possible result. Possibilities are endless and you can enjoy the entire process.

The art of transformation

Transformative taps will be one of the major trends hitting kitchen design in 2018. Don’t let the simplistic design fool you, these taps will be able to transform plain water into sparkling, or even a great tasting, perfectly brewed coffee.Yes, you read well, tap coffee, what can be more ideal in the morning. It kitchen design trends like these that really surprise us and make us grow impatient until the moment we can actually include them in our kitchen.

 

So there you are, the long awaited kitchen design trends for 2018. This article has barely scratched the surface of what awaits us, there are a lot more surprises to come. From smart thermometers to new designer appliances, the following year will be the perfect combination of tech infusion and color burst, and we are going to love every second of it.

 

www.elledecor.com

Image source: elledecor.com

Being one of the most popular home decorating/reality/celebrity style shows out there, MTV Cribs has done something no other TV format has ever been able to do – it showed us that celebrities are just as messy and bad at decorating as we are! This show was meant to be an insight into the private lives to today’s most popular actors, actresses, musicians, athletes, dancers and everyone else who’s got their 15 minutes of fame, but became so much more. Conceived as a sort of a bridge between celebrities and fans, its creators never counted on the cultural impact it had on the perception of famous people and their taste. The way someone decorates their home shows you what kind of a person they are, and MTV Cribs portrays this excellently. And if you’re decorating your home, this is a great way to see what to do and, more importantly, what not to do, so here are some of the things this show can teach you about interior design.

Big houses are OK

Image source: yourleaderinluxury.com

It’s clear why most people don’t like big houses: they’re hard to maintain, easy to get lost in and challenging to decorate – not to mention extremely expensive. Due to that, big houses were always a decorator’s worst nightmare and something many realtors recommend avoiding. But, MTV Cribs shattered this myth and showed us big houses can be just as comfortable and cozy as smaller ones. As long as you have a good interior decorator that could turn your huge rooms into comfy spaces, you’re good to go. Luckily for all those celebrities featured on the show, they were all able to afford such help – although not all of them managed to achieve coziness, of course – and showed us that big houses are quite all right after all.

Bold color choices

Image source: beverlynews.blogspot.com

Unlike most people who prefer simple color choices for their walls, celebrities prefer something flashier, bolder and more colorful. That’s why their homes are always painted in colors that make you dizzy or disoriented. These unusual and interesting shades such as pelt, tangerine, pink or Amazon moss aren’t something your Average Joe would choose for their rooms, but celebrities don’t have a problem with colors with names that are hard to spell. Finally, color combinations their interior designers choose can be transferred into your home as well, so pay attention to this when watching the show.

Comfy furniture

Image source: coffeetablereview.com

Celebrities like living cozily and that’s why they always buy the most comfortable furniture available. And if you’re in the process of decorating your own home, this is exactly what you need. Comfy sofas, chairs and beds never go out of style and seeing something on MTV Cribs could easily inspire you to do the same. Additionally, check the arrangement of the furniture and you’ll be able to decorate your own living room in no time.

Kitsch

Image source: saharghazale.com

This is the best word to describe some celebrities’ homes that are outrageously tasteless. When you take a look at the most famous episodes of this show, you’ll see how many celebrities have zero taste when it comes to home decorating – from their dozens of bedrooms they never use to the oversized indoor pools and exercising facilities that will forever remain intact. Not to mention their shiny decorations, golden furniture and valuable paintings they know nothing about. As soon as you see this, you’ll realize why you need to avoid it at all costs.

Overstuffed rooms

Image source: epsodan.blogspot.com

The decorating philosophy of most celebrities can be explained in four words – the more the better. Being able to afford it, they have a tendency to overstuff their rooms and don’t worry about maneuvering space at all. Their living rooms are packed with too much furniture, their bedrooms stuffed with oversized beds and their bathrooms full of unnecessary decorations. The lesson here is simple – a decluttered home is a happy home and something you should strive for.

Other ideas

Some of the other negative interior decorating ideas shown on MTV Cribs include huge garages, poor color combinations, as well as inadequate use of space – just remember Mariah Carey’s huge walk-in closet or 50 Cent’s entertainment room/nightclub. These are all the elements you should avoid when decorating your home, but definitely take some of the aforementioned positive ideas into consideration.

Feature image source: thenextweb.com.au