Creating a cohesive interior design in your home is crucial for a calm and inviting atmosphere. From coordinating colors to selecting the right furniture, every detail matters. In this blog post, I’m sharing 9 expert tips to help you achieve a cohesive interior design that reflects your style and enhances the overall vibe of your home.
Let’s Get Started!
- Choose a Single Color Palette: I like to start by establishing a whole-home color palette. Select a few key colors that you’ll use consistently throughout your home. Choose complementary shades or variations of the same color family to maintain consistency as you move from one space to another. As a rule of thumb, the room you are standing in should coordinate with any other room or hallway that you can see from where you stand.
- Opt for Properly Sized Furniture: Select furniture that fits the scale of each room. So many people buy furniture that is either too big or too small for the room that it’s in. You should be able to comfortably walk around all furniture. Avoid overcrowding by opting for appropriately sized pieces that allow for easy movement and a balanced layout.
- Define Spaces with Area Rugs: Use area rugs to define different areas within an open floor plan and tie the room together. Ensure that the rug is large enough to accommodate all furniture pieces for a cohesive look. I always say that each piece of seating should have at least 2 feet on the rug. If you can’t fit all of your seating on the rug, then your rug is too small!
- Maintain Consistent Metal Finishes: Keep hardware and metal finishes consistent throughout your home. Choose one or two finishes and apply them to door handles, light fixtures, and other hardware for a unified aesthetic. If you need help choosing metals for your home, this blog post from the Spruce contains excellent tips to get you started.
- Incorporate Repeating Patterns and Textures: This is a little insider designer trick for you. Most people know that you need to coordinate colors between rooms, but very few know to also incorporate similar patterns and textures across rooms. Whether through pillows, curtains, or rugs, repeating elements can create visual continuity.
- Arrange Furniture for Visual Flow: Arrange furniture to promote easy movement and conversation while maintaining visual flow throughout the space. Consider how the placement of furniture affects the overall flow of the room. Is that side table blocking the major foot path? Could you move it to the other side to make it work better? Thinking through the use of a space helps you master the art of cohesion.
- Balance Statement Pieces with Neutrals: Pair statement pieces with neutral backgrounds to prevent overwhelming the space. This creates a balanced look so focal pieces stand out without overshadowing the room’s design. I love to do this with art. Choose a piece of art with bold colors and textures, and then pull those colors and textures into the accent details in your space – throw pillows, picture frames, etc.
- Optimize Lighting: Enhance the ambiance of your home with strategic lighting. Incorporate a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting while ensuring that fixtures complement the overall design. Make sure that you have lighting placed strategically where you need it the most. Do you work from a desk in the corner of your bedroom? Make sure there’s a task or floor lamp there. Do your young kids regularly walk down a hallway to get to your room in the middle of the night? (This is my current reality!) Make sure the hallway is softly lit at night.
- Simplify and Edit: Edit and simplify your decor to create a cohesive and intentional design. Avoid clutter by curating your home and showcasing only meaningful items that contribute to the overall aesthetic. What’s the famous Coco Chanel saying about removing one accessory? It’s true in your home, too.
Clearly, achieving a cohesive interior design requires attention to detail and careful planning. By following these expert tips, you can create an inviting and visually appealing home that reflects your personal style. Do you have any other tips that you like to use? Leave them in the comments below or send me a DM on Instagram!
If you’d like to learn more about how I can help you create a cohesive interior design in your home, contact me any time. I would LOVE to hear from you!
Resources:
Here’s a quick list of the resources referenced in this post.
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