3 Tips for Personalising Your Home
These days, many of the most popular design aesthetics have taken over and have become
templates that can be found mirrored, more or less identically, into thousands, if not millions of
different homes across the world.
templates that can be found mirrored, more or less identically, into thousands, if not millions of
different homes across the world.
While there are of course certain benefits to particular design styles such as the “Scandinavian
noir” — such as a clean, unified presentation to the home — it is nonetheless the case that
there are certain downsides to sticking to any template too strongly.
noir” — such as a clean, unified presentation to the home — it is nonetheless the case that
there are certain downsides to sticking to any template too strongly.
Out of all the different downsides that might be considered, the loss of the “personal touch” is
probably the most prevalent issue — or at least, one of the leading ones. Because when all is
said and done, no one really wants their home to feel like a clinical setting that’s come straight
out of a showroom. They want to feel like they actually live there, and have had some input on
their environment.
probably the most prevalent issue — or at least, one of the leading ones. Because when all is
said and done, no one really wants their home to feel like a clinical setting that’s come straight
out of a showroom. They want to feel like they actually live there, and have had some input on
their environment.
If you feel like your home could use a bit more of the “personal touch”, here are some tips to
consider.
consider.
Go through a thorough decluttering process
When you think about “personalising” your home, you may well be thinking about adding extra
features and trinkets, one after the other, to try and create the right “energy” for yourself.
features and trinkets, one after the other, to try and create the right “energy” for yourself.
What you should start with, though, is a thorough decluttering process, where you empty your
home of anything that’s neither useful nor emotionally meaningful for you.
home of anything that’s neither useful nor emotionally meaningful for you.
Many people fall into the trap of being hoarders, and of submerging their homes in a bottomless
sea of clutter. When you do this, you’re not “personalising” your home. You’re just ensuring that
it’s such a chaotic place that your “personal touch” gets lost in the mess.
sea of clutter. When you do this, you’re not “personalising” your home. You’re just ensuring that
it’s such a chaotic place that your “personal touch” gets lost in the mess.
Go for craftsmanship rather than mass production
Going for the “personal touch” in your home has a lot to do with putting items in your home that
have some personal story, and ideally, emotional quality, attached to them.
have some personal story, and ideally, emotional quality, attached to them.
Generally speaking, the items that have this kind of resonance will tend to be things that have
been created as the product of craftsmanship rather than mass production. Things which, in
their own right, have more of the “human touch” to them.
been created as the product of craftsmanship rather than mass production. Things which, in
their own right, have more of the “human touch” to them.
Decorative metal fence panels, a carved oak table, or a bookcase that’s come down to you from
your grandparents, for example, will almost always be more meaningful than something that’s
come in a flat-pack case.
your grandparents, for example, will almost always be more meaningful than something that’s
come in a flat-pack case.
Consider exploring your own creative side and letting that
play a role in how you decorate
play a role in how you decorate
One of the clearest and most significant ways of personalising your home is to actually decorate
it with the results of your own creative endeavours.
it with the results of your own creative endeavours.
This might mean that you hang up some paintings or drawings that you’ve created yourself (and
these don’t need to be supremely beautiful works of high art), but it could also mean something
as simple as you laying out your own arrangement of pine cones and autumnal features, collected from outside.
these don’t need to be supremely beautiful works of high art), but it could also mean something
as simple as you laying out your own arrangement of pine cones and autumnal features, collected from outside.
Don’t be afraid to get creative. You’ll likely find it fun and fulfilling, and it can make your
house feel much more like a home.
house feel much more like a home.
