Knowing Your Style
By Peter Velikanov
So you just got yourself a flat. The usual scenario: wake up at 6, leave by 7, home by 11 just to sleep. Most of the time, you don't even have breakfast, lunch or dinner at home. You just simply go home to sleep. And the cycle continues. It's like living in a hotel. No wonder your friends still see huge, un-opened boxes of your clothes. It's obvious that you don't even have time to really make your house, a home.
A house is a home when you not just own it, but when you also actually live in it. You don't have to spend every waking second at your house. Do yourself a favor and decorate it. The point is to make it look lived-in, not to make a jungle out of your house. It's one of the few ways to make yourself, not to mention your guests, feel cozy and snug at some place you can call your home.
There are many ways to beautify your home. But for a more organized and coordinated setting, opting for theme-based decorations are the way to go. Here is a list of themes. Take your pick.
Futuristic
This look ranges from today's look to space age. Walls are painted with dark colors like blue or black. On the other hand, neons are very much accepted. Little traces of neon colors like green and pink are still visible. They are adorned with hanging chandeliers that looks like it was made of scraps of stainless steel. There is nothing that could remind anyone of grasslands and the country. If there is, it would come from a single rose living inside a transparent glass. Carpets in rich red or vibrant colors are not allowed. However, you can still have warm light bulbs. Mirrors from ceiling to floor are good. Now your room looks like a place in a sci-fi movie.
Mediterranean
Go for pastel colors. Light aquas, greens, yellows and pinks work well on your wall. You can choose one or have them in stripes. Having a hammock works well with the theme, too. Pictures of the seaside, sand on the floor and wooden decorations are good additions. You may also have candles in your room at night instead of the regular fluorescent light. You can have a net with shells glued on it attached on the ceiling. Just be careful in case the shell falls off. Instead of doors, you may use a curtain of seashells that can double as wind chimes. The only con here is that the shells might have sharp edges.
Country
You can go for very warm colors of red, brown and orange to paint on walls or if your wall is made of rich brown wood, stone or brick, then you don't need to paint it. Rugs and carpets should have a touch of rich red that can be an accent with the warmness of the room. Light bulbs go better than fluorescent ones. You may also put artificial heads of different animals that are usually hunted on your walls or by the fireplace. A grandfather's clock or the old cuckoo clock is a nice decoration. The older the pieces, the better. The idea is to make look it as cozy as possible.
Oriental
Asian adornments vary greatly. In northern parts of Asia, rich colors like red and gold are the signs of good luck. Wood is also a very important material, as well as silk. You can have throw pillows wrapped in red silk covers and tie a gold ribbon around it. You may also do origami and fold paper. You can make lots of those and put them in a basket or make a few and frame them. Instead of the usual doors, you use a very thin translucent paper, cover an entire frame and use it as a sliding door. Or, this is not exactly safe, but you can also do this to your window.
Victorian
If your house is made of stone or brick, then this is for you. You can use torches instead of the usual fluorescent. The idea is to make the house look haunted but only without the webs and creepy crawlies. You may put freshly-picked rich red roses in a vase. You can also use old chandeliers. If you have antique furniture then it would be great to use it. A grandfather's clock is also good. If you have a suit of armor, then you can use it as a decoration. An old grand piano is a nice accent too. No happy colors, please. Hang antique pictures that seem to be decaying with age. Make sure they are placed in picture frames worthy to be in the museum.
You are not restricted to one theme only. You can stick to one single theme and apply it to your entire house or you can use different themes to each room. You may also combine different themes or with whatever works for you.
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