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 You have a sofa, a couple of chairs and a coffee table. Maybe a plant or two. But your room just looks so... plain. The fix? Personality! Infusing personality into a room gives it life and makes the difference between ho-hum and pleasing. First, learn to know what you like. This takes some thought and time. Gradually train your eye. Get some design books and magazines. Find a photo of a room you like. Really 'Look' at it. Ask yourself: What do I like? What would I change? What elements would I like to have in my own home? Why did they place the furniture that way?
What kind of accessories are used in the room? What kind of art? How many fabrics, textures, and colours? And on and on... This is the way to truly discover what you will love to have around you. Keep notes and save pictures with notations of your favourite things. Then you will discover how to add personality to your rooms in a way that will be just right for you. Here are some of the design elements that can add that finishing touch to a room.
Antiques - An old piece of furniture can add texture and depth to a room. If you are starting out, consider a weathered
pine table or chest. If you want colour, look for a painted bookshelf or an almirah. There are endless possibilities for decorating themes. Ideally a themed room will 'say' something about you, your family, or the place you live. It also provides a place to showcase collections, themed items, or art and crafts. A theme gives you focus by eliminating choices that won't fit with your theme. This will greatly simplify your choices and shopping decisions. Be creative in using your theme-related items in unexpected ways. For example, use an old golf club for a curtain rod in a golf-themed den, or
keep a fishing creel as a basket in the family room. Remember to use your theme in various ways throughout the room.
 Collections - Whether you have shells, miniature houses, candlesticks or boxes, it is often most effective to display them in an arrangement. When arranging your collections, beware of just lining things up in a row, especially small items such as paperweights.
Instead group several together and use the group as one element in a table arrangement. When displaying a collection of family photos it works best to have a similar framing material (such as silver or brass frames) even if the individual frames vary in style from one another.
Let us look at three additional ways to add personality - a fresh use of colour, adding flowers and plants, and hanging wall art and wall decorations. Colour adds punch to a room. Wimpy swirls of washed out unidentifiable pastels say "Boo" faster than anything else on this planet. To use colour, find something you adore (fabric, art, pillows) in colours that make you happy. This is your living space and it can be
in any colour you choose.
Flowers and Fresh plants - A vase or two of fresh flowers is one of the fastest ways to add life and colour to a room. Flower arrangements can be large or small, elaborately arranged or simply cut off and plunked in a pitcher. Fresh plants will add life, but
involve some work. Silk plants add colour but there is no life, and
they need dusting.
 Using more than art on the walls - Pictures are nice. But something unexpected on the wall can be a great statement. A piece of old iron gate as a headboard for your garden bedroom. A square of stained glass hung in your kitchen. Old game boards as wall art in a country room. A bird nest or plate collection displayed on a shelf. Use your imagination! If you have large walls or high ceilings, use large framed art pieces rather than tiny objects that get lost. Or group similar prints into one large arrangement. Small prints and objects can be arranged on an appropriately sized smaller space or wall.
 When you need inspiration, get started with some of these ideas. Watch some good design shows on TV. Attend a model home seminar, or tour some model homes online. Save photos
from decorating magazines, collect a file of paint chips, fabric swatches, pictures of rooms you admire... Keep looking and learning, so you'll know what you love. Then the personality part will be easy.
Courtesy:
Interior Decorating
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