One of the greatest gifts in life is having a home that you can personalize and make your own. The ability to set up your space in a way that you choose helps to create a sense of peace in your life. It makes us feel good to have a place to relax that is also filled with personal touches.

For those of us lucky enough to have our own space, there are a few things to think about that help to give your space that extra special personal touch. Such as color, movement flow, selecting quality pieces, adding playful touches & layered lighting and adding objects that have meaning. Incorporating the latest trends into your space is not nearly as important as personalizing it in a way that makes you feel more at home, more yourself. Your space can be a great way to express yourself and to discover some creative details that bring you joy. You are a unique individual and your space should reflect you.

Color

One of the major elements of incorporating your personality into a space is your use of color. The color choices that you make affect the tone and mood of your home. I always encourage my clients to use lighter and brighter colors because they tend to uplift your mood and increase visibility, because lighter colors reflect more light.

Colors on the blue, green and purple end of the spectrum tend to make a space feel more calm and peaceful while reds, oranges and yellows bring more energy to a space. Greens are especially tricky to get the right shade. To the left are a few options from Benjamin Moore that feel modern and fresh, yet still have a natural aesthetic. In this image I’ve paired them with a warm gray and an off white that has pink undertones. When selecting neutral colors I tend to gravitate more towards warm neutrals because they help to create a relaxed atmosphere.

Movement flow

Another important element in discovering how you can personalize your space is the flow of movement throughout. Consider the movement pathways and how you get from one space to another. Is it direct or do you have to curve around an element in your space? Can you get from the kitchen to the dining area with ease, is there a path? Can you get from the dining area to your bedroom without having to navigate around some object? Movement flow is important. It’s part of your everyday experience.

For this reason, it’s crucial to incorporate some negative space into your home. Negative space means areas of the home that do not have design elements in them. They are empty pockets of space that increase movement flow and areas where you can breathe. They don’t have stuff in them. Just open areas or pathways that allow you to move about your space without clutter or stuff in the way. Open space helps to define the areas that do have furniture and fixtures in them. It gives you a breather, or a palatte cleanser from all the accumulated stuff in your space. It gives you room to move. I’ve seen too many homes packed with stuff without any areas of negative space. Negative space gives you breathing room and stimulates creativity.

Quality pieces

One of the most common choices is between a piece of furniture that will last a long time, or something cheaper that is temporary and will just last a few years. When you a personalizing your space go for the piece that will last. The one that will stay with you through the years. Ikea is a great place to get modern furniture on a budget but it doesn’t last that long.

Choose something that will move with you when you move spaces. Something that you hand pick out and that you love. For a few select pieces like a dresser or coffee table, go for the one that will stay with you for a while. Spend a little more money on it in the shorter term, but it will last you through the years.

Playful touches

Another way you can personalize your space is with playful accents that bring a bit of your personality into the environment. I absolutely love using pattern for this purpose. With a playful pattern you can enliven the space with color and texture. It can be as simple as a colorful accent chair or accent pillows on a neutral couch. Or if you are feeling more bold you can play with patterned wallpaper or curtains that help to define the space.

Other ways to play with the design include artwork that has a bit of humor or incorporating interesting sculptures. You can also bring your hobbies and interests into the space such as including a game table or collectibles. You can set up a specific display for any sort of collectors items. Make them easily visible by featuring collectibles on a set of shelves that you specifically put up for that purpose. Another of my favorite ways to include your interests is with coffee table books. There are so many interesting books available and they are great conversation starters when you have guests over to visit.

Incorporating some playful touches, whatever they may be helps to lighten the mood of your space and connects to you a joyful part of yourself.

Objects with meaning

Similar to adding playful touches, is including objects that have meaning for you or that bring you a sense of nostalgia. One of my favorite ways to do this is to display trinkets from places you’ve traveled. These objects are great pieces to hang on the wall or a nice addition to a book shelf.

I also like to work with my clients to find artwork that speaks to them. Artwork can be a great way to tie in all the colors in your room in one spot. But it should also evoke a feeling in you that you want to live with everyday. A great option is to commission a piece of artwork by a local artist. Here in Raleigh, NC I recommend @megan.oconnor09 (instagram) who does watercolor house portraits + people & pets in oil.

And it goes without saying that hanging photos of family & friends is one of the best ways to personalize your home. I like to create an asymmetrical collage of photos on a wall or simply stand up the frames on a table or shelf. For a clean modern look, try using only white picture frames. They tend to pop when placed on a wall with most paint colors.

Layered lighting

Don’t forget about lighting when setting up your home or space. Adding multiple light sources really helps to personalize the atmosphere. You can have overhead lights as well as table and floor lamps for more of an ambient feel. The key is to have choices. Multiple sources of light that you can pick from throughout the day.

If you have artwork in your home, try lighting it with a wall washer so the piece is highlighted and becomes a focal point. You can also try architectural lighting such as linear lights under cabinets in the kitchen. Any type of linear light that accents the space and brings attention to the architecture adds a layer of beauty.

Last but not least, try to utilize LED’s as much as possible. They are more energy efficient, last longer and tend to provide a better ambiance. Wherever you can, include dimmers as well to add greater control over your environment.

Summary

I hope you found something inspiring in this blog to add a bit more of a personal touch to your space! Paying attention to these areas will help to make your home more cozy and feel like yourself.

Color - use lighter colors to uplift mood, blues and greens have a calming effect
Movement flow - incorporate pockets of negative space into the layout
Quality pieces - hand pick pieces that you love and that will last a long time
Playful touches - add accents of pattern and color, artwork with humor and display your interests in coffee table books or as collectibles on shelves
Objects with meaning - incorporate trinkets from your travels, artwork that speaks to you and photos of family and friends
Layered Lighting - give yourself choices with multiple layers of lighting and dimmers

How to personalize your space