Ten tips to breathe new life into your decor

1. Wallpaper’s popularity shows no signs of waning and the latest styles are anything but wallflowers.

Magnetic wallpaper is one such trend, according to Ann-Louise Lollo Jansson, of Scandinavian Wallpaper & Decor. “It is the ultimate combination of science and design and gives wallpaper a level of functionality it never had before, ” she said.

Designs that mimic natural surfaces also were emerging, such as “raw timbers, battered walls in varying tones of charcoal and grey and vintage archival draws with a fantastic aged patina”, she said. Hayley Blakiston, of Wall Candy Wallpaper, said fun prints were increasingly popular. “Animal print wallpapers are everywhere this season and they’re flamboyant, unusual and full of character, ” she said.

Real Living magazine style editor Sarah Ellison has tapped into the market for statement prints with her debut wallpaper collection. The former Perth girl’s Light of Heart range features the painterly quality of watercolour and a gorgeous freehand effect. “I’d love people to interpret the designs in their own way but I’d definitely like to inspire people to be a little bit more brave in their decorating, ” Ms Ellison said.

2. Adding light sources can help change the look of a room, ” said Lene Sonder-Sorensen, visual merchandiser at IKEA. “For example, light up a bookcase or picture wall, or include table or floor lamps with colourful shades — they look good both switched on and off!”

3. Natalee Bowen, of Indah Island Interior Design, said reupholstering furniture was a great way to update your decor. “If it is a showpiece then you can choose something befitting a showstopper, such as a divine pattern like a stripe, Chinoiserie, or geometric, ” she said.

4. “Changing the look of a room can be as easy as updating furniture and accessories with a refreshing coat of paint, ” Dulux’s Andrea Lucena-Orr said. “Apply a gloss finish, to ensure it is hard wearing and can be wiped clean.”

5. “Window sills, in my bookcase, on my bedside, in the bathroom —little jars of flowers are my most favourite thing, and they get updated every week and bring a whole new colour into the home, ” Freedom homewares buyer Korryn Bentley said.

6. Both functional and decorative, Ms Sonder-Sorensen said floor rugs were a great decorating tool. “Use a floor rug to visually ‘tie together’ furniture groupings, and to contribute to and enhance colour and style schemes, ” she said.

7. For a quick and affordable way to refresh your bedroom styling, Ms Bentley suggested swapping out your bedside tables. “I am over the trend of co-ordinating my bedhead with bedsides, so I have reorganised my room and now have some great new side tables as bedsides, ” she said. “You can even swap in a cute dining chair for a fun twist on the traditional.”

8. Another simple way to give your boudoir a new feel is to replace your bed linen. “When choosing colour, consider tones that make you feel comfortable and which complement the rest of the furnishings, ” Forty Winks’ Wayne Borg said.

9. Windows are like the eyes of the room, according to Ms Bowen. “When lightened up they can have a huge impact, ” she said. “Refresh your window treatments with white shutters, Roman blinds or a curtain with a coloured band at the bottom.”

10. “Whether it’s faux or the real deal, the influence of Mother Nature in some introduced greenery can be a breath of fresh air, ” Kirsty Blane, of Abode Renovation & Interior Design, said. “I would recommend investing in an oversized yucca plant . . . or a cluster of succulents or topiary balls on coffee tables or in bookcases.”

 

PHOTO: Wallpaper from Wall Candy Wallpaper

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