A Beginner’s Guide to Refurnishing Your Home

Home is where life’s greatest moments happen. It’s where you cook holiday meals and host friends and family for game nights. If you’re thinking about refurnishing your home, it’s important to choose furnishings that set the perfect backdrop for new memories. Don’t know where to start? Consult the following tips.

Find Your Design Style

There are countless design styles out there, which can make it difficult to settle on the aesthetic you want for your home. If you’re unsure of your own style, try taking an online quiz, or check out some of the most common design styles below:

Contemporary:

Because you’re totally tuned into the trends of today – whatever’s in, you want in your home. If this sounds like you, check out contemporary design. This décor style is constantly changing, as what’s popular today may not be tomorrow.

Traditional:

Enjoy the look of plush sofas and crown molding? You might like this decorating style. Traditional design embodies past European tastes – think curvy silhouettes, rich, dark woods and elaborate fabrics.

Transitional:

Do you fall somewhere between traditional and contemporary? Transitional décor may just be what you’re looking for. This style blends elements from both traditional and contemporary, creating a space that’s relaxing, calm and incredibly inviting.

Mid-century modern:

The iconic style of the1950s and 1960s, mid-century modern design emphasizes function over vanity. With its design roots harkening back to the first half of the 20^th century, this style pares down furnishings to their most basic forms and is marked by clean lines and gentle curves.

Industrial:

Industrial design embraces elements like raw wood and worn metal, which are typically found in factory and warehouse settings. If you find plenty of potential in unfinished materials and repurposed items, this could be the style for you. 

Rustic:

Much like industrial, rustic décor welcomes raw, unfinished materials, particularly wood. To add even more warmth to the space, wood furnishings are paired with natural textiles in pale colors.

Farmhouse:

More refined than rustic, the farmhouse style combines wood accents with vintage patterns and handmade elements. The country and cottage vibes are only further accentuated by milk-paint finishes.

Bohemian:

As an individual, you’re carefree and open to exploring. Sound like you? Bohemian design could be your style. It ties together global elements with vintage accents. For instance, you might expect to find floor pillows as seating or an elegant chandelier hanging over a threadbare rug.

Feeling more confident in the style you like, but not sure how to put the pieces together? Pinterest is a great place to see how others have decorated their homes and can help you get ideas for almost any aspect of a refurnishing project.

And keep in mind, blending styles – if you can do it artfully – is something that can also help you create a great look.

Choose the Perfect Color Scheme

Once you’ve settled on your design style, it’ll be much easier to pick out colors to match. For example, think of industrial design. You’d expect to see browns, grays and blacks in this color scheme – not jarring neon hues. 

Still, you might be wondering how to mix colors to create an appealing look. Your first option? Consult a color wheel. Hues directly next to a color on the wheel are analogous, while hues across from a color are considered complementary. That’s why blue not only looks good with green and purple, but also with orange. Once you’ve settled on a few harmonious colors, use the 60-30-10 rule.

In design, one of the most timeless decorating rules is 60-30-10.  That means you’ll use 60 percent of one color, 30 percent  of a secondary color and 10 percent  of an accent color. Apply this to your room, and you’ll be golden.

Take your living room, for example. Using the 60-30-10 rule, you could paint your walls a warm shade of blue and introduce an area rug that matches. Drapes and accent chairs, on the other hand, would feature a lively coral color. For the final 10%, arrange green plants on your coffee table or beige accent pillows on your sofa.

Choose the Right Size Furniture

When refurnishing your home, it’s important to consider the size and shape of each space. To make sure you’re buying the right size furniture for your home, you first need to understand the function. What will the room be used for? Do you need to create a study area for your child in his or her bedroom? Will your living room also be the place where you catch up on work and bills?

Once you’ve nailed down the function, design your layout. This step helps ensure you have space for every piece of furniture you want to add. But don’t forget – walking room is just as important. Try taping out the dimensions of each piece of furniture to make sure they all fit and that you can walk around them.

Refurnishing for a Warm, Inviting Space

Think you’re ready to refurnish your home? Find furniture that suits you. Browse the complete Twin Star Home™ collection online, and channel your inner style.