Which Decor Style Is Right For Your Home?

*This is a collaborative post on which decor style is right for your home

Keeping to a specific decor style can help to create harmony within your home. But just which type of decor style is right for you? Below are some of the most popular decor styles in homes and the pros and cons of each.

Contemporary

Contemporary decor is the most popular style found in modern homes. It’s a clean and simple style that tries to use a balance of hard and soft textures. Contemporary-styled homes tend to stick to neutral colours such as whites, blacks and greys with only small pops of colour. Glossy synthetic finishes are also popular – this includes gloss paints and laminated wood.

This style of decor is perfect for complementing newer properties (less so for older properties). It’s very bright and great for maximizing light. The use of neutral colours and glossy surfaces also helps to create a very clean look, which is ideal for those that value cleanliness. Contemporary decor is also the best style of decor for preserving value if you want to sell your home in the near future as it is the most widely liked. That said, some people may find it a little sterile and dull. 

Mid-century modern

Mid-century modern is a style that was most popular from the late 40s to the late 60s – although it remains trendy in homes today. It’s similar to contemporary decor, but tends to use more natural wood tones and larger bursts of colour. Rather than having a grey sofa and a white gloss bookshelf as you would in a contemporary styled home, a mid-century modern home might opt for a bright blue couch and an unpainted beech bookshelf.

Mid-century modern is a very flexible style of decor that is suitable for both modern and older properties. It’s got the clean look of contemporary decor but with more colour and texture. Some people may still find it a little too conventional, but there are ways of making it quirkier such as using more daring bursts of colours.

Farmhouse

As the name suggests, this type of decor is all about imitating the traditional farmhouse. Materials tend to all be natural and earthy, helping to offer a rustic touch. This includes lots of timber, natural stone and organic textiles like cotton and leather. Surfaces tend to be unfinished or even stripped-back such as exposed brick walls or exposed wooden floorboards. Upcycled items are also popular in farmhouse decor such as using mason jars for storage or even turning an old ladder into a shelf. 

Farmhouse decor is ideal for country homes. It’s rugged and low maintenance – you can let it get a bit dirty and it will still look cosy. This makes it excellent for homes with pets or kids. Those who follow a low-tech and organic lifestyle are most likely to appreciate this decor – farmhouse decor doesn’t go well with gadgets and synthetic furnishings. It may also look a bit out of place in an urban home.

Industrial

Industrial decor is inspired by factories and workshops. It uses hard-working materials such as metal, timber and concrete. While most home decor styles try to hide mechanical aspects such as plumbing and wiring, industrial decor turns these mechanical parts into stylish features. This could include using oversized light bulbs and wrapping the cables around beams or using industrial pipe shelving. Like farmhouse decor, industrial decor also favours unfinished surfaces such as exposed wood floorboards and exposed brickwork.

Industrial decor can be great for spacious urban homes. It’s similar to farmhouse decor in that it’s easy to maintain and very minimal and earthy. Some people may find it a little too cold or a little too masculine. Adding some fluffy and warm textiles such as fur rugs can help to soften up this style. 

Scandinavian

Scandianvian decor uses a very neutral colour palette with even fewer pops of colours than contemporary decor. However, it throws in a few earthy ‘nordic’ features such as pine furniture or a furry rug. As the name suggests, it’s the contemporary decor style favoured in Scandinavia.

This style of decor is ideal for those that want a clean and minimal look but with a slightly rustic edge that can help to add warmth. Scandinavian decor can be incorporated into most types of homes, although tends to look better in modern properties. 

Bohemian

This style of decor rejects mass-produced furniture in favour of hand-crafted items and antiques. It tends to be very earthy and colourful, incorporating more reds and oranges. Such homes use lots of fabrics including rugs, sofa throws and ceiling drapes. Houseplants are also very popular. There are very few synthetic elements in these types of homes.

Bohemian decor is very environmentally friendly. It can be incorporated into pretty much any type of home. Those that love gadgets and synthetic materials may want to steer clear of this decor style – too much tech or plastics can clash with this style. 

Vintage

Vintage decor is any style that tries to recreate the past. A 50s vintage home might borrow elements similar to mid-century modern decor but with a few distinct features from the decade such as chequerboard kitchen flooring and a retro brightly-coloured fridge. A vintage Victorian home meanwhile may go for more classic features such as dark wood antique furniture and a leather chesterfield sofa. 

Vintage decor can be a great way of bringing out the character of an older home by reflecting its history. Such decor is likely to look out of place in a newer home. Going vintage can be a little more challenging than tackling other decor styles – especially if you plan on furnishing it with actual antiques. You may have to search far and wide to find the furnishings that you’re after and you could end up paying a lot for them. That said, it could be an exciting project