Some homes just seem to have that something extra. It’s not so much about the style or the amount of money that has been spent on the finishes, but something that’s harder to pinpoint, something more elusive. It’s more that the room feels cohesive and well, just effortlessly ‘put together’.

With so much inspiration available to us, it can be hard to stick to one look sometimes. Like a kid in a sweet shop we select all our favourite bits from the different looks we see, and the result is often a little confused. It lacks a certain something and you are left wondering why it doesn’t look quite right...

However when you look closely at all the beautiful homes on Instagram and Pinterest there is something that they all have in common. No matter what their personal style, they all look pulled together. The good news is that there are tricks and tips that we can share with you to help you get that effortless put together look, whilst avoiding the matchy matchy look - or just the plain confused look!!

Here are our top 10 tips for a refined and cohesive home which feels finished - and they are simpler than you might think.

1. Reduce the clutter

If you are anything like me, clutter seems to multiply at an alarming rate! It takes a superhuman effort not to have piles of stuff on the work surfaces, stairs and any surface really! Clean washing, post, homework, and the paraphernalia of family life can take over in a matter of days. But getting on top of this, clearing surfaces and making sure everything has its place is one of the easiest and cheapest ways you can make your home look instantly polished and refined. It is a bit of effort - but it is so worth it.

elegant bedroom ideas — @banish_the_beige_

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2. Stick with one or two types of flooring

The floor is a large area in your home. If every room has a different colour, pattern or texture on the floor, it stops there being any flow. For a cohesive look it’s best to stick to one or two types of flooring for your entire home. Whether you prefer carpet or hard flooring doesn't matter, it’s allowing the flooring to flow from one space to another that will have the greatest effect. If you want to mix it up a bit, different patterned tiles in the bathroom or the hallway can add some more personality, and there are always rugs to help zone the different areas. The important thing is to keep the base of the flooring the same throughout your home.

@our_bears_home

3. Edit your nicknacks

Accessories and nicknacks build up over the years. It’s easy to buy something you like without too much thought as to where it will go, or how it fits with your style. And I’m sure we all have gifts that we keep that we might not have chosen for ourselves. To take a leaf out of Marie Kondo’s book, if it’s not useful or it doesn’t spark joy, it’s time to pass it on. With accessories and nicknacks, less is often more, and some serious editing goes a long way to give your home a more polished and considered look.

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4. Large artwork

Artwork adds personality to a space, and can pull all the colours together in the room. For a statement, bigger is better. One large scale stand out painting will always make a strong statement and make your room feel planned and well put together. Avoid at all costs hanging a small picture all alone on a big wall! If you have smaller pieces of artwork, group them together to create a gallery wall. Don’t space the pictures out around the room at random intervals. They will have no impact and will make the room feel bitty and cluttered.

5. Add a bit of black

This has always been a favourite with interior designers. No matter what your colour scheme or style, adding some black to the room will help to ground it. It doesn’t have to be a lot - a lamp shade, or a vase or even picture frames are enough to add the depth and contrast a room needs. Give it a try!

@my_midcenturymakeover

6. Avoid buying the ‘set’

A well put together look is very different from a matchy matchy look. Although shops often look to sell you the set of dining table and chairs, or sofas and matching armchair, don’t automatically think this will be the best look. It’s much more interesting to have a mix of styles and colours - different chairs with a modern dining table, two different colour sofas, and a coffee table and side tables in different materials. Your room will feel more interesting and unexpected, and so long as something links the different pieces together (like the leg colour), it will feel both interesting and cohesive.

@deco.dwelling

7. Get a big rug

A bit like the artwork, the bigger the better again! Nothing pulls a room together and makes it feel well designed better than a large rug. It really is one of the best things you can invest in for your home. A small rug placed in the middle of the room will never give your room that elusive finished look, but instead will make the room look unbalanced and feel smaller. Go for the biggest rug you can afford so that it disappear under the edge of the furniture, and it will bring unity and definition to your room.

dark moody modern bedroom — @asmalltownhouse

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8. Use a tray

A tray can be both functional and beautiful. Try placing one on your coffee table, it adds a layer of interest and instantly groups whatever items you have in a way that looks intentional. It stops items looking random and bitty and instead draws a visual line around them - easy instant styling!

@lifeathomewithemma

9. Cushions

Aside from most men, who doesn’t love a cushion??! They can really help pull a scheme together with colour, texture and pattern. However the key to getting this right is to mix cushions that compliment each other rather than match. Don’t buy lots of cushions the same size and in the same pattern - or worse, cushions that match your sofa. Instead you want a variety of plains, patterns and sizes for a more lived in look, that just works.

@wonderandrah

10. Greenery

I love plants, and can’t get enough of them right now - which is a good thing as they keep growing and having babies and, as my daughter pointed out, they are beginning to take over!! But that gives a great opportunity to spread the love and give some away!

Plants do literally bring life into your home, and add a beautiful pop of colour to any bare corner or surface. And with a sprinkling of plants in every room, they make your home feel pulled together and complete. Look at pretty much any room on Instagram and it will have more than a couple of plants on the coffee table, shelves, and hanging from the mantlepiece. They are a lovely fresh and healthy addition to your home, no matter what your style. No home is complete without them!

@aflickofpaint

If you would like some help updating your home, and achieving a pulled together look individual to you, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you and create a beautiful scheme personalised to your style and budget.

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