It’s no secret that these days we’re willing to spend a lot of time and a whole lot of money on how we look and feel. Yet since we spend a considerably large percentage of our life at home, it’s also essential for our wellbeing to invest in our personal space, which can make you more productive and give you energy. With the New Year around the corner, why not start 2018 in a happy place?
2-minute Home-Satisfaction test
On a scale of 1-10, how true are the following:
- I feel relaxed and in harmony with my home
- I feel inspired and content when I look around my home
- I have no desire to add or change anything to my home
- I have the home I’ve always dreamed of
- My home reflects perfectly who I am
- I am proud of my home when I entertain guests
If you scored a perfect 60, congratulations, your personal home space is a temple.
If you scored less then 48, then maybe you should consider changing your home style to a more balanced yet functional beauty.
Happy home vision
When I walk into a room, I can instantly see what needs to be done to create a space that matches the homeowner’s vision.
I sense the energy of the room, taking in the colours and shapes, and start designing on my notepad a desired version of the room. After a chat with the owner, and a little brainstorming, I offer a few suggestions.
One of my most common recommendations is to objectively look at your furnishings and home accessories, which should give an interior a personal touch. When done well – grouping them in interesting patterns and displaying them where they can shine – they tell the story you want to be told. When cluttered or mismatched, they are noise and distracting.
Decluttering
Sometimes all a home needs is a few minor changes, a reshuffling or a decluttering. A home has to be functional and its objects should play a practical role.
It’s not always a question of acquiring more things to restore the room’s balance. In fact, objects that no longer serve a purpose should be thanked for good service and retired. “Less is more” is still valid in interior design.
There are plenty of online portals where you can donate or sell items you no longer want. Try “Monaco, Buy it, Sell it, Rent it” or search for the nearest “Vide grenier”.
Home accessories shopping
Other times, a home needs a few additions. Pillows, blankets, candleholders and mirrors are the most functional items and create the most warmth in a room.
I have a long list of home accessories and furniture contacts for different home styles and know where to take clients shopping and/or do the shopping for them.
Down to a fine art
One of the biggest and most universal mistakes people make when hanging art – however expensive or magnificent the piece – is to either cover an existing hole or spot on a wall, or to use the last available space in between furniture or other artworks. Symmetry, esthetics and the visual lifting up of a room, all need to be taken into account. Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder but hung properly a work of art can be appreciated by everyone in your happy home.
With access to contemporary artists worldwide, Galerie OSCAR “Brings Art to Real Living Spaces” to Monaco and the French Riviera. This year, Galerie OSCAR launched an interior decoration and styling service, which includes personal shopping. Article first published December 28, 2017.
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