So you’ve landed on your dream home exterior – but what about the inside?
Approaching the interior design of your home can be daunting. It’s quite a mission to curate your space in a way that reflects your personality and lifestyle needs.
The first step in curating a home you love is deciding on a style you’d like to emulate, and then sticking to this aesthetic throughout your home. Drawing inspiration from one style will create a sense of visual cohesion and harmony in your space, and it also makes it much easier to narrow down options when shopping for a new piece.
Here, we’ve compiled seven of our favourite interior design style to help you discover which styles you’re drawn to and ultimately, design a home that captures the very essence of you.
Source: Shuttershock.
Contemporary
At Sienna Homes, many of our clients opt for a chic, contemporary look. The key to achieving this aesthetic is to keep the design simple, smart and sophisticated.
Play with a monochromatic colour scheme or neutral, earthy tones to create a harmonious palette, and add sleek design elements and features to give your home that wow factor.
Clutter is a no-no when it comes to contemporary design, and thankfully you’ll have plenty of space to store things away as we pride ourselves on ensuring all our home designs feature plenty of storage space.
When executed well, contemporary homes achieve a totally zen feel, which is guaranteed to make your home feel like a tranquil refuge.
The Hudson 30. Source: Sienna Homes.
Warm Minimalistic
If you like contemporary design but prefer a warmer, more inviting palette, warm minimalistic is for you.
Warm minimalism adds a cosy new dimension to the more traditional monochromatic look and geometric orderliness of contemporary spaces.
Our Camden display home embraces this style with a warmer colour palette – but one that’s still muted and neutral, for a natural feel. Think blonde timbers and earthy tones, paired with soft textures for maximum cosiness.
The Camden 42. Source: Sienna Homes.
Coastal
The coastal style pays homage to the seaside – but it’s come a long way from simply sand-and-blue tones and shell motifs. Embrace the textural and sensory experience of the seaside with natural materials, untreated timbers, indoor foliage and salvaged secondhand wares.
The coastal style can be just as diverse as the scenic spots around the world that inspire it, so think outside the box. Decorate your space with bright linens for a crisp aesthetic, or play with darker tones to evoke a brooding stormy sea.
You might like to emulate a pebbled Mediterranean resort or another destination that transports you to your happy place. Build your colour palette from the things you love about that location – perhaps Aperol, limestone, terracotta, gelato, fig, pesto or citrus – and your home will always feel like summer.
The Felix 42. Source: Sienna Homes.
Transitional
As the name suggests, transitional designs borrow and blend elements from various other styles. Think traditional bones, like a classic hardwood bench, with modern accents, like funky cushions or contemporary wall hangings.
The idea isn’t to create a visually confusing jumble of design concepts; but rather, weave objects, finishes and colours together to create a sense of harmony.
Transitional design might sound daunting, but it really is quite simple, so long as you mimic certain features throughout the home.
You might choose a certain texture to echo throughout your space, or perhaps select objects with a similar silhouette. Even if these pieces come from different places and decades, they will create a sense of cohesion throughout your home.
Eclectic
Eclectic designs also lend design elements from different styles and eras. The difference: where the transitional style seeks to create a sense of visual continuity, the eclectic style plays daringly with contrast.
Eclectic design is all about being playful, bold and experimental. Embrace bright colours, eccentric textures and the art of layering – and you’ll soon have a unique and intriguing home. To the untrained eye, an eclectically styled space might appear ad-hoc and even chaotic, but often these rooms are meticulously curated for maximum visual impact.
The key is to juxtapose opposing elements – soft and hard textures; shiny and matte finishes – and choose pieces with similar lines, shapes, textures and colours to cultivate a sense of cohesion.
Transitional. The Miller 43. Source: Sienna Homes.
Eclectic. The Lennox 20. Source: Sienna Homes.
Mid-Century Modern
You will have noticed an upswing in mid-century modern designs over the past few years. Subtle but quirky, nostalgic without being old-fashioned – there’s a lot to love about this style.
When furnishing your space, opt for unfussy pieces featuring structured, clean lines and interesting silhouettes. For an inviting mid-century modern space, consider low-back sofas, hairpin legs, minimal clutter and muted, moody tones, like olive and burnt orange.
If you’re not sure where to start with min-century styling, start with a statement piece of furniture to build your aesthetic around. This might be a curved velvet couch, or an eye-catching marble and walnut coffee table. Whatever it is, it should draw attention and break up the minimalism of the rest of the space.
Mid Century Modern. Source: Shuttershock.
Industrial Chic
Functionality is the order of the day in an industrial chic space – but that doesn’t mean it can’t look fantastic too.
To achieve this look, you’ll want to incorporate raw elements, materials and finishes. Think exposed wood, brick, concrete and metal. And instead of concealing mechanical elements like pipes or wiring, leave them exposed for visual interest.
Unlike other styles where consistency and cohesion are essential to envoke a sense of harmony in a space, industrical chic spaces embrace unique and mismatched items, and in fact, this is often what gives the style its charm.
If you’re an avid antiquer or op-shopper, repurposed or upcycled gems are perfect for any industrial chic space. This makes it the ideal look for decorators on a budget too!
Industrial Chic. Source: Shuttershock.
Industrial Chic. Source: Shuttershock.
Cottage
Cottage style homes are nostalgic, quaint, warm and cosy: the visual equivalent of curling up by a fire with a good book and a cup of tea. Cottage interiors often feature French provincial elements – but really, this style can be what you make it.
Be careful to include just the right number of trinkets and contrasting textures, ensuring your home still speaks for itself. DIY statement furnishings can really bring this style to life, so be sure to get creative and take risks.
Cottage designs are fussier than contemporary and cutesier than coastal, but vintage touches can make this style look mature and sophisticated. Stick to pieces that look and feel warm and inviting, and you’ll soon have a gorgeous sanctuary to call home.
Cottage. Source: Shuttershock.
Feeling inspired?
Talk to the Sienna Homes design experts today and let’s create a home you’ll never want to leave.