When people think "aesthetic" in interior design, their minds often go straight to display decorative books from well-known luxury Houses on open shelves or coffee tables.
However aesthetic spaces are a bit more subtle in nature.
Let’s talk about creating an aesthetic space that you love and where you still feel comfortable.
I will also share with you few tips and decor tools that will help you to get started.
Photo credit: Alexander Design
In my specific case, the word "aesthetic" resonates deeply because I have worked for a very long time - more than seven years - within the luxury fragrances & cosmetics industry. So I know exactly the meaning and purpose of aesthetic in the common sense.
In the worlds of fashion and interior design, aesthetic has broader and more complex meaning. What is very interesting to notice is that they are both linked by the art culture through this notion of aesthetic.
I have worked for Chanel for seven years and during that wonderful experience, I realized the importance of art in luxury fashion. Indeed, the biggest fashion designers draw their inspirations from art for their collections. Actually, this jumped out at me for the first time when I got the chance to visit Gabrielle Chanel's apartment full of art pieces. After this experience, I started to go to different places such as the Galliera Museum or the Museum of Decorative Arts to discover amazing exhibitions about art, fashion & interior design.
Lately, I also visited the recently renovated Lome Palace in Togo promoting the Togolese art culture. I discovered the work of the designer Kossi Aguessy and I was really amazed by these wonderful and unique pieces he designed.
Today, thanks to these different experiences, aesthetic became my main source of inspiration when designing a project.
What does it mean to have an aesthetic house?
The term "aesthetic" itself is a super trendy term right now in interior design. But its meaning can be different from a person to another because it depends completely on your lifestyle & personality.
An aesthetic house is all about creating a wonderful and dream space that reflects your personal tastes, despite what the current trends. It's about cultivating a visually appealing and pleasant place integrating decorative elements that are attractive to you and where you can feel comfortable and stylish at the same time.
Therefore, creating an aesthetic space is 100% unique to you!
Photo source: Pinterest
What are my top 10 tips to keep in mind when you consider making your home visually more aesthetic?
1. Incorporate decorative elements that evoke your own passions, holidays and travel memories. All things will provide you that good vibes & feelings. As example, you can create open-concept shelves and display vinyl discs or books. It can be also, a design magazine rack with your favorite ones. A gallery wall with beautiful black/white personal photos or pictures that make you smile and feel good just by seeing it, is also a great solution especially if the place has a high ceiling.
2. As already discussed above, art is a great way to personalize your space according to your personal tastes and make it feel more like your own. You can hang or display pieces of art, sculptures, vases, ceramics, paintings that speak to you and that you took time to curate in a mindful way.
3. An aesthetic space can be designed in all interior design styles. Whether you prefer African, beach side, Scandinavian, boho chic or transitional interior styles, you can always create an aesthetically beautiful space. Don’t hesitate to mix and match decorative pieces from different styles to create a unique aesthetic and inviting space. There is no rules but the aim is not to blend lots of trinkets that have no link at all. Keep following a red thread in your decoration in terms of colors, patterns, tons, materials, textures in order to make the whole atmosphere the most harmonious.
4. Combine raw, unfinished materials with clean lines and geometric shapes. This will create a balance in your space and provide a deeper warmness and welcoming feeling that helps in aesthetic.
5. Light can have a huge impact on the overall aesthetic of your space. For instance, choose light textiles in terms of weight & color for curtains like off-white linen to let the natural light enter into the space at the highest level. Arrange a large floor or wall mirror and select furnitures with glass to enhance natural light reflexion. You can also replace lightings & switches by new and more contemporary ones. That will definitely change the whole ambiance and make it more appealing and inviting.
Photo source: Pinterest
6. Whatever the interior style you choose, adding greenery is always a good idea. Choose some beautiful indoor plants that can also reflect your personality in a sense. Some are classy, discreet, exuberant, fancy, exotic or zen. It will bring life into the space and make it more soothing and charming. Check out my previous article to learn more about indoor plants
7. Optimize the interior flow by moving the furniture layout paying attention to the natural movement of people and air between rooms. The layout of a space will play a key role in aesthetic. As example, if you live in an open concept house, the design and decorative choices should be mindful to get harmony between the different areas (living room, dining room, kitchen). You can also take Feng Shui concepts into consideration to help you!
8. Have a minimalist approach by organising your space and keep things clean, simple and uncluttered. Get rid of unnecessary items make a space undoubtedly and instantly more pleasant and aesthetic.
9. Never forget to take into consideration your lifestyle and how you actually live in your home when making aesthetic choices. If you have young children, for example, it might not be realistic to choose super delicate or fragile items as part of your aesthetic. Be patient and wait until they are able to walk in the house instead of running everywhere for your peace of mind!
10. Last but not least: As much as we are often super excited to spend a lot of money on designer pieces that will beautify our interior, make sure to respect your budget to avoid being “broke”! And above all, by having a keen eye on the material quality, you can curate & find perfectly made and very affordable pieces that will flawlessly match with more expensive ones. Therefore, the key is to find a balance and define by priority which piece in the room deserve to break the bank. If you don’t have time, it might be worth investing in a professional interior designer for help to avoid big mistakes!
Cover photo credit: Alexander Design
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