Home Furnishing Ideas- Jazz it Up with Themes

To start with the beginning, most people tend to get lost when they look at an empty room. They have so many ideas bubbling up inside their heads that they end up going to the store and buying things that they 'like the best'. This is where they go wrong. By not having a plan behind their purchases, they end up filling your room with pieces that at best somehow sit with each other and at worst clash like chalk and cheese.

You might think that you are not 'creative' enough to come up with a design plan but the truth is that almost anyone can make one. There are several easy ways of coming up with a décor and one of the easiest ways is to come up with a theme.

Now when I say theme, do not get carried away. Do not start thinking of elaborate decorations and props. Think more in terms of colors, shapes and material. Let's start you off with an example.

For my sister-in-law's living room, I chose the season of 'fall' as my theme. Hence, I started thinking of fallen leaves and the approaching windy winter. The brownish wallpaper she had gave me the idea. I started by choosing a sofa set that was done up in light brown tan and highlighted with dark straw colored stripes. For the centerpiece, I chose a nude finished dark glass topped wooden table with a modern abstract design. As you can understand by now, I am putting together the colors of the autumn with a hint of earthy and woody tones.

Now to offset the browns and dark yellows, I chose a carpet in faded lemon yellow. It added a mellow touch and was light enough to compliment the browns and darker yellows. Yet it wasn't bright enough to look out of place. I finished it off with a wooden wind chime hung near the largest and airiest window.

Thus by having a specific theme in my mind I was able to put together items that went well with each other.

As you think of your own themes, think of how they will suit the room you are using. A bedroom is a place where you would like to have soft and soothing colors with clear lines and soft edges. A study room should be serious and Spartan and so on.

So an ocean theme would work great on a bedroom while a sophisticated wood and stone look would suit a study. If you cannot think of a theme yet, start with your favorite colors and emotions. Once you open up your mind, there are a lot of ideas out there just waiting to happen.