Home Decor Ideas

Cozy minimalism is everywhere these days. We’ll show you why. Image: Studio Morton

Does “cozy minimalism” sounds like an oxymoron? If you think it does, you’re not alone. However, this intriguing home décor style is a situation in which opposites definitely attract. The look is steadily becoming one of the most popular aesthetics in today’s landscape—and it’s not hard to see why people are falling in love.

If you’re searching for a design style that effortlessly blends comfort with functionality, search no more. We’ve outlined exactly why this look works as well as it does, including a few pointers on how you can pull the look together.

Cozy minimalism works because it’s a happy medium. Image: Intro

Why cozy minimalism works

Put simply, cozy minimalism is a reaction to extremes. A few decades ago, interior design followed the motto of “more is more.” We saw rooms crammed to the gills with big, heavy furniture pieces, layers upon layers of fabrics, and more accessories than we could count. Rooms often felt cramped, even if they were sizable—it was just a little too much.

Then, trends headed in the opposite direction, as ultra-minimalism became the style du jour. People began to favor huge, nearly-empty rooms that were based entirely on functionality. Furniture styles became slim and lightweight, and there was hardly an accessory in sight, yielding interiors that often felt stark and overly clinical.

Cozy minimalism works because it’s a happy medium. This look utilizes the best parts of a function-forward design and combines them with just enough aesthetic detail to make your interiors feel comfortable and welcoming.

Start by building around a functional base. Image: papac media AB

Create a functional base

When building a cozy minimalist look, it’s absolutely key to make functionality the star. Do this by building the room around your furniture. If you’re designing a bedroom, let the bed be the focal point without much else to distract the eye. If it’s a living area, focus your design on one main seating area. The key is to let the rest of your design elements play a supporting role to the furniture, rather than stealing attention away.

In terms of which furniture you should use: borrow from a minimalist aesthetic. Focus on choosing pieces that are sleeker, without too much visual weight to them. Keep it simple—you’ll have plenty of time to focus on aesthetic additions later.

Infuse ‘coziness’ by adding in plenty of texture. Image: Naor Suzumori Architecture D.P.C.

Layer in some texture

Once you have the base of the room in place, shift your focus to the “cozy” part of the equation. For that, you should focus on layering design elements together. In particular, you’ll layer pieces that create a contrast with each other texturally. Doing so helps the room appear much more interesting, and also helps it feel purposefully put together.

The above photo is an excellent example of layering the right way. Remember: texture refers to the way an item looks like it feels. In the photo, a woven rug, a rough wood nightstand, plush bedding, and a soft and furry blanket all intermingle, creating intriguing visual interest.

You don’t have to follow these layers exactly, but the goal is to create a sense of contrast between each one. One word of caution: As you select the items you intend to layer, make sure they have enough in common to somehow tie them together. In this case, the designer stuck to a neutral color palette, but you could also layer by using a recurring color or pattern.

Accessories give cozy minimalism its personality. Image: Issie-Mae Interior Design

Don’t skimp on accessories

Other than texture, accessories are the best way to add interest to a cozy minimalist room. An “accessory” is considered as anything that adds aesthetic value to a room. In some cases, it can also serve some sort of functional purpose, but that’s not always necessary.

If you’re stuck on which kinds of accessories to add to the room, here are a few common examples:

• Area rugs
• Throw pillows and blankets
• Wall art and mirrors
• Decorative bowls and trays
• Coffee table books
• Candles
• Picture frames
• Plants, flowers, and vases
• Décor items

Adding in accessories is all about providing variety while preserving balance. You’ll want to add in enough of these items so that the room feels intentionally designed, rather than hastily put together. However, at the same time, your space shouldn’t feel cluttered. Use your best judgment to find the happy medium between the two, and don’t be afraid to tweak your design as you go along.

Why not give cozy minimalism a try in your interiors. Image: Scandinavian Homes

Cozy minimalism works well because it provides your space with the best of both worlds: practical functionality and minimalism, with none of the starkness. If you’re ready to join the trend, keep this post handy, and create the perfect balance for your home.

What do you think of cozy minimalism design? Will you be trying out this look in your own home? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

The post How to Pull off Cozy Minimalism: A Perfect Blend of Two Opposing Styles appeared first on Freshome.com.

What if we told you that decorating with chalkboard paint can be totally grown up and chic? We’re not talking about the old-school green chalkboards of the past.

You can buy black chalkboard paint at most home improvement stores for less than $10 and paint a wall all by yourself in just a few hours. And the look is very cool, even if you refrain from scribbling all over the wall.

Why is decorating with chalkboard paint a thing?

1. The color black is hot in the world of design. Black and white particularly have become the contemporary go-to color combo in the last few years.
2. The black chalkboard paint you find today is matte in finish. The flat matte finish, paired with the rich black tone, adds a modern contrast to most neutrals and whites.
3. And after some time, the chalk starts giving the black chalkboard paint a dusty patina and texture you can’t get from ordinary paint. It starts to look more like a limestone or slate wall than an ordinary chalkboard paint finish.

The matte black finish of chalkboard paint adds a rich, stone-like feel to a wall. Image: Form + Field

Check out these chalkboard paint ideas for inspiration. You might find that decorating with chalkboard paint is an easy way to add new life to a spot in your home.

Decorating with chalkboard paint ideas for the kitchen

Swap out tile for a black chalkboard backsplash where you can add your grocery list or other doodles. Image: Shootin

A black chalkboard wall works very well in a farmhouse-style kitchen. Image: Larson & Paul

The black chalkboard wall provides contrast in this small white kitchen and ends up becoming the focal point. Image: Domus Nova

A chalkboard wall in the kitchen is perfect for messages from guests and your favorite inspirational quotes. Image: Meucci

Create your own coffee or wine bar using chalkboard paint

Designate a kitchen spot to creating a space any barista would love. Image: Homeclick

A small counter spot, your coffee appliances and a chalkboard paint wall featuring a coffee menu or favorite doodles can add some fun to your morning coffee routine. Image: Olaf Hajek

Paint a wall with chalkboard paint to create a wine wall featuring wine bottles and favorite wine quotes. Image: Our Vintage Home Love

Decorating with chalkboard paint ideas for the living room

A mid-century modern living room features a large, chalkboard focal wall that changes daily. Image: Lubrano Ciavarra

Not all decorating with chalkboard paint ideas involve painting the entire wall. You can also paint a section, like in this contemporary living room. Image: Dupuis Design

The chalkboard paint panel in this living room is indigo blue. If you want a chalkboard in a unique color, pick a rich shade of your choice in a water-based flat finish. Image: Shappacher White

A Nashville home with a personal touch. Image: Paragon Group

Chalkboard paint walls in the bedroom

Personalize wall space in a shared bedroom by painting the bunk bed wall with chalkboard paint. Image: Suzanna Santostefano

The black chalkboard wall adds a warm, intimate feel to this bedroom. Image: Love Coming Home

Chalkboard paint ideas for a functional and fashionable workspace

When desktop space is precious, convert the wall behind the desk into an extension of it. Image: DIY.com

A craft room gets a large chalkboard for planning out crafts and projects. Image: Studio Morton

A two-tone wall of black chalkboard paint and white paint adds polish to this small desk space. Image: Pretty Nice

The black matte finish of the chalkboard paint corner adds architectural interest to this open loft space. Image: Studio Maya

Chalkboard paint ideas for the artist

A chalkboard paint wall is perfect for the resident artist. It’s like an ever-changing gallery. Image: Bazant

When you’re talented enough to sketch, a chalkboard wall provides you with the space and flexibility to show your work all year. Image: Alt Digital Photography

Now that you know how simple it is to add some chalkboard paint to a wall or section of your home, which idea do you want to try?

The post The Writing’s on the Wall: 20 Decorating With Chalkboard Paint Ideas appeared first on Freshome.com.

It is possible to keep a renovation on budget. We’ll tell you how. Image: Darren James Interiors

Keeping a renovation on budget is a top priority for a lot of homeowners, but many find it much easier said than done. Renovations are variable by nature, so if you don’t stay on top of your costs and fees, they can easily add up — and leave you with a final bill you’re unprepared to handle.

We’re here to help prevent that. With just a little planning and diligence on your end, it’s completely possible to keep your renovation budget under control. Don’t believe us? Keep reading. Below are some of our best tips for staying on top of your remodeling costs. Whether you are renovating now or in the future, it never hurts to be prepared.

Start your project by making a realistic budget. Image: Arbib Hughey Design

Be realistic from the start

Too often, when people try to save money during a renovation, they make the mistake of setting their budget too low. They try to cut corners by saying they’ll do work themselves or shop around until they find wholesale materials and create their budget using these anticipated figures. And if they’re unable to stick to these promises, they’ve already set themselves up for sizable overages.

The better thing to do is be honest about how far you’re willing to go to save money, even if it ends up inflating your initial budget more than you’d hoped. If you know you’re not one for DIY, be realistic about how much it will cost to hire a pro in your area. Work your budget off of a middle-of-the-road estimate rather than the most affordable.

Remember, the whole point of having a budget is to feel prepared. If you work out realistic figures and decide those numbers are too expensive, you can always hold off on the renovation while you save up enough money.

Give contractors specific details about your vision for the project. Image: Highgate House

Get specific about what you want

Have you ever gotten quotes from contractors only to have them come back with wildly different estimates? If this has happened to you, it’s likely you weren’t able to offer many specifics when talking about your vision for the project. This led the contractors to fill in the gaps with their best guesses, which may or may not be in line with what you’re hoping for.

When you have to stick to a budget, specificity is one of the best tools at your disposal. The more you can tell your contractors about what you want the end product to look like, the closer they’ll get to a realistic estimate of your final bill. Ideally, your goal should be to get so specific that the only variances between each company’s estimate are labor costs and fees.

To pull this off, you need to do your research. Before you hire a contractor, make sure you have a clear picture of what you want the end product to look like. Think about the materials you want to use and what changes you want to make to your current layout. Use sites like Freshome as a starting point for design inspiration.

Don’t let changed plans blow your budget out of the water. Image: The House Designers

Stick to the plan

Once a remodel is underway, it can be tempting to add on to it. All of a sudden you may find yourself standing in your kitchen remodel, looking at the dated flooring in your living area and thinking that could use a makeover as well. While it may be easier to take care of that project while your house is already torn apart, if sticking to your budget is your first priority, we’d advise against following this urge.

If you keep adding to your project’s to-do list — or changing your mind about what you want midway through — it’s going to come at an added cost. Plus, you likely won’t have as much control over what those costs will be. At that point, you’re at the mercy of your contractor’s judgment and you likely won’t even know the full extent of the charges until you have the final bill in hand.

Instead, it’s best to stick to the plan you have in place. File away that other project on your mental to-do list of home maintenance tasks and treat it as it’s own entity. Take the time to plan and budget it the same way you did your current remodel. That way, even if it happens shortly after this project, you’ll feel in control of your spending.

Leave room in your budget for unexpected incidentals. Image: CMM Custom Homes

Plan for the unexpected

That said, even the tightest remodeling budgets need to have wiggle room to cover unforeseen expenses. Sometimes remodeling uncovers a maintenance issue that needs to be taken care of and sometimes it really is worth the cost of changing your vision along the way. Plan for these costs ahead of time, so you’re not surprised as they crop up.

Conventional wisdom says to add 15-20% on top of your winning contractor’s estimate to safely account for these contingencies. That may seem like a lot, but this is one occasion where it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you don’t have enough room in your budget to cover that amount, you may want to take more time to save or scale back the project.

Use these tips to help you finish your renovation on budget — or even under. Image: Evens Architects

Let’s face it: It’s incredibly easy to blow your budget out of the water when remodeling your home. While keeping the renovation on budget may take more work than letting the costs add up, it’s far from impossible. Let these tips help you pull it off. Whether you’re planning a renovation now or sometime in the future, this advice can make all the difference in your ability to keep the budget under control.

Have you ever budgeted for a remodel of your own? Do you have any tips or advice to add to this list? Share them with us in the comments.

The post Everything You Need to Know About Keeping Your Renovation on Budget appeared first on Freshome.com.

Joanna Gaines just released her Easter collection for her Hearth & Hand With Magnolia collection at Target — and it’s perfect. The pieces have the modern farmhouse vibe with a little bit of Easter fun. And they’re affordable — what more can anyone ask for?

“I love everything about this collection and truly believe it embodies the spirit of Magnolia,” says Gaines. It wasn’t easy for her to narrow it down to just six favorites, but here they are:

1. Two-Tier Wood & Metal Cake Stand, $33

“This 2-tiered server is great because it maximizes vertical space, and I love the mix of the galvanized metal and wood,” she says.

2. Bunny Serve Bowl, $25

This bowl with the bunnies for handles is both polished AND fun. If you can’t get enough of the bunnies, check out the Bunny Egg Cup.

3. Jade Glassware Pedestal Dessert Bowl, $6

Vintage Jadeite isn’t easy to find. And you’d pay a pretty penny for it in an antique store. Chip and Joanna love the collection, which includes dessert plates, a cupcake stand and salt and pepper shakers.

4. Glass Fluted Tumbler, $4

This elegant crystal tumbler is affordable and dishwasher safe. According to Joanna, “The goblet-inspired silhouette & subtle details complete the table & draw just enough attention to themselves.”

5. Stoneware Loaf Pan, $17

“The design gives this bakeware extra character,” she says. “I love that it’s beautiful enough to go straight from the oven to your tabletop.”

6. Serving Platter, $30

The beaded detail and stoneware finish are quintessentially Joanna. “It’s all in the details,” she says. “Beaded edges are just the thing to take these serving pieces up a notch.”

Check out more of her Easter collection here or her Hearth & Hand with Magnolia line here.

The post Here Are Joanna Gaines’ 6 Favorite Pieces From Her Easter Hearth & Hand With Magnolia Collection at Target appeared first on Freshome.com.