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How to Layer for Comfort at Home

With the season cooling off, we are all packing on a few extra layers to keep cosy and warm – but what about your house? How do you make it feel cosy at home as the mercury drops? No, we don’t mean you should put a scarf around your chimney or some mittens on the pipes 😂 We’re talking about using decor as a tool to layer inside your home in a way that makes being at home just a little cosier but also a little more beautiful than it was before.

Why Layer?

OK – other than it getting a little chilly outside and seeking ALLL the throw blankets to toss on the couch – why should you bother to layer your home anyways? The answer is simple – it can make your space feel significantly more polished and comfortable than ever before. With us all hanging out at our own abodes more than ever this year (thanks 2020) , making our spaces feel as inviting and welcoming to our own selves is more important than ever. That, and the following more ~designer-y~ reasons:

  • Depth – sure you can pick one or two great pieces that match, or buy one of those horrible (sorry not sorry) furniture sets that is all matchy-matchy down to the fabrics. This is fine and all, but you lack so much depth in a space when you do not mix textures, materials and patterns. It’s basically the design equivalent to having a hot dog with just ketchup if you ask us.
  • Warmth – Going back to the whole one colour/material/pattern problem – it’s easy to lack warmth in a space where layering has not been applied and it will feel colder than January if you skip on key elements like rugs, throw pillows and blankets.
  • Personality – You could walk into Structube tomorrow and tell them to box up one of their living room vignettes, and yes, you’ll have fantastic pieces of course. However, you will not have any of your own story or memories or inspirations attached to it! Adding in a family heirloom, art you collected from a local artist or even some driftwood you picked up on your last trip to the beach can take it from ‘nice’ to ‘wow’!
  • Texture – We’ve said it once, we’ll say it again – MIX. YOUR. MATERIALS! You can mix different metals, wood tones and types of stone. Don’t be afraid to try it – you are not breaking a single design rule and it really elevates your space to a more professional level.

How to Layer Your Home Decor

If you’re ready to layer your home with texture – let’s dive into how you can accomplish it in almost any space with ease.

Time needed: 1 hour

Learn how to layer your home decor for a cohesive, cosy look in no time!

  1. Leave it all on the floor

    Start with your rug (even in carpeted rooms!) to define the space you’re creating. Rugs add texture and comfort right away, plus unsightly flooring you can’t or aren’t changing yet can be hidden away under a cute rug quite easily. It’s also an opportunity to introduce colour into the space in a subtle way.

  2. Go to the big pieces of furniture next

    Bring large pieces like beds, sofas or dining tables into the space first, decide where they should go and then place them appropriately. Think about how you’ll be using the space everyday when you think about the ‘flow’ of the room before committing to the layout.

  3. Add in smaller pieces of furniture after placing your rug(s)

    Once you know where the big, main pieces of furniture are going, and the ‘foundation’ (aka your rug) is laid out, bring in side tables, bookshelves, poufs, and other small accents to round out the main cast of characters in the space.

  4. Time for Window Treatments

    Window Treatments add softness and privacy, and can be a great place to put a textured neutral fabric to serve as a backdrop for years to come, even if you change out smaller elements of the space later on. You could also put some sheers behind your heavy drapery to add another layer to your windows that allow light to softly filter in without losing privacy.

  5. Wall Art Next

    Time to take it to the Walls next! Whether it’s artwork, photos, a quilt, or family finds hanging on your wall, layering in something of interest to you makes a room feel complete and helps tell your story. You can truly bring the space together with the right piece of art.

  6. Add ambient & task lighting

    There is a difference between kinds of lighting. There is natural daylight of course, then there is ambient lighting, like the lighting overhead, and task lighting, like lamps. You need a mix of all of these types of lighting to make a cosy space.

  7. Throw in the (throw) pillows

    Soft items like duvets, throw pillows and blankets add actual comfort and warmth but also a visual texture addition that will feel inviting and cosy right away.

  8. Accessorize right

    While we want to bring great accessories into the space, don’t just pick things that will become clutter over time. Choose select items that bring you happiness and joy, but also function! For example, a woven basket can store blankets, but also act as decor. Think of both function and fashion when choosing accessories.

  9. Bring nature in for a touch of outdoors in

    Whether you choose to bring back some pretty rocks from a hike, some driftwood from the beach, or want to add an indoor plant – nature belongs inside and outside and can really make your space feel complete and balanced. Plus some plants have qualities that purify your air – important for the cold winter ahead.

  10. Edit the look

    Once you’ve added the last trinket to your look, step back and try to take a photo that gets the whole space in. Review your photo – it is a really great way to remove yourself from the act of decorating and edit the look to your liking.

More Tips for Layering Your Home Decor

Overall, when layering your space keep these stages in mind, but we have a few more tips that should help you in general:

  1. Less is more! Don’t go overboard just because you want to have more going on. Think of Coco Chanel’s famous line about taking one accessory off before you leave the house – and apply it here.
  2. Think of the space as a curated collection, rather than just a room. If you were collecting all of these items, you’d want them to feel like they complement each other and also make each piece better by having them all together.
  3. Balance is important but perfect symmetry is not! Being overly symmetrical is the downfall of many layering hopefuls. It’s difficult to get a layered arrangement right when too many objects of identical dimensions are being used, and it’s nearly impossible when these objects are arranged as mirror images.

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