8 Ways to Play Up Contrast in Your Home Interior

One of the most essential tactics in creating an impressive interior design is to play up contrast. What a lot of people do not understand is contrast has the ability to create a balanced appearance. It can also make the design more visually appealing and interesting.

Therefore, if you’re thinking of decorating your home and you want a design that creates a sense of continuity but does not look boring at all, discover the different ways by which you can play up contrast. Here are eight ways for you to easily achieve it.

interior design

1. Layer fabrics

Indeed, one of the foolproof ways to incorporate high contrast into the interior design of your home is by layering fabrics. You can do this through the use of rugs; you can combine different materials of carpets and rugs to define specific areas in your home. 

If you haven’t tried layering different kinds of rugs in your home before, here’s an idea: start by carpeting a large area of your house. It’s best to use a classy carpet design which you can get from top carpet suppliers in the UAE. Afterwards, place an intricately designed area rug on top of it, and for the final touch, use an asymmetrical faux sheepskin rug, which will add a third texture and further define the space.

2. Use vibrantly coloured accessories to bring life to a rather monochromatic and neutral colour scheme

Even in the Scandinavian region whose people are known for mostly preferring the minimalist white and grey palette they use for their homes, they still make sure to add contrasting pops of colour in strategic places. You will find that they use a lot of small kitschy decor in bright hues. 

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Use the same design approach for your space. Popular colours of choices for small decorative items according to interior designers are teal, yellow, and red. These hues easily stand out. Therefore, despite their size, they provide enough contrast to make any room more inviting.

Another thing that you can do to break the monotony of colours in a room is through your upholstered furniture. Consider having your couches and armchairs customised using contrasting hues of Crevin fabric. For example, wrap the frame of a sofa with a neutral tone of textile, and then use different textures and high-contrast colours of material for the cushions.

3. Use two dominant shapes throughout your home

Doing this contrasting technique will soften the sharp edges of angular furniture and also introduce artistic shapes without making the interior design too busy. 

One of the easiest ways to implement this technique is through the first tactic shared above. Why not place a round or oval accent rug on top of a rectangular carpet? Or, cover oblong tables with a square-shaped tablecloth.

And, if you are interested in creating a new shape. This is just a matter of layering placement. For instance, make the smaller, top layer of rug extend outside one edge of the bigger rug. It’s a simple tweak that makes use of the dominant shapes and creates a lovely visual impact.

4. Colour block your walls

Another vital lesson when playing up contrast at home is never to pass on the prints. However, break them up with a pretty block of colour. You can do this by using both decorative concrete paint and wallpaper.

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For example, if you like the look of geometric shapes for a mod vibe in children’s rooms or a craft room, you can break the pattern beautifully by working in a luxurious block of colour. Quite the trend these days is the combination of black or deep grey prints and soft pastel paints.

5. Pair antiques with new items

This design tip is a breeze to pull off if you have an eclectic style and you enjoy shopping for house implements from different places such as thrift stores, online sites, and modern furniture shops.

Couple vintage or dated items with modern pieces; one thing you can do is to use colourful, old books from the thrift store as accents on a contemporary coffee table or desk. Another idea to consider is using modern art as a backdrop for antique furniture. Or, pair a modern lamp or chair with an antique table.

6. Marry inside and outside “beautility” implements

Do not hesitate to combine inside and outside decor and furniture in creating beautiful rooms. For instance, you can use garden furniture for your sunroom.

Also, try working in more organic materials into your home, such as shell or slate and combining them with velvet, silk, and other expensive fabrics typically only used inside the home.

7. Enhance a contemporary interior with salvaged finds

Get creative with your decor and find alternative ways to use particular items. In Darryl Carter’s “The Collected Home: Rooms with Style, Grace, and History,” he advises homeowners to work in salvaged architectural elements into modern homes. This automatically brings character to any space.

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The combination of old and new will not just infuse character to your home, but it’s also a fantastic way to be green or environmentally responsible. Some of the architectural elements that work extremely well in contemporary homes are reclaimed wood (which looks magnificent when used as exposed beams for high ceilings), distressed Belgian shutters, and reclaimed marble slabs from old buildings.

8. Get cheeky with vintage-style appliances that make use of digital technology

This is a contrast that is often unexpected. However, there’s a growing number of appliance stores that are selling vintage-looking appliances that actually function using smart technology — these are called “retro-style tech.”

These are worthy investments if you like old or classic styles but also enjoy the convenience provided by the latest technology. Some of the vintage appliances you can find that use advanced technology are refrigerators, radios, telephones, antiquated iDevice speakers, and retro television iPad docks.

There you have them, eight easy ways to make use of contrast to elevate the style of your home. There are still so many other ideas that you can play with that can play up contrasts in your home interior design. But, hopefully, these can get you started and would be enough in helping you create a delightfully stylish home you’ll enjoy.

Author Bio

James Prathap is the General Manager at NGC Nafees, one of the leading distributors of wallpapers, floorings, and fabrics in the Middle East and South Asia. Formed three decades ago, the business also offers high-quality panoramics, coordinated fabrics, and creative stickers for residential and commercial projects.