A home is said to be a castle. But when you stop to think about it, your home is more than your castle. It does much more than keep you safe and warm. What is that elusive something that makes your home special? It’s you.

That’s right, your home is a reflection of you. Everything in it, from the color of the walls to the stylish small stuff, reflects your personality. If you’ve done your job right, a stranger walking into the house should immediately get a feel for the type of person you are.

Are you an artist, an adventurer, a poet, or a philosopher? Your home should reflect these deeper traits of your personality.In essence, then, a home does much more than speak about your sense of style; it also expresses what you find meaningful:

 

·  If you live life to the full, your house expresses that élan vital.

·  If you are a warm, caring, and compassionate person, your home should hint at the fullness of your heart.

·  If you think deeply about things, your house whispers about your love of mystery and wonder.

 

Even the smallest piece of décor makes a big statement. That souvenir from Thailand reminds you of your backpacking adventure. That photograph of your mother reminds you of your happy childhood. That piece of driftwood on the mantelpiece evokes a magical evening in Hawaii.

You aren’t just surrounded by things, by mere stuff, you’re surrounded by specific things that remind you of the highlights of your life.

 

When you decide to enhance your home, it’s not for your visitors–they just happen to be lucky beneficiaries–it’s for you.With that in mind, here are 5 ideas on how you should be thinking when it comes to deciding what you need to do to spruce up the look and feel of your home:

 

 

Walls can be interesting. They can be bold colors that contrast with your furnishings or custom wall murals that stun visitors with their vivid colors or engaging images. Why not make some of your walls more than walls? Make them part of your décor.

 

 

Bathrooms the world over tend to be dull places. Utilitarian. Boring. Predictable. But they don’t have to be.

Add a verdant green or an azure blue for cool tones. Add a burnt orange or some autumnal shade for warm tones.

Try wild things, like color contrasts or a painted life-sized dolphin in the shower stall. Add a crystal vase with

gorgeous flowers. Imagine how good you’ll feel primping in a place vibrant with life. It will set your whole day.

 

 

How do you create a living room with ambiance? How do you make visitors fill welcome? Ambiance is created by balancing things out. When thinking of furniture, think about proportion and scale. When thinking of décor, think about color, pattern, trim, and texture. Also, add contrast, to bring out certain elements that you want to stand out.

 

 

Bedrooms can be much more than beds, bedside tables, and dressers; they can be transformed by surrounding yourself with things you love.If you love astronomy, add some framed star charts. If you love visiting exotic beaches around the world, add some seashells you found to your shelves. If you love a certain sport, add signed souvenirs from your favorite players. The idea is to create inspirational memorabilia or paintings to your bedroom to make it deeply personal.

 

 

The deliberate application of color or patterns to a small space like stair risers can make a huge difference to brightening up your home. Find small, drab places in your home and figure out how to make them interesting.

 

 

Your home can be more than a functional place. It can be a story about your adventures. Pick a theme and develop it in small ways throughout your house.

 

 

There are many ways you can add warmth to your house—from the colors of the walls to the lighting. A warm house will make you feel much more at home. A cold house, by contrast, is utilitarian. It’s all about functionality, without personality.

 

 

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to imbue your whole house, the inside and the outside, with your unique personality. When it comes to how to design your perfect home, there are no standard ways on how to do it.

Instead, you have to think about the things that make you different. To do this, make a list of your interests, your passions, or the things that fascinate you. Once you have an idea about what makes you special, imbue the entire house with a trace of who you are and what you believe in.