5 Decor Ideas to Liven Up Your Home

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced most of us to stay at home to prevent the transmission of the virus. As we spend more time indoors, it’s important to take the time to organize and spruce up our homes-turned-offices. After all, good design, Psychology Today notes, can contribute to a better overall mental state. To help you out, we’ve compiled for you five décor tips to get you started:

Play with Textures

Add a pop of liveliness to an otherwise flat and boring room by incorporating and experimenting with different textures. Doing so is useful, especially if you’re big on neutral colors and don’t want to include hues that are too bold or loud.

One obvious way to do this is by using cushions or blankets, but you can also add textural accents with trinkets like lamps, baskets, dried flowers, or candles.

Use Eco-friendly Materials

There’s always been an ethical question when it comes to fast fashion and fast décor. As we become more environmentally conscious, the demand for sustainable products grows. The same can be said for interior design.

Luckily, there are a lot of materials to choose from that have a low environmental footprint. Furniture made from materials like timber, acacia, bamboo, and rattan, which are all sustainably sourced, are examples of these. The best part? They lend a warm earthiness to a space, which can help if you’re trying to achieve a more eclectic kind of look.

Make a Gallery Wall

An empty wall is like a blank canvas, and what better way to decorate it than to turn it into your personal gallery? For a more bohemian touch, HomeServe recommends starting with collecting things you love in print form – family photographs, original art, even newspaper clippings.

Once you’ve gathered enough material to cover your wall, it’s up to you how to arrange your frames. You could organize them into themes – family in one corner and friends in the other, for example – or you can do it randomly in a mixed arrangement, depending on your preferences.

Clean Up the Clutter

If your tastes skews towards a more minimalist style, you can take a cue from mid-century interior designs. Forbes notes the style’s enduring appeal, and for good reason.

The mid-century style emphasizes cleanliness, simple lines, flat planes, and plenty of light. You can mimic this in your own home by doing away with excess ornaments and adding as much natural light as possible to create the illusion of an expansive space. Books, nightstands, and coffee tables are also great fixtures and accessories you can use to draw the eye towards sharp geometric patterns.

Incorporate Nature-inspired Colors

With the pandemic depriving us of most of our outdoor activities, Architectural Digest predicts a trend of using nature-inspired tones in interior design this year.

Gemma Riberti, head of interiors at WGSN Lifestyle & Interiors, recommends using liberal swaths of deep greens and blues to relax the eyes and give you a much-needed dose of nature even as you stay indoors. If you have a garden, you can also pick out a few flowers to add as a colorful centerpiece to your room.

These tips can be useful for beginners looking for guidance on how to decorate their homes. But as we’ve previously mentioned here in our post How To Find Your Interior Design Style, your space is your own at the end of the day. Perhaps the best tip we could give you is to stay true to your own style. Everything else will follow.

Guest Dude: Pop by Hiral

I love seeing how other dudes and dudettes express their creativity, especially in the home. When I came across Pop by Hiral, I knew I had to get her to share the story behind her writing and uniquely illustrated art and decor. Based in Southern California, Hiral creates introspective prose and illustrations that allow viewers to reflect and rediscover themselves.

Here is her guest blog post, enjoy!

Hi, my name is Hiral. I’m a business owner, writer, artist, and philanthropist. I would say I’m best known for my compassion towards humanity, my ambition to help others heal, and my creative eye for design.

Growing up, I have always been into different forms of expression, from writing to speaking to playing music. But, I love the concept of words most, which is why writing has always been therapeutic for me. Through this I started @popbyhiral – an online destination that cultivates the deep enjoyment of my written words and illustrated drawings which express the different points of perception that POP up in my mind. Knowing I can help heal others and bring unity through the art of my words is the main reason why I continue to write.

I love using different mediums within my work as it’s visually pleasing to the mind for those who see and read it. I enjoy writing poetry, because it helps the reader understand feelings in a deeper perspective. I also write short quotes and encouraging messages to uplift others. I believe every form of writing communicates beauty and evokes emotion. I chose the name ‘POP by Hiral’ based on all the many topics and design ideas that would pop into my mind; be it through the different people that I meet, stories that I hear or read, music I listen to, interviews, podcasts, etc. – I gain inspiration everywhere!

Through developing @popbyhiral, I thought it would be great to introduce products to play as beautiful reminders to help you feel good and to feel more at peace within your soul. I design anything from prints, canvases, home decor, and accessories. I think my work can be best portrayed in a space where one needs most comfort, like anywhere in your home, your bedroom, your office space, etc. You can visit my website at: www.popbyhiral.com for more.

Whether it be my technical side or my creative side, I believe what makes me most successful is authenticity. It’s easy to get lost amidst what you see online or based on the timeline of other people’s success but staying absolutely true to yourself and to your purpose is what will set you up for your own greatness. Every individual’s path and story is different, which makes life interesting. As long as you continue to be authentic, I believe your highest heights can be reached. I’m looking forward to seeing how many lives I can POP up into, as I continue building this creative brand.

Make sure to check out Hiral’s beautiful work on her website. You are sure to find something inspiring!

Want to be featured on the Design Dudes blog or Instagram? Send me a message at heydesigndudes@gmail.com.

What is Mid Century Boho?

So, are you even allowed to combine interior design styles in the first place? I am here to tell you the simple answer, yes! Combining styles is a great way to make your space dynamic, and it serves as the perfect catalyst to compromise for couples and roommates. If you have two styles that you love and just can’t make up your mind like me, then combining them will bring you the best of both worlds. Let’s take a look at the two very different styles I chose to combine in my loft.

Defining Mid Century Style

Mid Century Modern refers to the time period during the middle of the 20th century when products and buildings were designed in line with the Modernist movement. The Mid Century aesthetic is defined by clean lines, simple shapes, and a focus on the materials used. It often places a high emphasis on function in addition to form, and takes into account lifestyle needs.

Basically, this style has many minimalist features and an overall bright and clean feeling for simple living.

Defining Boho Style

The boho or “bohemian” style embraces the eclectic and unique. Unlike the Mid Century aesthetic, boho embodies a maximalist lifestyle rather than a minimalist look. Boho interiors are curated with collections from travels, vintage finds, and unique pieces. Traditionally the style embraces natural elements as the base, like jute and wicker, and layers in bright jewel tones through the accessories.

Think of boho as an explosion of colors, textures, and special items on full display.

Why Blend Interior Design Styles

So, why blend these two looks? I have two main reasons for blending interior design styles that don’t seem to match at first glance.

1. Blending interior design styles creates contrast and tells a story.

When you walk into a room where everything matches, it can feel a bit boring. This is because none of the pieces are telling different stories. If all our friends had the same beliefs and opinions, we’d have a boring social circle. The same goes for the items in your home. You want items that contrast and form a unique conversation in the room. Pair new and old, metals and woods, bright colors and neutrals, they all have something to add to the mix.

2. Blending interior design styles is practical

Combining styles is practical when multiple people live in the space, or if you have items that don’t match your main style. For example, I love the Mid Century style and used it as the base for my loft. However, my art collection is anything but Mid Century and encompasses a wide array of pieces. That sounds a little boho, right? Adding additional boho elements made the art fit the space and also added a fun contrast to the clean lines.

Finding Your Blend of Decor Styles

Now, it is time to find your blend of decor styles! My suggestion is to find styles that contrast, but that also have some common element. For example both Mid Century and boho looks utilize a lot of bright accent colors like teal and burnt orange. They also both have ties to the 60s and 70s. (Hippies were the original bohemians, right?)

I would also recommend limiting yourself to two styles so that the look is intentional and not like a messy collection of indecisiveness. Some style duos have become so popular that they are a style in their own right. Traditional and contemporary were paired so frequently, that the transitional style was born as the perfect blend.

Of course, always remember that it is your space and your opinion is the most important thing.

Hope you dudes enjoyed!

If you have additional questions on blending styles, email me at heydesigndudes@gmail.com.

Need help pulling together your own blended space? Check out my design services.

What Is Mid Century Modern?

What is the Definition of Mid Century Modern?

Mid Century Modern is often abbreviated as MCM, and no it does not have anything to do with #ManCrushMonday. It refers to the time period during the middle of the 20th century, roughly the 1940s through 1970s, in which products and buildings were designed in line with the Modernist movement of the time. The Mid Century Modern aesthetic is defined by clean lines, simple shapes, and a focus on the materials used. It often placed a high emphasis on function in addition to form, and it took into account the lifestyle needs of the decades. A Mid Century Modern home may include features like post and beam construction to allow for large walls of glass, open floor plans for informal living, and front facing privacy walls for secluded courtyards.

mid century home — Example of Breeze Blocks

What Are The Key Features Of Mid Century Design?

Mid Century design is iconic, and there are a few architectural elements to know if you are looking to spot this style out in the wild. Get ready to brush up on your Mid Century vocab, because we are going to define some key terms.

1. Butterfly Roof – a roof plane where the high points occur at the outside edges and the low point occurs in the middle, creating a V-shape or butterfly wings.

2. Cantilever – a beam that projects past its supporting wall or column.

3. Clerestory Windows – Windows located at the top of the wall immediately below the roof plane. These would be above the standard sight line and allow for light while maintaining privacy.

4. Folded Plate Roof – A roof plane that creates repetitive angles or ridges, as if it were a series of paper folds.

mid century modern roofline — Example of Long Gable Roof and Clerestory Windows

5. Long Gable Roof – A roof plane where the pitched portion occurs perpendicular to the shortest end of the structure, creating an elongated profile

6. Breeze Block – decorative cast blocks with open spaces to allow light and wind to pass through, used for accents and privacy around patio areas.

7. Swiss Miss – A roof style characterized by a steeply pitched gable that extends to the ground

mid century modern swiss miss roof — Example of Swiss Miss

If you keep an eye out for these features, you will spot Mid Century inspired design in more places than you expected!

Why is Mid Century Modern Still Popular?

Obviously Mid Century Modern was a popular style during the greater part of the mid-20th century, but why are we still seeing it around today? I think there are a few key reasons why we embraced the look again in the early 21st century.

1. Functionality

The Mid Century style places a high emphasis on function, making it an easy choice when you want your space to work for you. In a time of automation, same-day delivery, and instant information, I think it only makes sense that we would embrace a decor style that also works for us, rather than the other way around.

2. Smaller Urban Living

Over the 2000s and 2010s, urban city centers around the United States experienced a resurgence, gentrification, and influx of young professionals repopulating smaller spaces again. Rather than the suburban dream of yard space and 3,000 square feet, people were choosing 700 square feet apartments and balconies. Mid Century furniture is typically low profile, sleek, and has clean lines that don’t look cluttered. This makes it the perfect choice for furnishing smaller spaces.

mad men gif peggy — This is my favorite scene from Mad Men

3. The Popularity of Mad Men

Mad Men ran from 2007 through 2015 and was hailed as one of the most popular shows of the “Golden Age” of television. It is pretty clear to me that the detailed period sets of this drama series had a huge effect on how we decided to furnish our living rooms. Furthermore, this show was embraced by young adults who were starting to furnish their very first apartments. Who better to sell you a style than Don Draper?

4. Range of Accessibility

Mid Century Modern is also one of few style choices that has such a wide range of accessibility and price points. When it comes to original period pieces, you could take some hand-me-downs from your grandparents for free, grab estate sale furniture for a bargain, or pay top dollar for restored and authenticated antiques.

The same goes for reproductions. You could shop basic and affordable items from IKEA, Wayfair, World Market, and even Target. Or, you could splurge on more expensive recreations from West Elm, Design Within Reach, and Article. The number of options gave almost every budget access to the look, which is not always the case when it comes to other styles.

mid century modern furniture — Sofa by West Elm, Pillows by Target

So, there you have it!

Now you know the definition and key features of the Mid Century Modern style and a few of my takes on why it is so popular in our current decade.

Hope you dudes enjoyed!

If you have additional questions on Mid Century style, email me at heydesigndudes@gmail.com.

Need help pulling together your own Mid Century inspired space? Check out my design services.

10 Ways to Bring Summer Into Your Home

Summertime is here again, and we are now looking for ways to bring the summer feeling into the home. I have put together a list of 10 items that will make the inside of your home feel as bright and sunny as a warm summer day.

Bring the Summer Indoors with These 10 Home Accessories

When it comes to summer decor, you need to find a balance. You want your space to feel bright and fresh while avoiding the stereotypical Florida beach house look. Spruce up your space for the season with these fun accessories.

Sometimes links expire or products sell out. Please let me know if something goes missing, and I can send you a similar product. Email me at heydesigndudes@gmail.com.

Need help pulling together your space? Check out my design services.