Designing an interior that is harmonious can help to make your home feel more comfortable and inviting. This largely comes down to use of contrast. Too many homes go too far in one direction, which can lead to the decor feeling off. By balancing out contrasting ideas, you can make each room feel more complete. This post explains more as to how to achieve this balance.

Synthetic vs natural

An ideal home should contain a balance of synthetic and natural materials. Synthetic materials like acrylic, vinyl, metal, concrete and glass can have practical advantages that make them useful for many applications. However, too many synthetic materials can make a home feel cold and uncanny as a result of being detached from the outside world. Introducing natural materials like wood, bamboo, stone and organic fabrics can make a home feel warmer and more peaceful. This could include contrasting a steel bed with an oak chest of drawers. Just don’t go overboard with natural materials as this may create texture overload. 

Color vs neutrals

In recent years, there has been a big trend toward embracing neutral colours like white, grey, and black. Neutral colours have the benefit of working harmoniously with each other in any combination. However, a completely neutral-coloured home could run the risk of feeling dull and sterile. Pops of bold colours like yellow, red, blue, green, orange, purple, pink, or brown are necessary for making an interior more exciting. Of course, you need to be careful of clashing colours or too much colour – you don’t want your home to feel like a candy store. 

Texture vs smoothness

Many homeowners want to keep every surface as smooth as possible to make it easy to clean. However, having some texture in our homes is important to prevent a home from feeling unnatural and clinical. Don’t rely too much on high-gloss furniture—embrace the grain of wood now and again or consider patterned furniture. You can also use rugs, patterned curtains, and wallpaper to add texture—but don’t go overboard, as this will make your decor feel cluttered. 

Corners vs curves

When thinking about the shape of furniture and accessories in your home, you should also consider trying to create a balance of angular shapes and soft curves. Sharp corners can make a home feel sophisticated and serious, but too many of them can make a home feel less comfortable. Curved shapes can create a much more relaxing atmosphere, however you can also overdo them to make a room feel too chaotic. Aim to strike a balance – for example, in a living room, contrast a rectangular sofa and square rug with an oval coffee table and round mirror. 

Modern vs traditional

Some furnishings have a very modern and cutting-edge look, while others are traditional and timeless. A home that relies too much on contemporary aesthetics may feel less comfortable and may even lack character, while a home that uses too much traditional decor may feel dated. Embrace a mix of old and new by iterating new furniture items with timeless pieces and antiques.