Curating a Cohesive Home

WRITER | RENEE GUTHRIE

Curating a Cohesive Home

Why is continuity so important in an interior? Because a space designed deliberately increases not only a home’s comfort and style, but also its functionality. Consistency is a crucial factor in designing a space that flows, but don’t confuse cohesion with lack of personality or idiosyncrasy! Distinctiveness adds much to a home, but a cohesive setting allows those unique elements to shine that much more. When designing a space, it is important to be intentional to establish cohesion throughout a home. Here are some of our favorite ways to create continuity within any interior space:

Design Elements

Carrying key design elements from room to room is an excellent way to add consistency to a home. These can include color, contrast, repetition, pattern, and unity. Each of these principles of design has its own place, and by identifying them, we can use them to produce a well-designed and harmonious home.

Pattern

The juxtaposition of patterns in this master bath wet room forms an appealing composition of shape and color, the brass and black hardware finishes tie in with similar accents throughout the home. The colors continue the flow of the home, while the repeated use of crosshatched patterns adds dimension and character to the space.

Color

Picking the Perfect Paint: Selecting paint colors can be an incredibly daunting task, especially for an entire home at once. Identifying a place to start is key. By making just a few decisions on must-have pieces, it allows you to narrow the color range. For example, a single piece of furniture or a favorite fabric can establish a color scheme – or perhaps a rug you’ve fallen desperately in love with. These key items can help to guide the color selection process. 

You may be surprised to discover that picking neutral colors can be the most difficult. With hundreds of barely distinguishable whites, beiges, and greys, it seems impossible to know where to start. Testing neutral colors in an assortment of locations and lighting scenarios is especially important in determining the right tint for the setting. 

This large space is painted in Classic Grey by Benjamin Moore, a great neutral color that complements the stone of the fireplace surround but also serves as a backdrop for more intricate details within the room. 

Repetition

Finishes for metals and woods come in endless options these days and can create stunning effects when combined. This condo repeats black and brass metal finishes throughout, which allows the eye to float from room to room comfortably, creating a sense of serenity. The window trim and door finishes are intentionally coordinated with the hardware to keep the appearance consistent, which allows more room for a variety of personal touches. 

The light wood flooring used throughout the home is mimicked in the wood finish of the green armchairs near the fireplace and in colors used in elsewhere in the house.  

Unity

When designing an interior, it is important to think about exterior surroundings as well. Drawing inspiration from the environment is a fantastic way to continue the flow of a space from indoors to outdoors, creating unity throughout. This lakefront condominium’s master bedroom overlooks Crooked Lake, giving the impression of floating above the water. Drawing inspiration from that scenario led to the decision for a “floating” bed. Accent lighting placed beneath the bed accentuates the sense of weightlessness even further. Allowing nature to influence decisions within the walls of a home brings a sense of purpose to the design and the placement of the home, wherever it may be. 

Individuality

A well-designed home is apparent in the function and beauty of its interior as well as its ability to reflect the tastes of the owner. The occupant’s personality reflected throughout is what truly makes a home, so allow room for individuality. In this living room, the owner’s carved wooden fisherman is prominently displayed and essential to making the home their own.  

Curating a cohesive home is a task many find daunting. Although visualizing an entire home at once can be difficult, being intentional with decisions and following the design principles outlined here bring you that much closer to the home of your dreams. Allowing your tastes and personality to shine through is one of the most important parts of a curated home. At the end of the day, it’s your home and no one else’s, so make it truly your own!