I’ve always loved interior design, but as the date of our moving comes closer and closer, I’m finding myself spending more time on design blogs and Pinterest than ever before (not the greatest thing for my productivity, but whatever). We’re not exactly starting from scratch, but we are not taking a lot of our furniture with us either, so there will be plenty of opportunities to flex my design muscles (hopefully, there are some). While I’d like our home to be very functional, I also cannot wait to spend the time on the styling and decorating part as well.
We have a quite fix concept on how we would like our home to look and feel, and we’re willing to go slow in order to get it right because buying everything at once will not be an option (more on that in a future post). But sometimes it is not the big items or the expensive pieces that make a flat look polished and chic, but small gestures and a great attention to details.
These are my favorite ways that make a home look organized and sophisticated without too much hassle or big financial investments.
17 ways to make your home chic, organized, and sophisticated
1 // Matching bathroom towels
A matching set of hand cloths, washcloths, and bath towels pull together a bathroom like nothing else. It’s also interesting how such a tiny detail can change the whole vibe of a room, so if you don’t have money to redo your bathroom, invest in different sets – cream and white for calm, spa vibes, dark for edgy sophistication, or patterns/color for a bolder statement.
2 // A cool lotion and hand soap dispenser set
So much better than the ugly plastic packaging of hand soap and body lotion.
3 // Fresh flowers (+ a design vase)
I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s crazy obsessed with fresh flowers in a home. It’s such a small investment with many great benefits from the aesthetical to the mental mood lifting. An interestingly shaped, unique vase adds further styling bonus points.
4 // Art on the wall
It doesn’t have to be the latest big shot on the contemporary art scene or an original Monet, but some art on the wall can instantly transform the home. For the bedroom and office, I like bigger individual pieces, for the entryway and living room I prefer a gallery wall of different prints and abstract works or a collection of photos of our different travels. Whatever your aesthetical preferences are – hang them on the wall. But make it personal, do not only follow the so-called trends.
5 // Pillows and a cozy blanket
There’s nothing that can transform a simple sofa into a stylish, standalone room décor faster than some pillows and an artfully thrown cozy blanket. I like how such small objects can have a big effect on the color palette and mood of the room. You can go for complementary or contrasting colors depending on the vibe you’re going for.
6 // A nicely styled coffee table
A coffee table, just like the sofa, is usually the focal point of a room. I think there needs to be a nice balance between practicality and decoration – we don’t want to live in a showroom after all. But a couple of nice touches, like flowers, books or magazines, or a candle/tray will make your coffee table look nicely put together, without taking away all the space.
7 // Invisible storage
Well-designed storage space is a must-have in all homes, especially smaller spaces. But how often do we think about the small knickknacks that are usually the culprits in making a room look cluttered? Cords, keys, paper, pen, magazines, bills, bags – everyday objects that we don’t necessarily store behind closed doors. My favorite invisible storage essentials are: cord and cable organizers, a daily essentials tray, ottoman/pouffe with storage space inside them for extra blankets or magazines, a decorative glass jar for runaway pens, and a tray for mail and bills. If you tuck these away to an invisible place (that is still easily accessible), your home will look a lot more organized.
8 // Jars. Lots of jars.
Out of all the rooms of my home, I wage the most difficult battle against stuff in the kitchen. And I don’t even cook that much! Still, the dishes, the various baking ingredients, the morning oatmeal add-ons, the herbs, spices, rice, pasta, kitchen gadgets – a myriad differently shaped things we have to find a home for. As I don’t have a lot of space, I decided to make the most of what I have and use storage as décor. And that meant lots of jars and cute kitchen boxes. Some of them are put away, but others are proudly displayed, because A. I don’t have another choice, and B. the sight of jars with their little tags create an impression of an insanely organized kitchen.
Jars and small glass bottles are also very useful in the bathroom and always give a sophisticated and organized vibe.
9 // Inviting, gorgeous smells
Don’t forget the immense power of smells – these can be just as important as the visuals of a home. Essential oils, fragranced candles, or a big bouquet of flowers create a nice atmosphere, catering to all of our senses.
10 // A nicely made bed
This should be the absolute first step in the morning. I don’t like very elaborate bedding styling, like three different layers or 5 oversized pillows that take 5 minutes to style, but a nice bedding set with maybe one blanket thrown over makes a huge difference.
11 // A bar cart
You can select the most decorative pillows or gorgeous bedding, I can guarantee a bar cart will still be the biggest hit if you have guests over. Even if you don’t really drink, like me, it’s nice to be able to offer something to friends. If you don’t have the space, a nice tray with some cocktail essentials can also work. Staying on the topic of alcohol: I love design wine holders as well – they are practical as well as a great décor element.
12 // A simple set of matching dishes
I’m not saying that mismatched coffee cups cannot work. If you have the styling skills, they can be quite whimsical and cute, but a matching set of dishware will always pull together a table setting. My choice would be simple white of course (surprise), but colorful or patterned versions can also look beautiful.
13 // Curtains
When I lived in my rented flat in the US, I didn’t have any kind of curtains. I didn’t want to invest because I knew it was temporary and it’s usually not something you take with you when you move, but I really missed them. My windows looked sad and empty without them, so when I moved home (and into a new apartment) this was one of the first things I installed. I prefer light, semi-sheer neutral curtains to heavy, decadent ones, but whatever you like, don’t neglect this step.
14 // An organized entryway
The entry hall is the absolute first thing people see when they enter your home, so I’m a big fan of making it very functional, practical, but stylish at the same time.
15 // Lighting
As most design elements, lighting can serve both a functional and an aesthetic purpose. It can actually transform the mood of the room, like nothing else, just remember how Christmas lights create a completely different cozy atmosphere. Find a gorgeous pendant or standalone lamp or play with small LEDs.
16 // Trays
Trays are the ultimate multifunctional design elements that are also very practical. Double win. Use it on shelves, tables, in the bathroom or bedroom to collect, organize, and display small knickknacks or focal design objects.
17 // Cool plant pots
Plants are absolutely essential elements of a home – I think we all agree on that. But their tiny home shouldn’t be neglected either – plant pots, hanging planters, or plant stands are all important details. They must provide a comfortable home to the plant, but are also important décor in themselves.
For more interior design ideas, check out these posts:
+ Minimalist aesthetic: Interior design
+ 7 minimalist hacks for your home
+ 15 essential daily organizing habits
What are your favorite home styling ideas?
