5 Ways to Add Character to Your Space
With so many incredible resources of inspiration, advice, and expertise at our fingertips, it’s relatively easy to design a home yourself these days with a bit of scrolling and few clicks of the mouse, but where it gets tricky is creating a space that feels truly authentic to you. The furnishings and decor pieces that give a home character and soul are the ones that can’t be replicated or copied, they have to come from your personal taste and often they are collected slowly over time.
I’ve gathered some ideas to help spark the creative ways you can add character to your home. These are the five design elements I keep in mind when I’m out shopping, at the flea market, or during my travels, that help me to curate my own unique collection of furnishings and decor.
HANDMADE / ARTISAN GOODS
Call it “woo-woo” but handmade objects have a different energy than mass produced ones. There are things that machines just can’t replicate, like charming imperfections in a handmade bowl, or the nubby texture of a handwoven rug. Being around handmade things day after day feels more full and authentic than living purely with machine-made ones, because of the respect you have for the vision, meaning, and work behind them. Curating a selection of artisan goods for your home also allows the creative side of you to shine as you collect pieces that truly speak to your soul.
SOUVENIRS & MEMENTOS
Objects that remind you of past experiences are essential to creating a home with character. What could be more comforting than to walk around a home filled with pieces that recall fond memories. It could be as simple as framing a photograph captured during a favorite road trip or a small collection of vintage matchbooks you’ve gathered from antique stores or flea markets. For me, one of my most loved personal items is an abalone shell that my husband found on the ocean floor while diving, that I repurposed as a soap dish.
NATURAL ELEMENTS
The simplest way to add character to a room is through nature. Natural elements collected on walks or hikes are my first choice, but real wood furniture, jute rugs, and stoneware vases filled with branches or blooms will also lend a sense of uniqueness and warmth to a space. Bringing in elements and textures from nature doesn’t necessarily convey your personality, but it does add a layer of organic comfort that goes a long way in making a house feel like home.
FOUND VINTAGE OBJECTS
Vintage objects have a lot of the same benefits as handmade objects, but with an added element of history. Especially if your home is newly built or renovated, adding in a little bit of the past will help your home feel collected rather than contrived. Two of my favorite items to collect and add to my home are vintage rugs and vintage portraits-instant ancestors!
ARTWORK
Artwork elevates a home instantly. Art is very subjective so it can take some time to find artists whose work you really admire. Tappan Collective and Saatchi Art are great resources for finding original art, and there’s always Etsy of course. You can also find a lot of talented artists on Instagram; try searching hashtags like #doitfortheprocess and #studioscenes to see if anything catches your eye. If you’re new to art collecting or don’t want to spend a lot of money, Juniper Print Shop is a great place to start. Here are some neutral pieces I’ve curated that would work in almost any home.
I hope that this post was helpful and inspiring! We all deserve a home that makes us feel unique and comforted - now more than ever. I’d love to hear about some of the ways you add character to your home!
