11 Home Decor Ideas To Inspire Your New Home

Whether you’ve just bought your first home, moved into a new rental place, or you’re well experienced with the property ladder, moving into a new home is an exciting time. The empty, echoing rooms offer plenty of possibilities for new interior home decor ideas but the clean slate can also be a little intimidating. Between buying new furniture, painting the walls, and getting your family photos all set up, it can be tough to know where to begin.

If you don’t know where to start, or you need some fresh ideas for your new abode, keep on reading for plenty of home decor ideas and inspiration.

1. Wallpaper a small space

Putting up wallpaper in a small room, built-in closet or porch can add some unique detail to your home. Do an entire room, the top of a curved arch, or just use scraps to line the insides of drawers, cabinets, or backsplashes - accents don’t have to just be limited to a larger space. Wallpaper can be used to draw the eye and add some interesting finishing touches to a space or piece of furniture.

Pick out a colour you love, add some depth with textured paper, or even go monochrome with a fun pattern. You can even find temporary wallpaper which peels or can be soaked off when you move out which is perfect for rented properties or places you can’t make permanent changes to.

2. Gallery walls

Gallery walls are all the rage in home decor right now, and for good reason. They act as a great way to display photos and other keepsakes and they are an excellent way to bring character into a room. A gallery wall can be made up of anything you like - photos of friends and family, prints and posters you like, mirrors, and even things like decorative plates.

An easy way to work out how you want to layout your gallery wall is to trace the shapes onto paper and arrange them on the wall prior to hanging anything - that way you can work out layout and size before making any permanent changes to your wall.

3. Decorate with lighting

To make your space feel comforting and cosy while still giving it a unique touch, use a collection of interesting lamps to decorate. An arrangement of floor lamps with unique lampshades can add character to a space. Alternatively, string lights create a warm and cosy glow and never fail to make a space feel more homely.

If you’re looking to make your place feel more opulent and luxurious, chandeliers make for a beautiful lighting option for any room. They help to draw the eye upward, making ceilings look taller and refract the light around the room, reducing the harshness and making the space feel cosier.

For the ultimate collection of unusual lights, check out your local charity shops and vintage stores, as well as independent boutiques. You could also DIY some lampshades if you have the skills and supplies.

4. Make use of the fireplace

Many rental places and remodelled period homes have the fireplaces blocked off. This is usually for the safety of the tenants as well as keeping the property safe, but it also helps to preserve heat. If you’re not going to (or can’t) recover them, why not use the fireplaces to display some of your favourite items? Vintage lanterns, statement vases, and collectables can all be displayed for a unique focal point and make use of the otherwise dead space.

If your fireplace has a mantlepiece, there is an excellent opportunity for decorating here too. Arrange different sized vases together to create a dynamic display, prop up a mirror to open up the space, and hang string lights from the ledge for a warm, cosy glow. This is also an excellent opportunity to turn the room into a social space. Instead of pointing your sofa at the TV, arrange two large sofas opposite each other to encourage conversation between you and your guests.

5. Create a breakfast nook

Breakfast nooks are very chic at the moment and really popular in the world of interior design. They serve two purposes: they’re a simple way to make use of an empty corner in your kitchen or sunroom, and they are an informal place to enjoy a meal without the need for a large dining table.

Set up a small wicker table in a sunny corner with a few matching chairs and decorate it with a tablecloth and chair cushions for a comfortable place to sit and each breakfast or dinner with your family. If sitting at a table isn’t quite your speed, a pair of Swyft armchairs in the same space offers you an intimate place to relax with a friend or loved one instead.

6. Decorate your entryway

What better way to welcome guests to your home than with a nicely decorated entryway. Whether you have a grand hallway or just a small space, by adding a few homely touches, you can make a welcoming space for anyone who comes through your door.

Set up a narrow sideboard table in a spot that won’t get in the way. Not enough space? Try a radiator cover instead! Decorate the top with pictures and prints and hang a mirror above the space to help illuminate the area a bit. It’s the ideal place to keep your keys and valuables so set up some small dishes for your keys and spare change, or attach some hooks to the wall. It’s an easy way to breathe some life and personality into your home without the need for any serious redecorating.

7. Add a canopy to your bed

Bed canopies used to be a necessity for keeping warmth contained, offer privacy, and keeping out insects in warmer climates. Nowadays though they serve more as a decoration. They still have lots of benefits though. They can act as a privacy screen and also play the part of a room divider for a broken-plan living effect - very on-trend for 2021.

There are many different types of canopies available, from ones that hang above the head of your bed to curtains ideal for four-poster beds, and circular canopies that hang directly above you, surrounding the bed in gauzy material. No matter which type you opt for, it will certainly add a sense of luxury as well as a really unique detail to your room.

8. Swap accents seasonally

One of the best ways to keep your decor feeling fresh and new is to change it out seasonally. Swap out throws and cushions on your sofa with the changing of the seasons. It’s a great way to elevate your decor and keep it feeling new and interesting throughout the year.

A thick, chunky knitted blanket is perfect for cosying up in the winter for movie nights together, a lighter blanket can help to keep the cool evening air off bare legs after a day in the warm sun. Cushions not only add comfort, but can help to add to the Christmas, Halloween, or Easter decorations around the house.

9. Put collectables on display

If you have anything you like to collect, arranging it on a display can add a unique touch to your home decor as well as make the space more personal. Whether you collect superhero figures, teacups and saucers, or bottles of vintage wine, by displaying them in your home, you’re creating a piece of decor that is unique to you and it’s also an excellent point of conversation when guests come over.

Set up some shelves in the hallway, utilise an unused nook in the kitchen, or put up a gallery wall with shadow boxes and frames in the living room. 

10. Mix and match chairs

The mix-and-match aesthetic is a really unique way to bring dimension and interest into a space. By mixing and matching different colours and even designs of furniture, you create a space that has a story behind it. 

Pick up a variety of different chairs around the dining table for the perfect mix and match look. High-backed chairs, chairs with armrests, and even stools such as the Swyft Model 00 can bring a lot of character into a space - perfect for two who aren’t keen on a uniform look. 

11. Get a new statement sofa

A final way to give your home decor a boost is to pick up some new furniture. No living room is complete without a comfy sofa to sit on and enjoy your favourite films and TV shows. So get rid of your worn out old sofa and replace it with a gorgeous new one from Swyft. Shop Swyft sofas for a huge range of colours and the choice between quality linen or luxurious velvet to complete your home decor.