One Home, Three Ways to Decorate

You’re looking at floor plans, maybe browsing empty homes, or following virtual tours of a home that isn’t styled quite the way you would do it. The art of new home design provides a framework for your particular decorating style, adding details that enhance the home without overpowering your decor. Versatility is the key. To demonstrate, one of Homes By Taber’s designers showed us one home and three ways to decorate it.

Since the home is the framework, the interior is your blank canvas. What brilliant strokes are you going to add? You might have plans to make a trip to Hobby Lobby, search in local antique shops, or forage in flea markets for all the amazing couches, cool lamps, and that coffee table you’ve been eyeballing. 

Here are a few looks that anyone can accomplish by focusing on your theme. 

Look #1: Elegant Black, White and Gold

You’re going for a classic feel, yet just a touch of edgy. Achieving success with this decorating style comes from balancing the elements and keeping it simple. All three of these colors are powerful, so you need to work it with a light hand. Use crisp lines and a minimalist touch. Simplicity allows for the impact you want to achieve with your black, white, and gold theme. 

Use Mid-Century Modern as inspiration for your furnishings and decor. Elegant without overstatement. Clean curves and simple lines. 

Add mixed patterns in your accents to create interest, like wall art and pillows. Insert pops of gold but beware of using metals too heavily. A gold lamp, coffee table tray, or bar cart would be a great addition.

Look #2: Maximalist

This maximalist look is bold and dramatic, and perfect for the person who loves both! There are three big rules of maximalist design:

Rule #1: Start with a focal point. Before you go wild with color, zero in on a focal point that drives your theme. It could be a piece of art, a really great chair, or the rug you just couldn’t resist even though you had no idea where to put it. Hint: jewel tones are HUGE right now. They pair perfectly with the neutral colors that might already be in your home.

Rule #2: Go for “mix”, not “match”. This style is all about deep, rich color and items that most people might not automatically pair together in a store. For example, a black and white rug with a funky pattern can pull the dining room into the black and white kitchen (where you might take advantage of the bold colors in small appliances, dishware, and linens. Shades of green, yellow, purple, and blue can work together in maximalist decor, but avoid exact matched pieces you place close to one another. Use your print on the curtains and then on a throw pillow. Everything is tied back into the space by at least one other item, but is not an exact match. It is important to have fun with variety. Bold, eclectic pieces will make your home so unique.

Rule #3: TEXTURE! The blend of textures adds layers to your decor. Maybe the couch is a corduroy fabric, the curtains are velvet, the chair is leather. Add cotton and faux fur accent pillows for fun. Choose a wood coffee table with a lamp that has a smooth and clean look. Blend, blend, blend! This will bring so much life to the space.

Another way to ensure you don’t get too crazy with maximalist style is to be selective with your colors. I choose two main colors for a space (like royal blue and mustard), and then only incorporate gentle touches of two to three more colors from my focal piece. 

This look is definitely the most fun to accessorize. If you’re a maximalist (take this test to find out), you love color and fun. Pick pillows and table top accessories that show your personality—and lots of them! Collage walls do great for this look. Another tip is to blend antique pieces in with the new. An antique desk with a new, modern lamp could be an amazing combo.

Opalhouse at Target is a great line to use to pull off this look.. 

Look #3: Modern Farmhouse

If you’ve been pining away for Joanna Gaines to return to television, this look is definitely for you! The rustic, simple feel is comforting and comfortable. The accents are centered on family. You can get the look in any of the Homes By Taber designs, because Modern Farmhouse is all about adding your own homespun features. 

Let’s say your new home has an open floor plan, with white cabinetry and black countertops in the kitchen and the same color scheme for your fireplace in the adjacent room. I would focus on softening the space with the use of greens and brass. The various shades of green in the Magnolia Home line have become more like a neutral and, in the right hue, has a calming effect to space. This is especially true when you bring in real plants.

A sliding barn door is very popular in today’s new homes. Use it to divide the main living area from a flex room (like a study) and you have a brilliant farmhouse detail! I’d continue the green or black on the door, or use a wood stain to keep it as a rustic element. By the way, Homes By Taber includes the barn door as a standard feature in many of our new homes, so you don’t have to worry about adding it later.

Just like the maximalist approach, texture is very important to Modern Farmhouse. Distressed wood, woven baskets, textured rugs, and galvanized and rusted metals blend well in this home decorating style. Remember, the old farmhouse was about ingenuity, using what you have. But, with the accent on “Modern”, you’ll maintain some clean lines, while always softening them with textiles. Having that black and white, clean line aspect will ensure that your space is a MODERN farmhouse, not your grandma’s country home on a real farm, unless that’s what you’re going for, of course!

Our style is yours

At Homes By Taber, we design and build homes that inspire your creativity. We include features that will give you a head start on your decorating. Open concept, granite and quartz countertops, a fireplace inside and out, and decorator cabinetry are all standard. Just add your personal touches. Browse our gallery of homes and floor plans. Look at the communities we’re building in OKC’s most desirable suburbs and neighborhoods. And talk to our designers about your decorating ideas and the details that make such a big difference!