Living in the centre of any city has many benefits. Being close to the action means that you can visit the latest attractions, shop the most up-to-the-minute styles and much more. Homes in city centres are usually very different to rural or suburban properties, meaning they require a unique approach to decorating and interior design.
If you’re looking to create your dream city centre home, then here are the main factors you need to take into account before you make a start on your project.
Room Size And Shape
Most city centre homes are smaller than their rural counterparts, which might mean that you have to get creative when it comes to buying furniture and choosing storage solutions. So, you need to find the best furniture that will give you everything you need while taking up a minimum amount of space. Consider items that have extra storage and that serve multiple functions, such as footstalls with storage that can also be used as a spare chair if required.
One piece of furniture that can be very large is your bed, and while it can take up a lot of space, it’s a vital piece of home décor that everyone needs. Thankfully, companies such as Odd Size Beds specialise in custom bed frames and made-to-measure mattresses, so you can create the perfect sleep set-up that’s the right size for your home. Their extensive selection, which includes custom-made divan beds, ottoman bases, wooden frames and much more, is designed with comfort and style in mind. So, you’ll be able to find the perfect bed that fits into your compact city centre home and gives you the perfect night’s sleep. It would help if you considered investing in other items of custom furniture as well so that you can fit everything you need into your city centre home.
Period And Style
Many city centre properties are historically important and come from a specific time period. Most new home builders find large plots on the outside of the city, while central properties stay the same for many decades or even longer. As such, you can take inspiration from the period when the property was built and the trends at that time. Using a time period as a theme for your home’s décor will be a great way to save time and make it easier for you to put together your final creative vision.
This approach will help you to create a cohesive and stylish look in your home. For example, if you choose to furnish a Tudor-style home with 80s décor, then it will look very out of place. However, using Tudor-style furnishings, colour schemes, and decorations will help you to transform your home into a stylish and beautiful space. That doesn’t mean that you have to forgo modern conveniences, but it does mean that you need to make sure that most major items of furniture and the colours you use in your home are in keeping with your theme and the period when the property was built.
Price And Value
While living in the city centre has its perks, it also comes with the downside that it is usually significantly more expensive than living in the countryside or the suburbs. All of the UK’s most expensive places to live are cities, which means that city centre dwellers need to be prepared for higher costs. Still, that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the best of everything when you decorate your home. You simply have to be savvy about what you spend your money on and what items you buy slightly cheaper.
Long-term solutions, such as carpets, flooring, wallpaper and paint, are going to need to last for many years, so you should be willing to pay more for them. Also, items you’ll use a lot, such as your bed, are worth investing in. However, some items, such as wardrobes, desks and bookshelves, can be purchased second-hand. You can consider upcycling old and tired items so that you can get a quality piece of furniture for less.
Function And Features
While creating an on-trend home is exciting and fun, you need to remember that interior design is about more than just appearances. You also need to make sure that your property functions the way you need it to and has all the features you expect. With increasing numbers of people working from home at least part of the time, combing interior design with function is now more important than ever before. You’ll be spending plenty of time at home, so it’s crucial that you make it as comfortable and useful as it can possibly be. One great way to make sure your home meets your needs is to design the areas you spend the most time in and work out what you need from them. As such, you need to think about the rooms that you will use the most and how you can tailor them to meet your unique needs.
Some high-traffic areas of most homes include the kitchen, living room and master bedroom. So, make sure that you focus on these rooms and choose the right designs. Remember that you need to be able to move around, so don’t overfill the rooms with useful items, as these will make them harder to navigate. Think about what you’re going to do in the rooms, how many people will use them, any secondary uses they might have and more. You can then create the perfect city centre home that looks amazing and gives you everything you require to live a happy and fulfilled life.
The Latest Interior Design Trends
Cities are often associated with sophistication and style, so you should try to be as on-trend as possible when you’re styling your city centre abode. That means that you need to find ways to incorporate the latest interior design trends into your home’s décor. You’ll need to check out new trends and styles that are popular, then work out which ones you like the best.
When you’re researching new interior design trends, remember that some of these might be passing fads that won’t be popular for long. So, try to choose neutral and timeless looks for the big projects, such as painting your walls or covering your floor. The same goes for large, expensive pieces of furniture that you don’t want to replace regularly, such as your sofa and bed. You can then add small flourishes, such as fashionable rugs, throws and artwork, to transform your space into a trendy haven that’s as stylish as you are.
To Sum Up
Ultimately, living in the city centre is a great opportunity to check out the latest interior design trends, find beautiful pieces of furniture from boutique stores and create a comfortable home that you can be proud of. You’ll have plenty of choices to make and options to choose from, so with a little hard work and dedication, you can take even the dullest of properties and transform it into a stunning home for you and the ones you love the most.
With so many factors to consider, it might seem like a lot of work to turn your city centre property into your dream home. Thankfully, this article offers you the chance to break down everything you have to think about and create a useful checklist that will make designing your perfect city centre home a breeze.