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We all view these 'new home adventure' pages on Instagram and see beautiful, bright, contemporary spaces; and when we compare these to our own, they often seem to appear boring and lifeless in comparison. Well, you're probably doing almost everything right, except one of the most important things: That is the lack of brightness. The more natural light you can pull into a room, the larger and more open a space can feel. Natural light has the ability to completely change the feel and dynamic of a room or living space. In this short blog article I will go through some methods of bringing more brightness and natural light into your home.

PAINT

We are going to begin with perhaps the most obvious method of brightening up a room, that is with the use of paints. Dark coloured walls, and darker toned paints will absorb more light than lighter colours, meaning less light is being reflected around your room. Lighter coloured paints, and bright tone paints can make a real difference! Don't get me wrong, you can still use dark colours! They just have to be used correctly. For example; if you paint your wall in a dark olive colour, you need to make sure the walls features compliment and open that space; such as bright white gloss skirting boards with bright/white furniture. Bright skirting can outline a wall well, and can make the space feel wider. A freshly painted ceiling is also a good way of complimenting a darker paint.

FURNITURE

Use furniture that doesn't look bulky and miserable. My recommendations would be to take advantage of chrome/glass/white gloss, as well as crushed velvet and mirrored furniture. All of the above mentioned furniture do an excellent job of making a space feel contemporary, stylish and simplistic. Also, try not to place any tall furniture near windows! As this will also limit the amount of natural light you have bouncing around your room.

CLUTTER

Clutter is a no no! You ever notice how big your bedroom is after you tidy and pick all your clothes up off the floor? Well the more clutter and bits you have around makes a space feel full and used up. Try to keep your space as tidy and as clutter free as possible. A dusting and polish won't go a miss either! This is the easiest of all the methods, so utilise it and get cleaning!

MIRRORS

My favourite item to add to any room in my home is mirrors. This is for a number of reasons: decorative mirrors are stylish, artistic and contemporary; they have the ability to modernise any room you place them in. They also essentially double the amount of natural light you have bouncing around your room, they are totally reflective, so no light is absorbed by them at all. This means that if placed in a good spot, i.e near or opposite a light source then you can multiply the amount of light you have in that particular space. COKU has an excellent range of mirrors coming soon, which will bring light and style to your home!

FLOWERS/PLANTS

There is no better way to freshen up your space than flowers and plants. Plants bring a sense of freshness and life to your space! They don't have to be real either, fake plants do just as good a job! So add plenty of plants to your decor, and you'll breathe new life into your home, LITERALLY!

Decorating with neutral colours certainly is a safe, timeless, and chic way to go. As we all are probably aware, monochromatic and minimalistic design trends are not going anywhere in a hurry. However, just because you see these tame interiors on instagram and in home-style magazines doesn't mean you can't experiment with some bold colours. You may just want to add a subtle yet bold touch to your grey space. Think art, plants, flowers, textiles, rugs and accessories; take a look at some of these simple tips to add colour pops to your space.

ART

If you like your furniture and decor monochromic and minimalistic, but wish to add your colour via a different avenue; why not choose to add colour pops to your space through the use of art and photography. Keeping the surroundings simple will allow your artistic pieces to take centre stage and create an environment similar to that of a gallery. Do not be afraid to go all out, and get some bold centre pieces!

PLANTS

As mentioned in the blog prior to this one, plants ass colour, vibrance and freshness to a room. The addition of plants in room corners, on small vases on top of tables/counters/console tables can make a real difference and bring a sense of natural flavour to your home! If you're somewhat neglectful, then don't worry! Your plants do not have to be real, fake plants can have the same effect!

TEXTILES

Fabrics are my personal favourite method of adding colour to rooms. A single coloured or single pattern fabric can make a real difference in a neutral space. You have a wide range of options for as to where to add this colour; these are just a few examples of where to use them; rugs/curtains/cushions/footstools/poofs/beanbags/bedsheets/headboards and so on. Bright fabric colours make such a huge difference to a space, and really stand out from minimalistic furniture. Bring your furniture to life with the addition of colourful textiles!

SINGLE STATEMENT PIECE

Bring pops of colour into your home and make a statement with a single saturated piece of furniture. Such as the addition of a bright yellow accent chair; certainly an attention grabber, but if placed correctly it can nicely coordinate with the room's other neutral, textural elements. A bright chair is a simple way to add colour to a room with a single purchase.

Are you selling your home? Just moved into a new house? Or have just been neglectful over the past few years, we can offer you some tips on how to make your home more attractive.

LET LIGHT IN

An excellent way to make your home more attractive is to allow more light in. Light can completely change the dynamics of a room; it can make a room feel larger and more open. You can bring light into a room in a number of ways;

a) Add mirrors

b) Move large furniture away from windows

c) Add lamps to dark corners of the room

d) Bright colour paints

ADD PLANTS

Adding plants and flowers to your home will give it a sense of life and freshness. Fake plants do a great job too! So if you don't like plant maintenance you can get away with a realistic looking fake!

MAKE ROOM

Excessive clutter makes a home look dirty and small, neither of which are selling points. de-clutter your spaces and move furniture away from doorways and windows. Strategically place your mirrors to give depth to your room. Keeping the space clean and tidy will also help greatly.

CURB APPEAL

You want the first impression to be a good one, which is why you will need to do your best to increase your curb appeal. Removing clutter from the homes exterior, touching up paint, adding plants and improving the landscape – all of these things should be a priority.

Fix the neglected

The longer you live in a place, the easier it is to overlook all the little things that need work. The worn window seals, the broken door knob, the leaning shelf, the cracked tile; we know these things are small and easily neglected, but the small details can really make a difference to your home. Fix all the small problems, let light in, add plants, clean and declutter and give your home curb appeal. Follow these simple tips and your home will receive a new lease of life!

Take advantage of that blank canvas sitting right in the middle of your living room. These ideas will help you infuse your space with colour, life and trends you never considered trying before. With our tips and pictures you'll soon have a beautifully styled table in no time.

1) Look High and Low. When all items are at the same eye level, nothing gets noticed. So look to place objects of differing heights to get the desired effect. As displayed in the photo above.

2) Three is company. I know, you've heard this before. The age old rule of threes come in handy when styling your coffee table. I don't mean three items, but three different elements that complement each other. Think books, mugs & flowers.

3) Add a touch of colour and contrast. Choose decor that plays off the colour of your coffee table.

4) Keep it simple, well spaced and organised. Do not clutter, this is a no no.

5) Add some elements of life to the table, including flowers & plants.

6) They're called coffee table books for a reason. Pick ones with luxurious covers and bold lettering and vary the height of the stacks for an effortless style.

7) A table grounded by trays and books can carry little sparkly accents, like mugs or candles, without the look seeming slight. Plus, candle colours and scents can be easily swapped out with the seasons.

Below: un-styled coffee table, so you can see what a huge difference a little styling can make:

We hope you enjoyed reading this, and hope you took in some tips along the way! If you've used any of our tips on your table, show us! Tag us on Instagram or Facebook @coku_home and @cokuhome respectively.