Finding Your Aesthetic

What is an aesthetic and how do you design to it? Strictly speaking, aesthetic design refers to beauty and taste, but in recent years has come to describe broad design themes centered around specific concepts. By thinking about what’s important to you, you might stumble across an aesthetic style that not only creates a beautiful space in your home but also shows off your unique personality. Here are a few popular aesthetic styles to get you started:

As we get more overstimulated and reliant on technology, it’s no surprise that this aesthetic, which centers around escaping into nature, recently experienced a boom in popularity. But you don’t need to find an actual cottage in the woods to hide out in. The main feature of Cottagecore design is plant life and filling your home with as much greenery as possible.

Also consider choosing rustic-looking pieces of furniture in light wood tones, as well as muted colours for your walls. Handcrafted wall-décor adds to the look, so if you’re trying to stay off your phone, consider some embroidery to pass the time.

Love libraries? Dark Academia is based on scholarly spaces, perfect for anyone who has stacks of books and needs a comfortable spot to read them. Indulge in dark fabrics with rich textures to give an air of elegance and look for vintage furniture pieces to add a sense of timelessness to your space. Try to find older-looking prints for your walls such as antique maps and opt for soft lighting to make the space look extra-cozy. Lastly, don’t be afraid to scour yard sales and thrift stores for eclectic knick-knacks to give the effect of an old professor who has led a very interesting life.

You’re a free-spirit, a world-traveler, and you want a space that’s as bright and interesting as you. Try a Bohemian style if you secretly think you belong in the Sixties and use bright coloured accents such as throw pillows and curtains against furniture pieces in more earthy tones. Combine all kinds of patterns, textures and wood tones, and try to bring in influences from different parts of the world. Area rugs would be an easy way to add a BoHo influence to a room, or try out oversized floor cushions. It’ll make a great hangout space that’s as relaxed as you are.

If you prefer clean spaces and minimalist design, modernism embraces these principles and creates a home that is fresh and contemporary. Before you start decorating, try and find a space that has an open floor plan, this will help natural light spread throughout. Pick a monochromatic colour palette and choose furniture pieces that are low to the ground, giving the effect of more space in your home. Look for glass accent tables, preferably with metal finishes for a sleek, futuristic look.

You don’t hold back, and your home is no exception. While minimalism has been in vogue for a while, its polar opposite is slowly gaining steam, giving people the freedom to mix colours, patterns, and pieces from different eras. Think ‘more is more’, so find the busiest wallpapers you can and layer them together, and then cover those walls with mirrors and any prints that draw your eye. Floral patterns make a comeback here, so a patterned sofa could be a great centerpiece, with a thrift-store tasseled lamp right next to it. Maximalist style tends to be overwhelming, but a bold decorator who wants to have fun will find this aesthetic just right for their home.