In the era of Pinterest, it can be a hard task to create a home that feels unique. Inspirational images are our fingertips, and we can all be a little guilty of pinching ideas here and there – so much so that our homes can all start to feel a bit similar.
So if you're searching for how to make your home more unique, you've come to the right place. According to interior designer Taylor Migliazzo Simon, @intayriors on TikTok, there's an easy, quick, and digestible way to make every space feel more designed.
Here's how: 'To make your home unique, all you have to do is make one bold choice,' says Taylor, who named her TikTok video 'Just one!' emphasizing the simplicity of the hack. Sounds rather doable doesn't it? Here, we break down the idea and talk you through Simon's top ideas to truly elevate a space.
@intayriors Just one! Images via Pinterest
♬ original sound - Taylor Migliazzo Simon
The premise of the idea is really straight forward. If you feel like your rooms are lacking personality and vibrancy, Simon encourages you to simply... add one thing. The catch? It has to be bold.
'If you push yourself to make one decision to think outside of the box, it is going to do most of the work for you and make your home look more intentional,' she advises in her latest viral video. As the creator of the famed unexpected red theory trend, Simon certainly knows a thing or two about creating these 'wow' moments that catch your or your guests' eye.
'It sets the tone for the rest of your home, making the rest of it honestly easier to decorate,' she explains. But how you ask? Let's get into it.
1. Choose colorful stone
The first example Simon gives in the video is using colorful marble countertops or backsplashes, forgoing the easy and obvious choice of white.
In her video, she shows a space with wood kitchen cabinets paired with deep, wine-red marble alongside another neutral kitchen with a pink-hued stone kitchen island.
While decorating with neutrals often dominates color trends, more unconventional, unexpected colors can take a space from ordinary to extraordinary. This doesn't have to mean going as bold as an entire countertop as she suggests (although we're big fans of green and blue-veined marble) and can instead come in the form of a side table or decor accessory.
Marble is a timeless material and we love seeing it used as a lamp base here in this rosey-red hue. The scalloped lamp shade finishes the look perfectly.
A great addition to your bookshelves, or even open shelving in the kitchen to hold your cookbooks, these rich red Levanto marble bookends bring just the right amount of dimension to your styling.
This softly geometric wooden side table features a vibrant green marble tabletop that is sure to offset even the most neutral of spaces. Perfect as an end table, or simply as a pedestal for art or a solo vase.
2. Get the funky light fixture
If you're feeling happy with your space but just want to sprinkle in a little added flavor, Simon suggests investing in a new and interesting light fixture.
This could be a pendant or ceiling light in a bold hue, a table lamp, or a funky wall sconce or picture light to highlight artwork or a mirror. Look to lighting trends for inspiration, and don't be afraid to add in an unexpected hue (in fact, the more unexpected the better) and try mixing interior design styles and eras to really think outside the box.
Vintage lighting is a great way to add extra character, so do check your local thrift and antique stores. Just be sure to get it checked out by an electrician.
3. Lay down a statement rug
A new rug can instantly transform a space, adding a new hue or pattern to a room and giving it a grounding ambiance.
In her TikTok, the interior designer shows a modern living room bedecked in neutrals elevated with a chartreuse lime green rug. It sounds like it shouldn't work together, but somehow the color combinations sit alongside each other in a way that not only feels harmonious... but really cool.
Color has the power to transform a space, and aside from painted walls or trim, a rug is one of the biggest ways to introduce color on a large scale. Look to unexpected color combinations to create a more distinctive style, like pairing warm tones with cool tones.
4. Paint a bookshelf or cabinetry
Granted this isn't such a quick hack, but if you have some bookshelves or built-ins that could do with a fresh lease on life – try giving them a lick of paint.
Again, consider the non-obvious option here. If your space is mostly neutrals, pick a bold rich hue like the browny red seen above or something bright and cheerful like a butter yellow or sky blue to nail the bookshelf wealth trend.
There are no rules, but Simon recommends a pistachio green as her favorite hue to make shelving pop. The key is to look at the color wheel and decide if you want to work with complementary colors or clashing colors.
5. Or the ceiling
Her next suggestion is to paint a ceiling, showing a white hallway with a soft orange ceiling that helps to warm up the space and complements the wood tones of the shelving in the space.
Long gone are the days of an accent wall, in 2024 it is all about the accent ceiling instead.
While it sounds like a bold idea, it actually makes so much more sense than an accent wall that can feel isolated and stark against plain walls. The ceiling, however, wraps around the entire space, creating a bigger impact without you having to commit to a total color drench.
6. Match your bedding to your headboard
Simon also recommends matching your bed linens to your headboard (or upholstered wall, as seen above) which feels like a new and rather daring concept.
Typically, bedroom trends have leaned towards clean neutrals or soft hues that mimic those in a luxury hotel. But, much like the color-drenching trend, using one hue and taking it across multiple surfaces really helps to create a cocooning and enveloping effect that feels instantly welcoming.
You could start small with block color or even look to pattern drench with coordinating bedding, upholstery, and perhaps an on-trend bed skirt.
7. Look for interesting smaller details
The final, and perhaps easiest trick, is to introduce bold and beautiful small details with your decor accessories. Think pillows, art, mirrors, and lighting.
In the TikTok video, Simon shows off a few different schemes that successfully introduced a unique piece that might be small in stature but is certainly big on impact.
'I love that they decided to throw in a green pillow here,' she says of a neutral lounge space with a lime green cushion. 'Everything else is pretty neutral but it automatically grabs your attention and looks more designed'
'Even a small detail like a bold color and some funky matting can make a big impact [to artwork],' she also suggests.
While it might not be bold in color, the Etoile sconce from Anthropologie offers a unique silhouette inspired by a nautical star. Topped with a linen tapered lamp shade, this will easily slot into any design style.
If your living room is already filled with vibrant, retro throw pillows this might not feel like a bold choice but for a neutral couch or armchair this will really stand out and draw the eye thanks to its red rope trim and swirly pattern.
Available in 3 vibrant colorways, this snake wall art is sure to make a statement. They call this red-orange hue 'mango', which brilliantly off-sets the navy, star-adorned snake.
While we all know the concept of a color pop, sometimes it can be hard to see the wood for the trees with our own interiors and it takes something as straight forward as a TikTok-devised hack to remind us we already had all the tools to make our spaces feel more unique. A simple introduction of a bold splash of color, pattern, or texture can do wonders for making a room feel more design-led and more like 'you'.
