Creating Personality Without Chaos in Your Home

Interior Personality without Chaos. The six key elements I use to create a space that’s visually interesting without overwhelming the senses.

Thank you guys for your excitement over the Treehouse master bedroom reveal this week!! We’re all SO excited with how the space came together!

I’m teaming up with one of my favorite furniture brands, Article, to share how to navigate adding personality without chaos to our homes–especially in spaces like the Treehouse master bedroom where rest is our #1 priority.

My parents and I were super inspired by Article’s 2020 Refresh Lookbook which is a beautiful example of cultivating personality-without-chaos. Their collection is all about bringing life to your space while removing inefficiencies and clutter.

While a space full of personality/depth without chaos sounds like somewhat of an oxymoron, achieving this balance is really just about focusing on elements like texture and contrast (as opposed to big pattern and color) that bring visual interest, without being ‘loud’.

Let’s talk specifics on how to achieve this balance. There are 6 key elements I look to:

Texture.

My best tip for creating visual interest in the absence of color or large pattern is texture. Everything from dry linen, to cozy sheepskin and buttery leather. As the focal point of the room, the Tessu Bed from Article in it’s delicious heavy textured linen-look upholstery sets the stage for layering up bedding.

And don’t forget to think beyond textiles like the distressed antique surfaces like the bench at the end of the bed.

Contrast.

When it comes to contrast, the goal is to create depth. Working with a neutral or monochromatic color palette, it’s helpful to bring in light, dark and mid-tone variations of your color(s). The differences between these tones is what helps it feel so engaging.

For example, when dressing the bed, we worked entirely with neutral textiles (minus the lumbar pillow) in whites, beiges and greys in varying tones. We layered the neutral clay Tessu Bed with crisp, white sheets, a natural linen Kantha quilt, dark grey linen duvet, and striped white and black throw pillows. Then added the blue/green lumbar pillow for a bit of irreverence.

Mix Furniture Styles.

Incorporating a melange of furniture styles with a common denominator such as a similar color palette, scale, or introducing an irreverent style as a pair of two helps create personality without chaos.

Drawing on our family’s Scandinavian roots and my mom’s love of Mid-Century, we chose pieces with utilitarian Nordic moments, like the Beau mirror with exposed leather straps, and juxtaposed them with the clean MCM lines of the bed. Then we added vintage art and accessories for a collected look.

Mix Wood Tones.

Have you heard that age-old designer advice about not buying all matching furniture? In the same way that mixing furniture styles brings life and interest to a space, take it one step further by working with different wood tones too. It’s good to mix it up!

Natural Elements.

Inherently, plants bring a calming sense to our homes, and many of them even purify our air while they’re at it. On the flipside, I’ve also been in spaces where plants can feel very dynamic and sometimes overwhelming if there are too many. I say use your best judgement. For me, two to three plants and/or floral arrangements go a long way in bringing a space to life.

Say No to Clutter.

Pair down your accessories and run with the less is more concept. A cluttered space is inherently more overwhelming to experience.

So that’s a little bit about how I create interesting/engaging space without evoking chaos. No matter your style and color palette affinities, I hope you take away some insight in adding personality to your space without necessarily adding chaos. Afterall, removing inefficiencies and clutter with intention might just be a valuable goal for all of us as we take stride in this new decade.

This post was sponsored by Article. Thank you for supporting brands I truly love and personally use!

Keep The Inspo Coming:

• Treehouse Master Bedroom Reveal
• Treehouse Master Bedroom Design Plan
• Master Bedroom Progress at the Treehouse