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  1. Home
  2. Decorate

How to make your home look cleaner than it really is

We’re all looking for quick fixes and easy ways to achieve a home that’s clean and tidy - by Diana Moore
  • 01 Dec 2017
How to make your home look cleaner than it really is
Chris Warnes

We’re all looking for quick fixes and easy ways to achieve a home that’s clean and tidy – even if it’s not quite there on some days. Your decorating choices can help here – a few savvy choices in furnishings and styling can go a long way to tricking the eye.

1. Keep to a single colour palette

Rather than a jumble of colour and movement, choosing décor items, fabrics and finishes all from a similar tonal palette will give the appearance of a clean, tidy look to your interior. Use shades from lighter through to darker tones for plenty of depth and interest and to avoid everything blending together and becoming boring. Punctuate the look with one or two contrasting accent cushions or decorative items – but keep to a minimum.

How to make your home look cleaner than is really is | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
Martina Gemmola

2. Keep to a constant with scale

Choose furniture for the entire room with the same sense of scale. A large scale sofa will need to be offset with a significant sideboard or bookshelf and perhaps anchored with a sizeable rug. Pair a set of mid century dining chairs with a table from either the same era, or if you’re mixing it up, choose one with similar proportions to one of that era.

How to make your home look cleaner than is really is | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
Sue Stubbs

3. Keep it consistent

There’s eclectic and then there’s clutter. If you’re after a well-travelled look, ensure you carefully edit which items you display and don’t overdo it. Tie pieces together that are similar in style, scale and provenance for a cohesive look.

How to make your home look cleaner than is really is | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
Derek Swalwell

4. One large piece of art

Make a statement with a singular artwork for maximum impact and clean lines. A gallery wall is a good choice in an otherwise minimal, contemporary space but in a room with a lot going on it can be too much. If you’re after a clean look, less is more.

5. Use symmetry to create order

Clean lines = clean mind. Balance items and eliminate extraneous objects and homewares from sight to allow a sense of order.

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