7 Simple Ways to Add More Character and Charm to Your Home

Interiors & Decor

Photo by Wing Ho

Originally published in July 2021

Think about the last time you walked into a home and felt something. Maybe it was curiosity, a sense of calm, or a shift in energy you couldn’t quite place or describe. A home’s character isn’t limited to unique accents, charming windows, or original hardwood flooring. It is the culmination of individual expression within its walls. It’s the way we add life to an otherwise empty shell. It’s what makes our homes personal

Limited budgets, Instagram envy, and overwhelm can all contribute to the feeling that having “character” in your home is out of reach. I am not immune to wishing I had someone else’s floor plan, budget, or broad sense of style. It happens to all of us. So why not look for ways we can embrace what is ours and let the character come from within? It can be easier said than done, but this post is meant to give you a head start.

These are seven of my favorite ways to add character to your home…

1. Consider the unique qualities of your space.

Having an understanding of the details of your home you won’t change is a great place to start. A large aspect of building “character” in a home is figuring out how to create a unique combination of elements that represent your personal style. The easiest place to start is to decorate your home with pieces that contrast the style of the architecture. 

If your space is super traditional, the contrast of midcentury modern pieces could be a great way to infuse more character. Geometric-printed pillows on a traditional couch would make for a beautifully unique statement.

If your space is industrial, a crystal chandelier could shine in a totally different way.

If your space is modern, a bold de Gournay-inspired print on an antique chair would create a stunning focal point. Take the (very) modern apartment where Joe and I first lived together, pictured below, as an example. Amid all of its sharp lines and white walls, I did what I could to infuse character. I added antique pieces, like the trunk pictured below, and substantial furniture that contrasted against the otherwise airy feel of the space, like the adjacent oversized leather chair.

Photo by Melissa Oholendt for The Everygirl

2. Embrace pieces with “imperfections.”

There is nothing I love more than a little bit of effortless-looking wear and tear on a piece of decor or furniture. From the worn spines of books to the nicked edges of a coffee table, imperfections = LIFE, and life breathes energy into a home. A piece like a vintage rug with holes shouldn’t be immediately looked over when shopping. With a patch or repair, it can contribute its own unique quality to the overall story of your home. 

This is a particularly helpful thing to keep in mind when shopping thrift stores, antique shops, and FB marketplace. Those imperfections may be just what your home needs, which brings me to my next point.

A home’s character isn’t limited to unique accents, charming windows, or original hardwood flooring. It is the culmination of individual expression within its walls. . . . It’s what makes our homes personal

3. Shop secondhand!

Nothing makes a home feel more unique than one-of-a-kind pieces. I love shopping at places like Target as well, but I find myself more attached to the pieces I’ve found amid the things no one wanted, knowing that sourcing the same item elsewhere is unlikely.

The hunt can feel overwhelming at times, and if your first few trips to the antique shop are not fruitful, you may want to give up before realizing the magic of finding that perfect item hidden behind a bunch of junk. But I assure you, if you stay the course, the search will almost always be well worth it.

For my shopping tips, read this article: “7 Thift and Antique Shopping Tips to Help You Find Items You Love.”

7 Simple Ways to Add Character to Your Home Decor | Wit & Delight
Photo by Chelsey Werth

4. Display your collections.

Much of my decor is centered around things I like to collect—vases, brass figurines, colorful candles, and lace tablecloths, to name a few. Small decor elements look great in odd numbers (three, five, seven) and can add visual interest to bookshelves, coffee tables, and side tables, especially when styled in varying heights and sizes. Just about anything can become a collection!

5. Make space for hobbies.

In addition to showing off your collections, dedicating space to the fruits of your favorite hobbies can add some life to your home. Love puzzles? Add a little cafe table in front of a window, drape it with a tablecloth, and stack some of your favorite puzzle boxes on top. (Anthropologie always has a lovely selection of puzzles!) Suddenly you’ve added a new seating area, a bit of fabric for texture, and a pretty little vignette that also works as a refuge after a long day’s work.

Our colorful family room

6. Add color and pattern.

Whether it’s through fresh flowers, contrasting throw pillows (these pillows are so pretty), patterned blankets, or prints on your wall, every space benefits from the life that color brings. That doesn’t mean painting an otherwise “dull” room with a warm coral color is right for everyone, but sometimes we forget that even in the most minimal of spaces, we can find a purpose for something dynamic. It could be a large rug in royal blue or a small-scale patterned print on curtains.

Some homes scream color, while others use it in ways that make you feel it before you notice it.

For more on the power of colorful home decor, read this article: “5 Colorful Homes and Exactly What I Love About Each One.”

7. Dress your windows with texture.

One of my favorite ways to make blah windows look “complete” is to add blinds AND curtains in differing textures. Woven wood shades (these are my favorite) with striped linen curtains? So so lovely and layered, with zero construction required. Valances have a bad rep for feeling stuffy, but if you are decorating a bedroom that lacks architectural interest or simply needs some “oomph,” this can be a great way to make it feel polished.

Tell me, what’s your favorite way to add character to your home?

Editor’s Note: This article contains affiliate links. Wit & Delight uses affiliate links as a source of revenue to fund the operations of the business and to be less dependent on branded content. Wit & Delight stands behind all product recommendations. Still have questions about these links or our process? Feel free to email us.

BY Kate Arends - April 24, 2023

18 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Karen
July 23, 2021 5:56 am

Our living room took years to decorate. Before the pandemic I had so far added a seating area, which only took up half the space; the other half was book-marked for my (future) desk. Then the pandemic hit, and my girls were suddenly home schooling. We brought out two wood folding tables which we put together to make a huge 6′ square school desk. I quickly realized how much I loved that work space! When school wrapped up in June, I immediately re-arranged the desks and it’s now my desk / art / computer area, with enough room for three… Read more »

Ann
April 27, 2023 6:03 pm
Reply to  Karen

This is how most women used the separate dining room in the days of a breakfast room and a separate dining room. They became the woman of the houses private room for whatever she wanted/needed. Crafts, art, office writing or even tablescaping.

July 26, 2021 3:14 am

Hello,
Very inspiring article for my future creations.
I am an artisan wax maker located in Lyon, France.
You might be interested in my creations of wax candles and tealight holders with inlay of plants. Do not hesitate to give me a feedback.
Cyril (de L’Atelier de Cyril)

Christine
June 24, 2023 9:34 am
Reply to  Cyril ROMERO

Where can we find a peek at your collection?

Brittany
February 5, 2023 8:45 pm

Hello! Right now, I’m digging using my kids art as legit decor. We have a few items of their schoolwork framed but what looks really homey are the pictures I asked them paint on canvas!

Paula
April 27, 2023 7:43 am

Great article! The pics really helped the ideas land for me, and I’m inspired to add antiques in my newly built home. Love the idea of buying secondhand… better for the planet too. Thank you so much for a well-considered piece!

April 29, 2023 2:44 pm

These are such great and simple tips. I think I’m definitely going to add an area rug. I usually don’t like rugs because they can be difficult to clean but I think something colorful with short pile will be easy to manage and roll up when it’s time to clean the floors and it will add some coziness to the space.

Manda
May 2, 2023 5:32 am

Good day Kate I found it dificult to decorate my home after moving to another house My TV room is black white and grey And only use texture for scater cushions but it feel as if something is missing and my.couch is a light grey with black chair and n dark grey carpet. The light grey couch I choose the material and in the big peach it look like it is to light. I do like rosegold How do I do this all together? My walls is just a light colour and I change the dark shutters to very soft… Read more »

Mary
May 2, 2023 1:52 pm

I’m curious to know the colour of the wall in very first picture please?

Marcia
June 16, 2023 10:31 am

I agree about vintage/retro items with imperfections. We don’t do all of our decorating from second-hand shops; though one of our favorite places to walk and look is the local antique/vintage/retro shop. We both love color. My husband is a collector of Limoges, Royal Daulton, Face Pots, Halcyon Days, and many other lines which are displayed throughout. We don’t actually have a theme or a particular period to our home decorating; eclectic doesn’t sit well with me. So I guess we could call it “olio”. But whatever it is, we love it!

Louann
June 19, 2023 11:08 am

Louann

Louann
June 19, 2023 11:09 am

What paint color is the family room?

Alicia Hursley
June 21, 2023 1:01 pm

I love shopping second hand! Thanks for highlighting that tip. We are wrapping up a big home remodel and I am so excited to be at the decor stage. The demolition stage dragged on forever! Thank goodness our dumpster rental guy was patient with us haha Now that we are to the actual fun part, I needed some help and your post definitely has me going in the right direction. Can’t wait to see what I can find at my local thrift store. Thanks again, Kate!**

Most-read posts:

Did you know W&D now has a resource library of  Printable Art, Templates, Freebies, and more?

take me there 

Arrow Alone

Get Our Best W&D Resources

for designing a life well-lived

MORE STORIES

Arrow Alone

the latest

Thank you for being here. For being open to enjoying life’s simple pleasures and looking inward to understand yourself, your neighbors, and your fellow humans! I’m looking forward to chatting with you.

Hi, I'm Kate. Welcome to my happy place.

follow  @WITANDDELIGHT

ELSEWHERE

PINTEREST

FACEBOOK

332k

2.9m

16k

INSTAGRAM

CREATE

A LIFE THAT

follow us on instagram @witanddelight_

DELIGHTS