I Am a Feminist and This Is How My Home Looks
Embrace your unique personality and decorate your home your way without any reservations or trepidation. We tell you how
When it comes to home decor, too, there are stark labels in terms of design styles – when a home is lavishly accessorised or super colourful, it’s considered feminine, when it’s bare or uses darker colours, it’s masculine. These are simply generalisations – I know many women who have homes that are far from colourful and ‘feminine’. So, what would you call that? This is why we are talking about key decor elements that stereotype interiors and how, as women, we can break them.
…Or not (be low-key)
As we already discussed, there is no such thing as a ‘girly’ colour. I, for one, am not a fan of extremely bright, colourful spaces. I like hues like white, cream, grey and teal, and prefer soft-toned and earthy Zen spaces. This is why an interior like this resonates with me, where a white shell, with a pale-grey carpet and minimal accessories in varied colours thrive together. After all, you can’t bunch all the women in the world in the same category. Do you agree?
Find a designer from the Houzz directory to help you design your bachelorette pad
As we already discussed, there is no such thing as a ‘girly’ colour. I, for one, am not a fan of extremely bright, colourful spaces. I like hues like white, cream, grey and teal, and prefer soft-toned and earthy Zen spaces. This is why an interior like this resonates with me, where a white shell, with a pale-grey carpet and minimal accessories in varied colours thrive together. After all, you can’t bunch all the women in the world in the same category. Do you agree?
Find a designer from the Houzz directory to help you design your bachelorette pad
Choose plush, silken textures
For many women, the idea of a beautiful, luxurious home is a sumptuous bed with comforters and fluffy pillows, silk curtains, fur accent rugs, sofas with frill trims … basically everything that people would, in general, consider feminine. If that’s the style that tugs at your heartstrings, then don’t let others’ opinions bother you. Take your home to the next level of luxe – choose draperies, sofa upholstery and blinds that can give the home a sophisticated appeal. Consider silk, damask, velvet and satin that have a glossy finish. For carpets, think of wool, fur or viscose. Persian or sisal carpets, too, look great.
In this bedroom, the gold-toned fabrics have the slightest sheen, and the entire setting looks like that of a 5-star hotel.
Here’s how to have a home that looks like a 5-star hotel
For many women, the idea of a beautiful, luxurious home is a sumptuous bed with comforters and fluffy pillows, silk curtains, fur accent rugs, sofas with frill trims … basically everything that people would, in general, consider feminine. If that’s the style that tugs at your heartstrings, then don’t let others’ opinions bother you. Take your home to the next level of luxe – choose draperies, sofa upholstery and blinds that can give the home a sophisticated appeal. Consider silk, damask, velvet and satin that have a glossy finish. For carpets, think of wool, fur or viscose. Persian or sisal carpets, too, look great.
In this bedroom, the gold-toned fabrics have the slightest sheen, and the entire setting looks like that of a 5-star hotel.
Here’s how to have a home that looks like a 5-star hotel
…Or not (play tough)
Who’s to say that a woman cannot have an edgy industrial-style interior or that the style is too ‘masculine’ for her to pull off. I believe that interior styles are all about your personal taste. Those in love with a raw, unfinished aesthetic should display it proudly. Let your home showcase exposed brick walls, cement floors, sleek metal or glass lighting, exposed beams and stainless-steel furniture. Look at this black-and-white dining room for inspiration – the wood-and-metal dining table and chairs, bricks walls, exposed pipes and cement floor all come together so well, complemented by the natural light flooding in. Now, tell me, why would you confine a well-designed space like this to labels like masculine or feminine?
Who’s to say that a woman cannot have an edgy industrial-style interior or that the style is too ‘masculine’ for her to pull off. I believe that interior styles are all about your personal taste. Those in love with a raw, unfinished aesthetic should display it proudly. Let your home showcase exposed brick walls, cement floors, sleek metal or glass lighting, exposed beams and stainless-steel furniture. Look at this black-and-white dining room for inspiration – the wood-and-metal dining table and chairs, bricks walls, exposed pipes and cement floor all come together so well, complemented by the natural light flooding in. Now, tell me, why would you confine a well-designed space like this to labels like masculine or feminine?
Go crazy with detailing
Often we have heard people say, “This space needs a woman’s touch.” More often than not, they mean clean arrangements, soft elements and accessorising. While some women might scoff at that idea (I know of many design-noob women who would find that phrase puzzling), some others may take it as a compliment. If you belong to the latter category, show your love for decorating openly. Who can deny the beauty of a room that has a well-balanced mix of accessories, colours and textures. Consider bringing in fresh flowers, introducing intriguing prints, sketches, plates or photographs on the walls, mixing different styles of chairs together, having a wallpaper on the wall and peppering your home with lots of printed cushions.
See how these details elevate a space from good to wow
Often we have heard people say, “This space needs a woman’s touch.” More often than not, they mean clean arrangements, soft elements and accessorising. While some women might scoff at that idea (I know of many design-noob women who would find that phrase puzzling), some others may take it as a compliment. If you belong to the latter category, show your love for decorating openly. Who can deny the beauty of a room that has a well-balanced mix of accessories, colours and textures. Consider bringing in fresh flowers, introducing intriguing prints, sketches, plates or photographs on the walls, mixing different styles of chairs together, having a wallpaper on the wall and peppering your home with lots of printed cushions.
See how these details elevate a space from good to wow
…Or not (go minimal)
For many women, minimalism is the key. A room with simple, clean and straight lines is what keeps them happy. Usually people expect a bachelor to live in a home that does not have too many frills attached to it – but I know many women, too, who don’t enjoy crowded, over-accessorised interiors. Of course, that’s not to say that a minimal space cannot have ample character and beauty. See how this dining room uses a mirror wall and a smart pendant light to make a statement. Even the dining table and chairs are of a smart make … the room has ample breathing space, isn’t burdened with accessories yet looks charming.
For many women, minimalism is the key. A room with simple, clean and straight lines is what keeps them happy. Usually people expect a bachelor to live in a home that does not have too many frills attached to it – but I know many women, too, who don’t enjoy crowded, over-accessorised interiors. Of course, that’s not to say that a minimal space cannot have ample character and beauty. See how this dining room uses a mirror wall and a smart pendant light to make a statement. Even the dining table and chairs are of a smart make … the room has ample breathing space, isn’t burdened with accessories yet looks charming.
Choose utmost comfort
Remember Monica from Friends and her OCD for cleanliness and having her home spick and span where everything had a specific place? She was always labelled as the ‘crazy’ person because of her love for neatness. But things have changed now – it’s 2018, women don’t need to be apologetic for their strong Type-A personality. Today the same Monica would simply shrug, turn up her nose and say to her friends, “Deal with it.” And so should you. Comfort doesn’t only mean high-back chairs, velvet sofas, a Chesterfield … it means luxury in the smallest of things. So, a fluffy WC cover, a wool area rug in the bathroom, a highly compartmentalised wardrobe, fitted bedsheets, a glassware collection for all kinds of wines and spirits, multipurpose furniture like ottomans or stools, organisers for documents and accessories, all can be a part of your home, and will ensure smooth, organised living.
Wondering what decor style will complement your personality type?
Remember Monica from Friends and her OCD for cleanliness and having her home spick and span where everything had a specific place? She was always labelled as the ‘crazy’ person because of her love for neatness. But things have changed now – it’s 2018, women don’t need to be apologetic for their strong Type-A personality. Today the same Monica would simply shrug, turn up her nose and say to her friends, “Deal with it.” And so should you. Comfort doesn’t only mean high-back chairs, velvet sofas, a Chesterfield … it means luxury in the smallest of things. So, a fluffy WC cover, a wool area rug in the bathroom, a highly compartmentalised wardrobe, fitted bedsheets, a glassware collection for all kinds of wines and spirits, multipurpose furniture like ottomans or stools, organisers for documents and accessories, all can be a part of your home, and will ensure smooth, organised living.
Wondering what decor style will complement your personality type?
…Or not (keep it basic)
To some extent, Rachel from Friends was the opposite of Monica – her room was usually a mess, she would lose things around the house; she’d ask Monica to pack her bags or help her move; and cleaning the entire home was a big achievement for her. For all those Rachels, comfort would mean something else … the bigger items that offer immediate relaxation. A lazy-boy chair, a chaise longue in the living room and a bean bag for the bedroom, open shelves, large side tables, storage above the bed, wall hooks and hangers for storing clothes; they would all do just fine.
Read more:
A Step-By-Step Guide to Decorating Your Home
Tell us:
Have you embraced your individuality at home? Tell us how in Comments below.
To some extent, Rachel from Friends was the opposite of Monica – her room was usually a mess, she would lose things around the house; she’d ask Monica to pack her bags or help her move; and cleaning the entire home was a big achievement for her. For all those Rachels, comfort would mean something else … the bigger items that offer immediate relaxation. A lazy-boy chair, a chaise longue in the living room and a bean bag for the bedroom, open shelves, large side tables, storage above the bed, wall hooks and hangers for storing clothes; they would all do just fine.
Read more:
A Step-By-Step Guide to Decorating Your Home
Tell us:
Have you embraced your individuality at home? Tell us how in Comments below.
When you ask a person what they consider a feminine colour, pat comes the reply: “Pink.” I know many women who would scoff … that’s such a stereotypical notion, isn’t it? But if you truly adore bright hues – pink, red, peach, yellow – but are too shy to embrace a colourful style because you don’t want to be categorised, we say: forget the world and own it. Romance the colours that give you maximum happiness and turn your back on those who think otherwise … after all, it’s your house, your rules. So welcome them into your house – vibrant art, multicoloured trays, shimmering cushions, walls with tinsel paint, colourful fabrics, ceiling paints – whatever catches your fancy. See how the home owner here has unabashedly used pink in liberal quantities. The painted wooden bench with bright cushions, the cane chairs with pink seating and the wall art and centre table, all come together to create a charming image.