Crafting a home that brings you joy and uplifts your spirits is something many homeowners crave. If your home interior doesn’t reflect your personality or your style, it can leave you feeling uninspired. So, the ultimate question is: Do you feel connected with your space?
Incorporating one-of-a-kind decor into your home offers the personality, style, and texture that your space might be missing. Unique items that resonate with you can uplift your interior, whether it’s homemade or handcrafted by an artisan. We asked some of our favorite creators – from Vancouver, BC to Jacksonville, FL, to share their best ideas on how to enhance your space with one-of-a-kind decor.
Look for adaptable pieces
When purchasing handmade items, focus on work that can be moved around in the home, not just settling on the style of an individual room. – Jumping Creek Pottery
Find art that brings its own personality to the space
I think art placed in a home often adds the most when it is appropriate for the setting, yet also adds some element of intrigue, distinctiveness, or surprise. When artwork is overly color or theme-coordinated it will soon seem unremarkable or unimaginative. This does not mean that art in a home must be bold or shouldn’t be pretty or subtle, just that it will be strongest when it has its own personality that harmonizes with and stands up to the room in which it is placed. – Tania Dibbs
Collaborate with a favorite artist of yours
Reach out to an artist you’d love to collaborate on a custom collection that creates the look and feel you want for your home. Ask about works on paper, drawings, and prints as well as paintings. Consult your interior designer to incorporate pieces you already own, large feature works, and smaller pieces hung together gallery-style. – Fiona Valentine
Find pieces that have a purpose
I decorate with ceramics by using them to hold kitchen utensils, makeup brushes, or as a one-of-a-kind flower pot. If you’re interested in a display, stack 2-3 coffee table books on a coffee table or bookshelf & place your special item on top. This gives it pride of place and ensures people will ask about it when you have guests. – Imani at Home
Choose ceramics that tell a story
Something made by hand is so special that it inherently adds soul and dimension within a space. The Urban Kiln believes that handmade ceramic home decor pieces have a story to tell and the beauty that lies in the imperfection of handmade pottery that is in your home, makes your home “you”. – The Urban Kiln
Consider the room you’re decorating
When choosing a new piece of handmade art, you can narrow down your options by considering the specific use of the room you’re decorating. A still life of a fruit basket, for example, is going to look more at home in the kitchen than in a bathroom. A vibrant graffiti-style cityscape might be too overwhelming for a bedroom, but it would bring a great energy to a living room or office. – VanDuinen Studio, LLC
Try displaying pieces in groups of three
Ceramics can add unique handmade home appeal. Choosing handmade ceramic pieces for your home brings in part of the earth, with a sense of grounding and home. Many people think of functional mugs, plates, and bowls. Ceramics can add variety from small textured teaspoon holders for your coffee and tea drinkers, to plates mounted vertically as wall decor. Vases can be for tables, hanging plants or wall accents. I like to pair pieces in groups of three. When pairing I choose three things the same size but different colors, or you could use the same colors but different sizes. Handmade ceramics can be functional and versatile but are also durable and an investment that can last generations. – Stoney Tree Studio
Bring home a part of Earth
Decorating with handmade pottery, especially wood fire pottery, can deepen our connection to the Earth – Clay. Water. Stone. Trees. The process uses the most basic elements from which we, and everything around us, come from. The pot’s paint is a captivating picture of how those elements were transformed by fire. – Sherman Ceramics
Showcase your unique style
That bookcase behind you in Zoom meetings, Facetime, and Alexa exhibit a visual representation of you. Wouldn’t you love it to be as unique as you? When searching for items to decorate your bookshelf, buy handmade or small original artwork. Small meaning, 4×6″, 6×6″, 8×8″ to 8×10″ paintings – these sizes fit wonderfully in a bookshelf and are economical. Look for artwork that will add a pop of color next to neutral-colored books and plants. Leave spaces between items on your bookshelf to allow the eye to rest in the whitespace before it takes in the next visual representation of you. – Stephanie Weaver
Your one-of-a-kind decor should reflect your style and interests
Knitted goods have long been associated with being old-fashioned or retro in the same way that knitting itself is associated with old women. However, in recent years there has been a resurgence of fiber artists and designers that defy generation, gender, and style. Do not let old stereotypes deter you from knit decor or even trying your hand at the craft. – Modern Made
Buy a handmade mug from a maker you love
There is great satisfaction that comes from drinking your morning coffee out of a mug that you bought directly from it’s maker. – Sarah Bak Pottery
Find an artist that creates with a purpose
When I design my ceramic pieces, I am anticipating them living in somebody’s home. I set out with one of two objectives in mind; 1- The utilitarian piece will be a collaborative object, showcasing what accompanies it. (ex. food and drink on tableware, flowers in a vessel) I don’t want the piece to compete visually with food/flowers, but to work in harmony together. 2- The piece is a stand-alone, eye-catching object for decoration, a conversation piece. My sculptural objects fall under this category through form, surface, and color. – Stephanie Galli Ceramics
Consider the message you want to share
When you’re choosing artwork for your space, you’ll want to consider what messages you want to share, how the artwork will fit into your overall aesthetic and color scheme, and who the artist is. The best choice for artwork is one that can tell a story – maybe you chose it because you’re a big fan of the artist and wanted to have something of theirs in your home as well as support that artist, or maybe the messaging is one that resonates deeply with you and is something you wanted to be reminded of daily and share with others. Any of these would be a perfect way to add that personal touch to your decor. – Belinda Kou
Choose the piece that you love
When you are decorating your living space, pick a painting you love, and don’t worry if it doesn’t match the drapes or couch. The surrounding area will ‘pull’ the right colors out and complementary colors and contrast rule. – Peach McComb, Art with Attitude
Incorporate quilted goods in the kitchen
Add warmth to your kitchen, while handling too-hot items, with pinup oven mitts and retro potholders. Dress up your cocktail bar with embellished happy hour tea towels. – Quilting with Margaret
Sometimes, the fewer the better
Less is more, so that there is space for the handmade ceramics to breathe. – Liu Qian Ceramics
Opt for strong color combinations for the best effect
As an abstract landscape painter, I believe that simple but strong color combinations (such as complementary colors like orange and blue) create the best effect. – Beki Borman
Personalize your space
Placing original art in your home not only brings joy but also personalizes your space by having a one-of-a-kind piece. There’s nothing quite like the energy exchange from an original painting. From my hands to your home. – Trish Land
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