There are many different design themes – rustic, classic, masculine/feminine, minimal, eclectic, country, modern, retro. Beach-y, Paris, farmhouse…You may choose one design theme for the entire home or you may choose to design each room in a different theme. But no matter what you choose, there are some simple things you can do that will keep the flow of the home consistent.
Rustic
Classic
Minimal
Eclectic
Country
Modern
Retro
Beach-y
Pairs
Tuscany
Farmhouse
Princess
Wall Color
Color is the simplest way to keep a consistent feeling throughout your home. Choosing a base color (your wall color) that is the same in every room is one way to blend rooms together, making them feel coherent. If using one wall color isn’t for you, choose different colors but keep them within the same color tone.
An easy way to do this is by taking the paint sample and using the colors on it in different areas. The guess work is already done for you – each sample strip in the same color, darkened or lighten in different variances.
Materials/Hardware
Similar to choosing an accent color, choosing a material or hardware and repeating it will have the same effect.
This could be repeated in the light fixtures from room-to-room or using the same cabinet pulls in the bathroom as the pull on the dresser in the bedroom. Maybe you have the same wood finish on the mantel in the living room as the valence over the window in office. Or the same counter top in the kitchen as the mudroom and powder room.
Accent Color
Choosing an accent color that pops up from room-to-room, creates the illusion of a reoccurring element. Even if the themes in each room are different, it will seem like they flow together because of the common element – the accent color.
How and where this pop of color appears is up to you. This could be in a side table in one room, a piece of art in another. Wallpaper in the powder room and then a runner at the front door.
Tile 
Bar Stool 
Area Rug
Pattern
If color doesn’t work in every design, try repeating pattern. Choosing a pattern that reappears in different rooms, maybe in different colors, is a great way to join the spaces.
Area Rug 
Backsplash tile 
Wallpaper
This could be a pattern that is seen in the kitchen on the backsplash, then the bathroom on the floor and then in the bedroom on the rug. Even if each space has a different color, the pattern is enough to tie them together to the human eye.
The key is repetition. You can fool the brain into thinking things belong together by showing something they have in common. Like a common color.
For questions or suggestions on how to implement this in your home, email us at designhelp@designonthemind.com
Try some of these tips in your own home and share with us below how they worked for you. We would love to see!