When you’re decorating the inside of your home, how often do you think about the exterior? Most homeowners forget to include it in their decorating plans, leading to a clash between indoor and outdoor styles.
When your home’s interior doesn’t connect well to your exterior, your home can feel unkempt, out of place, or stressful. You can create more harmony when you decorate seamlessly between both parts of your home. You don’t have to rework your entire house to coordinate.
There are a few strategies you can use to help you create a better transition from the outside to the inside in no time.
Choose a Cohesive Color Palette
When choosing the colors of your interior, keep your exterior in mind. You want a palette that will effectively tie the two spaces together. They don’t need to be the exact same colors, but they should complement each other well.
If your interior and exterior color choices clash too much, it can feel jarring and disconnected. Include similar tones, hues, or color families in both the exterior and interior. Earthy or neutral tones are popular for home exteriors. You can include some earth tones in your home decor, particularly the entryway, to connect the two spaces in harmony.
Don’t feel like you have to stick to natural or neutral color tones; vivid pops of color can add personality and charm. A bold-colored entryway door can introduce the interior nicely, and you can add accent colors inside, too.
Use Similar Materials
Take a look at the materials your home's exterior utilizes. If you have a modern home, you likely have some visible metal, wood, or vinyl. You can incorporate these materials inside your home through furniture or decor to connect them stylishly.
Don’t be afraid to mix and match materials according to your tastes. If there is a particular material you enjoy in the interior, think of ways you can bring that material outside as well, from patio furniture to landscaping decor.
Complement the Architecture
All homes have a particular architectural style for maximum efficiency and flair, like rustic, modern, Victorian, and more. Consider adding interior design touches that mimic or complement your home’s exterior architectural style.
For a rustic log cabin, wood accents, distressed fabrics, and worn metal would work excellently inside and out. The styles of the exterior and interior don’t have to mirror each other exactly, but they should connect seamlessly, even in subtle ways.
Vary Textures
Just like your home’s materials, various textures can help connect the indoors and outdoors. Think about the texture of any brick, stone, or woodwork on the exterior. Smooth stone siding can translate to smooth stone countertops.
The shine of finished wood paneling can appear on interior hardwood flooring. Linen on patio furniture can be replicated on your interior furniture, decor, or curtains. There are many ways to connect exterior and interior textures. Give it a try!
Bring in Natural Light
One of the most effective ways to feel more connected to the exterior of your home is to get a better view of it. Enhance your window spaces by pulling back the curtains or blinds when you’re in the room.
A beautiful view of the outdoors will not only foster a connection but will also inspire you to maintain and build your outdoor space further. Natural light also helps you use less artificial lighting, which is great for the environment and your wallet.
If your home needs more natural light, consider adding a sunroom or installing more windows in your house if you’ve got the time and money.
Repair Damage
Maintenance plays a key role in keeping your home’s exterior up to date. When your roofing, driveway, or siding has visible damage, it will look out of touch and messy regardless of your color or decor choices.
Keeping your home damage-free is also safer and more efficient. You’d repair an interior hole in the wall or a large fabric tear in your couch—you need to stay consistent with the exterior as well.
A roofing contractor can help identify and repair any damage to the top of your home. If your siding has visible damage, compare quotes with local siding contractors to choose a repair or replacement that meets your home’s needs.
I found a siding contractor near me with plenty of options to meet my efficiency and aesthetic desires. Repave or patch up any driveway cracks. Keep your windows crack-free and properly sealed.
When your home exterior stays fresh and updated alongside the interior, it will look coordinated and refined.
Adapt to Each Season
Just like you decorate your home’s exterior for the holidays, you can change color palettes and decor according to each season inside. You can have several sets of decor, like throw pillows, towels, and curtains, to provide a color palette and style that fits seasonal changes better.
On the exterior, you can extend these color palettes through seasonal decor like string lights, outdoor throw pillows, and wreaths. Winter and fall typically employ warmer, earthier tones, while summer and spring take advantage of light and bright shades.
Conclusion
When you coordinate the interior and exterior of your home, you’ll enjoy both spaces more; the styles won’t clash, and you’ll decorate each space according to your tastes. When you pay more attention to coordinating style and decor in your home, you will want to spend more time making it your own.
Keep in mind that there are no hard and fast rules for interior and exterior design; each home and style preference is different. If you’re having trouble with inspiration, you can hire a designer to help you create a style that both resonates and connects you to all parts of your home.
Our writers like to find the latest trends for fashion and interiors. We launched the award-winning Seasons in Colour in 2015 and the luxury property and interior decor blog www.alltheprettyhomes.com in 2024 to cover all your interior design, travel and lifestyle inspiration needs.