There’s plenty of info out there about choosing ceramic tiles, but how about ceramic décor? It looks like no-one, or at least no-one on the first several pages of a Google search, has ever written on the topic. We thought it’s about time someone filled in that gap. So if you’ve been struggling to find any guidance for these beautiful homewares, struggle no longer! Here’s our guide to picking ceramic décor for your space…
FIRSTLY, PICK (OR UNDERSTAND) YOUR INTERIOR STYLE
If you’re at the stage of picking ceramic décor, it’s highly unlikely you’re starting with a blank canvas at home. Most of us shopping for homewares have, for the most part, already created their interior style, both in terms of interior design (paint colours, flooring, etc) and the furnishings (sofas, tables, occasional chairs, etc). And whether knowingly or not, we’ve almost certainly created it in line with one or more existing styles. Why? Because all of us living in Australia have grown up with or had exposure to about a dozen interior styles, more or less, which have been dominant in our society during our lifetimes. And we tend to stick with what we know. People who go for a “light and bright” or “beachy” setting, for example, are almost always going for the Hamptons style. Others, like me, who prefer a “Nordic” or “Scandi” look are usually referring to the mid-century modern style. My fiancée prefers “rustic” furniture, which much of the time means industrial style. I know others who prefer contemporary furniture, vintage or classic styling, the farmhouse or country style, the eclectic style of shabby chic, and the various French styles (country and provincial and always popular).
Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter which style you prefer. What matters is that you’re able to identify it (or, if you are starting with a blank canvas, what you want it to be). If you need help with that, we’ve written guides to telling the difference between furniture styles and furniture styles from around the world. Identifying your style is perhaps the most important step to helping you pick ceramic décor as each style is replete with colours, textures, shapes, materials, conventions, etc, which usually feature in it. Use these to guide your shopping and thinking when looking at ceramics.
NEXT, HAVE A LOOK AT WHAT’S ON TREND
While our range of ceramics includes a variety of timeless and on-trend pieces, it doesn’t hurt to see what the home decoration trends are for the year. Yellow and grey, for example, are the colours of the year for 2021. Also on trend is getting back to basics—i.e., unpretentious furniture styling—and, for the first time that we can recall, indoor gardening. Ceramics can play a role in all of those trends!
Still, many of us are simply looking for a safe choice when it comes to ceramics. If this is you, consider something in a monochrome palette—i.e., pick a colour and decorating using a range of its tints and shades.
Note that this doesn’t have the greyscale. You can choose green, for example, and complement it with other décor as we’ve done below.
FINALLY, TRUST YOUR GUT
If you love something, get it! Life’s too short to be worrying about whether a ceramic item you love fits in with your furniture style. At the same time, if something is radically different from everything else in your home then it may be worth a second or third opinion before you buy. That’s where shopping in-store with friends or family can be a real advantage—you can get opinions not only from those shopping with you, but also our experienced staff. They’re always happy to offer style advice!
P.S. DON’T DWELL
Most retailers (including us) purchase items in limited quantities. If you’re purchasing from an art gallery, often ceramics are one of a kind. This means there’s a significant chance that, if you decide not to buy, the item you want won’t be available when you change your mind. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
