That said, I do admire the ornate and can occasionally appreciate the intricate - even if their only purpose is to look pleasing to the eye. After all, who doesn't want to see something that soothes the eye after a rough day at work or school?
I always believe that a house is just that - a house - until you make it into a home. Doing so would mean filling the house's interior up with things that show signs of life and personality. The quickest, yet perhaps also the hardest way to do so is to bring in furniture and put up decorations that are in a style that suits your tastes to a perfect T. Here are three of my favourite styles.
1) Contemporary (Modern)
First on the list is the contemporary or modern style. As the name suggests, a room with a contemporary style would fit right into the present era. It focuses on sophistication, simplicity, and doing more with less.
What I like: This style uses a lot of "open" furniture and "open" concepts, like using mirrors to make the rooms look more spacious, open shelves and so forth. With the mirrors, it's easy for me to figure out what's happening in another part of the house without having to shout for other residents to reply. With open shelves and such, I can save one step when taking things out - no need to open drawers or doors! Everything is in plain sight!
What I don't like: Being as "open" as it is, this style is a deadly dust-trapper. Before long, the unprotected space before the books or DVDs in the open shelves will be dusty. Because of the mirrors and open space, it is also doubly unsightly (triply, if you have three mirrors!) when clutter gathers into a pile. Not recommended for the super busy!
2) Traditional (Country)
Amazingly, I adore the traditional or country style as well. I say amazingly, because this style ranks among one of the top few in elaborate design. Frills, laces, carved and burnished wood patterns, tapestries, carpets, you name it, they've probably got it and more.
What I like: Comfortable. This style is all about comfort. Lots of wood and soft things. When I wake up in the morning, I do not want to step on a freezing floor, which is what often happens when ceramic or marble flooring is used. Wood keeps the temperature neutral. Too much white (hallmark of the modern style) may also remind me of a hospital - the last thing I want to be reminded of when coming home after a dreary day! Wood, on the other hand, has warm and comfortable colours. And they feel natural!
What I don't like: Maintenance! Much upkeep to pursue for this style, especially if I want the wooden stuff to last. I also foresee hard-to-reach cleaning areas, like for example, between wood carvings. Cushion covers will need regular washing, something I'm not too keen on either. Also, a good sense of aesthetics is required to make every decoration blend in harmoniously. Something I am unfortunately bereft of.
3) Minimalist
Finally, taking "less is better" to the extreme, is my absolute favourite Singapore interior design style - the minimalist. The bare essentials, as they say. Distinct furniture, clear lines, and large spaces. There is no room for fancy in this style at all. Yet when done well, it is a design that both pleases the eye and frays the nerves.
What I like: It saves money and brain cells. The concept behind the minimalist style is that table is a table is a table. A table will not be a table cum sofa cum telephone booth cum ornate sculpture in the corner of the room. Strictly use it for its intended purpose and don't think about anything else. Also, because "less is more" here, it will be easier to place the furniture, or move it around when necessary. And the best part is... cleaning becomes easier and faster too!
What I don't like: Well, after a while it does start looking rather bland. And there's only so many times you can move furniture around. And the small amount of furniture will make the space look very large and sometimes lonely. There is also not much room to play around with a range of colours.
All in all, I think choice of style is a very personal thing which can be hard to get right. Perhaps the execution may be best left to the professional architects and interior designers after all.
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