How to Create Romantic Rooms in Your New Home

Minimalistic interior decorating has had its day in the sun, dominating lifestyle publications, Pinterest, and social media feeds.

Perfectly lit pictures of stark calm interiors attempt to convince Internet users that they should get rid of almost everything they own and live in a minimally decorated white box.

Anyone attempting to transform their new home into a Zen oasis of empty space, obsessive geometry and chilly rooms soon find themselves in a never-ending battle against texture, color and daily life. Read: anything that makes a house your home.

Fortunately, you can make your new house feel warm, inviting and peaceful by designing romantic rooms.

Homeowners can take almost any decorating style to the next level by adding romantic touches to their existing décor. Romantic interior design creates a space that envelops the mind in a comfortable environment. Well-placed and organized details give the room soothing, tactile textures that simultaneously invigorate the senses and give you the perfect place to relax.

Appealing to the Senses with the Right Details

A romantic interior appeals to the senses with carefully curated design and art objects. Unlike many interior design styles, like the aforementioned minimalism, romantic interior design is beautiful to look at when scrolling through Pinterest and actually comfortable to live in. With the right décor and design choices, you can nail the comfort and effortless beauty of romantic design in your own home.

Sight

A romantic room is a visually compelling space. Part of the appeal of romantic design is that the visual impact of the space makes people want to relax and spend time in it, while looking causally refined and elegant. Combine unique art objects that match your style with comfortable pieces of furniture to get this look.

A room lit just perfectly with the right number of candles (not too many and please keep them away from anything flammable), for example, can make a space feel cozy and warm in more than one way. Layered lighting, where you use overhead lights as well as lamps and other lights to provide layers of lighting intensity, can also help to provide an inviting space. Dimmers can also help to change lighting as necessary.

Touch

One of the major elements of romantic design is incorporating the texture into your space and visual design. Choose materials that have a visible texture, such as reclaimed wood, leather and ceramics. Look for opulent fabrics like silk and velvet (or maybe reversible sequin throw pillows that are quite addicting) that make you feel as though you cannot resist touching. Think about how the flow of your drapes creates patterns on your walls.

Smell

Nothing sets the mood and says romance quite like a perfectly balanced scent that is appealing and interesting. Making sure your home smells just right is the finishing touch of a romantic space. (I mean, a home that smells like a stinky dog or cat does not spell romance!)

You can get that perfect smell with a sculptural arrangement of scented candles or an incense burner. Cut flowers also add to the visual impact of a room, while making the home smell heavenly.

Balancing the Feminine and Masculine

When designing a romantic interior, you don’t have to go overboard with frills or lace or colors like red or pink. Like a cabin retreat in the mountains or a Parisian apartment, you can create a romantic space that balances feminine detailing with masculine furniture and undertones.

Romantic masculine color palettes incorporate moody neutrals that create warm, cozy atmospheres, perfect for curling up with a good book or enjoying a roaring fire. Once you have your desired color palette, opt for large scale, solid furniture. After getting the main elements of your space fixed, you can balance out these masculine features with more feminine details that add texture and brighter pops of color to the space.

Romance for Every Style

Romantic interior design is more than slapping up warm paint colors and going to town with baroque detailing. Romantic design is about adding texture and drama to a room or to create a livable space that looks striking.

Any decorating style, from shabby chic to eclectic to bohemian, can be improved with romantic touches. As you plan how you want to decorate your new home, think about tweaks to your décor that could make your space feel more romantic and inviting.

Embracing jewel tones in your color palette, or opting for soothing neutrals with dramatic detailing, could help add drama to your spaces. Think about the textures typically associated with your personal style and how you could incorporate that into your home. Be on the lookout for unique, high-impact art objects that speak to you and your style for added dramatic flair.

Romanticism is about making a space compelling to look at and comfortable to live in. No matter what your personal style, you can create a romantic retreat in your new home.