4 Biggest Conversation Pieces You Can Have in Your Home
Decorating a room is something that you’ve done dozens of times in your life. There’s the usual questions we ask ourselves: Where is the couch going? What am I hanging on the walls? Where will the other chairs be? But do you stop to think about the “personality” of the room?
An easy way to add a personal and cozy feeling to a room is to add things that serve as natural conversation pieces. Things like art works, unique furniture, or a large library are interesting and naturally encourage guests to ask questions. While hiring a professional decorator is always an option, there are several things you can easily do yourself.
Houseplants
When you think of houseplants, what comes to mind? A sickly spider plant? A peace lily that’s been neglected? Plants that are poorly cared for make a room feel cramped and uninviting, but a room full of healthy plants adds color and a sense of openness.
The variety of indoor plants you can buy is nearly limitless. The different shapes, sizes, colors, and textures of plants mean that you can find a combination that fits the room you are decorating. The buying, arranging and care for the plants becomes a natural topic of conversation because they are easy to notice and encourage questions.
‘But I Kill Everything I Touch!”
Even if you have no confidence in your gardening skills, keeping indoor plants is easy. The internet has a wealth of easy to follow care guides, tutorials and communities for the keeping of indoor plants. Being able to keep low maintenance plants happy and healthy is as easy now as watching a few videos and setting watering reminders on your phone.
Animals
While more demanding than plants, animals like hermit crabs, reptiles and fish are a great way to encourage conversation in a room. Hobbies like keeping saltwater tropical fish or owning a bearded dragon are interesting and things that people will naturally want to ask you questions about.
All animals are living creatures that require thoughtful care, but some are much more low maintenance than others. As an example, some frogs are notoriously difficult to care for, but keeping small hermit crabs is an affordable and easy way to add personality to a room.
Art
A room where you entertain guests should have at least one piece of art that you personally like. This can be anything from a painting by a local artist to a unique carving you bought on vacation. The so-called “quality” of the art doesn’t matter, but what does is that you are interested in talking about it and answering questions.
The idea of “buying art” can sound like it’s reserved for rich people with monocles, but it’s something that everyone should do. Your city probably has local festivals where you can purchase affordable works directly from the artist. Visiting Thrift and Hospice shops can also be a great way to find unusual works of art for your home.
Custom Furniture
Custom Furniture is an excellent way to add a natural conversation topic to your home. Looking for a seat is the first thing people do when they enter a room, and a custom made couch, recliner or chair will be the first thing they notice. Custom made furniture is designed to your exact taste and can be made specifically to compliment your room.
While upholstered furniture can be more expensive, a custom made dinner table, coffee table or cabinet can be surprisingly affordable. Instead of buying something flimsy and cheaply made, buying a piece of quality custom furniture is an investment that also adds a splash of personality to a room.
Conversation Starters
When you’re decorating a space, a major consideration should be what parts of the room spark conversation. Keeping houseplants and small animals is a great way to get people asking questions and chatting. Displaying a piece of art or buying a piece of custom furniture adds a personal touch and gives the room a unique and memorable identity.
Author: Jacob Maslow
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