Decorating Guides
Add Some Sparkle to Your Style
Discover 15 ways to bring glitter and glam into your home
For those who draw their inspiration from nature, the glint of sunlight on icicles and the gleam of precious gems are meditations on nature’s beauty. In the hands of a sophisticated designer, that lustrous beauty can be harnessed to add luxury and elegance to any room. Here are 15 ways to glamorize your home with sparkling walls, glittering grout and more.
1. Kitchen knockout. It’s time to lose any preconceived notions about sparkle: It’s not always tacky, girlie or over-the-top. Whether shell or recycled glass mosaic tiles, the material in this kitchen oozes organic glamour when combined with natural wood and glossy cabinetry.
2. Laundry room luminary. Crystal chandeliers aren’t the only things that sparkle: How about gleaming floors, countertops and laundry machines? Go literal by capturing the essence of clean in a single word, hung prominently in the laundry room.
3. Awesome aluminum. Metals tend to have the same attention-grabbing pull as shimmery, sparkly surfaces do, especially when that metal is perforated aluminum. A room featuring this unusual wall treatment benefits from a thoughtful lighting scheme to enhance the glitz.
4. A cut (glass) above. This room has all the glitz and glamour of a jewelry store, with its crystalline sconces and faceted mirror. Light will shine brilliantly through any glass, of course, but the more facets it has, the more sparkle you’ll get. This aesthetic really “shines” when paired with other reflective surfaces like metal accents.
5. Fireplace feature. It’s no mystery that the key to successful monochromatic rooms — especially neutral ones — is textural variety. Even with all its touchy-feely suede and fur, this room might lose some of its oomph without the iridescent fireplace surround that serves as an enthralling focal point in the room. The wall-length mirror knocks it out of the park by offering a double dose of that glittery centerpiece.
6. A nursery natural. I hesitate to include this photo, lest you non-sparklers feel vindicated in your conviction that sparkle belongs only in the rooms of little girls, but it’s such a fine testament to glitter’s impact that I just had to add it.
7. Festive furniture. Decidedly not for the faint of heart, a glittery hot-pink dining table is every teenage girl’s fantasy realized. Toning down everything else in the room keeps this investment piece by Italian furniture maker AltaModa from being too juvenile or saccharine.
8. Bedroom bling. There’s little about this room that doesn’t sparkle: From the wallpaper to the silk devoré curtains, and the lacquered nightstand to the decorative pillow, every detail was carefully edited to maximize style and luxury. The room shimmers, yet nothing feels over-the-top or diva-esque.
9. Showcase stunner. Designed for last year’s New York City Holiday House, this room employs a grand trifecta of shiny materials: metal, Lucite and crystal. There’s nothing subtle about it, and that’s part of its charm. The rich textures and the sheer effervescence of the space invite lingering and would make the lingerer feel perfectly glamorous.
10. Glitter grout. Yes, this is exactly what it appears to be: glitter-infused grout from Staffordshire Silicones, a U.K.-based vendor that sells ready-mixed glitter grout in 10 colors and a glitter additive that can be mixed with conventional grout.
11. Pirate pizzaz. Who says bling always spells formal? This fanciful crystal pirate ship has been causing quite a stir in stores and online with copycats available from several leading retailers.
12. Sea-inspired sparkle. The glass handles are a graceful touch, but the glittering shell mosaic tile against the oceanic Azul Bahia granite countertop transports this bathroom’s soul directly to the sea.
13. Twinkling textiles. Any surface that reflects the light can gleam like a gem. You can get your sparkle fix from the usual suspects (crystal, metal), but you can also get it from your fabrics, most notably velvet upholstery, silk panels and satin bedding.
14. Radiant room divider. A curtain of metal bead chains glistens behind a velvet sofa and casts a mysterious aura over this scintillating room. It’s a chic and unexpected way to bring glimmer to a luxurious space.
15. Can’t-miss crystal. As we’ve seen, sparkle is showing up everywhere inside the home, but dangling crystal chandeliers are the height of this look. They’ll sparkle during the day when the sun hits them, and at night, they’ll cast intricate shadows on the walls as electric light filters through the prisms. If you already love what your crystal chandeliers do for your interiors, you’re a good candidate for adding some of the other sparkly touches featured in this story.
More:
Top 10 Reasons to Give Your Home Some Sparkle
A Little Sparkle, a Little Shine
More:
Top 10 Reasons to Give Your Home Some Sparkle
A Little Sparkle, a Little Shine