Tips & Tricks

4 Ways to Make Busy Home Areas Beautiful & Functional

Discover how to decorate busy home areas with practical tips on flooring, furniture, rugs, and lighting to create stylish and durable spaces.
4 Ways to Make Busy Home Areas Beautiful & Functional

Busy home areas such as the entryway, hallways, the front door, and even the backdoor are the more challenging ones to decorate. The kitchen and living room could be considered here as well.

Ways to upgrade busy areas inside your home

While adding some wallpaper and a cute console table and then calling it a day is tempting, it’s not as easy as it’s made out to be. There needs to be a lot of thought and care going into it to ensure it’s both practical and homely. So, with that said, what should you be keeping in mind?

Choose the right flooring

Flooring can often be overlooked as something you need to think about. You usually prefer the look and style you like, but determining whether it’s practical is the next thought. Flooring in busy home areas need to be attractive *and* resilient, with one of our go-to’s being cushion vinyl flooring. It’s comfortable for the areas where you have to spend time on your feet, easy to clean, and you don’t need to stress about stains, whether placed in the kitchen or mudroom. Plus, the colour doesn’t fade like it would with hardwood flooring.

Balance functionality with style

It is possible to balance functionality and style in busy home areas, but it will need a bit of planning. While every piece of furniture and décor should have a purpose, we also want to ensure it fits in with the rest of the interiors. For instance, consider a sturdy bench in an entryway with storage underneath for shoes, bags, and other items you need to grab on the go. With the piece getting a lot of daily wear, it’s worth considering it as an investment and looking at options that you know will last your lifetime.

this is an example of using concrete tiles for a kitchen area, featured in The Local Project

Pick a rug designed for a busy life

While yes, rugs can add warmth and style to high-traffic areas, we recommend keeping a couple of other things in mind when choosing your rug. A general rule of thumb is complimenting these areas with low-pile or flat-weave rugs; these are easier to clean and less likely to show wear than high-pile options. You could even opt for one from Ruggable rugs, as they can easily be cleaned and are designed with busy areas in mind.

Lighting will always matter

Areas like hallways and entryways are usually known for their lack of lighting. It’s not just about ambience but more about preventing any accidents. For example, combine ceiling lights with wall sconces in a hallway to eliminate dark corners and create a welcoming atmosphere. In the kitchen, under-cabinet lighting can illuminate work surfaces, making meal preparation easier and safer.

Photo credits: The Local Project

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