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Sharon ‘Nibbles’ Mupfumira

Tafadzwa Zimoyo Lifestyle Writer—
Defining your home decorating style is key to making your abode gorgeously your own, but what if you aren’t sure what your decor style is? One of the things many love most about interior design and the concept of decorating is the self expression. It can reveal so much about yourself with the pattern of a pillow or use of colour in a room. Personal style goes beyond fashionable threads and accessories to also include the home.

Every purchase you make for your home shows some underlying intention about you and your taste. Who knew that decorative indulgences whether big or small had such power? Because of this, the opportunities are truly endless when it comes to how you would like your interiors to reflect your lifestyle.

Saturday Herald Lifestyle caught up with one interior designer based in Newlands, Sharon Mupfumira, owner of SOHO creations.

She said articulating your design style is the key to creating a room that really reflects it.

“If this sounds mysterious, have no fear: You can easily identify the look you crave. Try to look at your furniture. With a pad in hand, walk from room to room and make two truthful lists: “Love It” and “Wish I Could Replace It.” Catalogue everything you can, including art? And be honest. It’s all based on how things make you feel,” she said.

Mupfumira, who is affectionately known as ‘‘Nibbles’’ in her circles because of the great touch, said people should focus on the items that make them feel beautiful and joyful at home.

“Decorating should be everyone’s dream. Don’t say I am not into décor or fashion or what. Colour defines you. What you present is what is there. Think about places you love and why you love them. Picture your dream home, if you could live anywhere. Then think outside of home. If you were invited to be on an awards show, what would you wear?”

This moves you beyond the limitations of your lifestyle and budget and into a new realm of creativity,” she explained.

Mupfumira who said she started designing the family lounge at the age of 10 said colours, shapes and materials are among the things she treasures.

“Since most tiny houses or apartments tend to be box-shaped, use your furniture to add some curves back in. Once you’ve found pieces that suit your needs and your personal style, make sure to complement those curves by using similar shapes in your accessories. Rather than choosing a plain, rectangular bathroom mirror, opt for a round one that makes a statement,” she said.

She said the ways people decorate and furnish their homes, and the objects they choose to display, can reveal their values, aspirations and tastes.

“Décor and furnishings can also contribute to their sense of mental and physical wellbeing. For these reasons, many people take great care when decorating the interiors of their homes,” she said.

Mupfumira said home décor has been influenced by social trends.

“From the 19th century in the Western world, the middle-class home was increasingly seen as a refuge where people could enjoy family life. Ideally, it was a comfortable and convenient place to live and raise children, and also to receive friends and visitors. It therefore had to serve distinct functions, and interior fixtures and décor helped to demarcate public and private areas of the home,” she said.

She said home decor creates a source of creativity.

“Even if the homeowner was not wealthy, home decorating provided an opportunity to exercise judgment in colours and arrangement of furnishings. The success of these efforts could be assisted by awareness of trends, but also depended on innate design sense.

“The way in which a house was decorated revealed the personality and life experiences of the owner. Objects collected over a lifetime and framed photographs were the record of a person’s or family’s emotional history. Making decisions about décor is an aspect of self-expression that often begins early in life,” she said.