How to Achieve a Cohesive and Stylish Home Design: Tips for a Harmonious Space

By Brittany McNab

A few weeks ago, at my booth at our local Home and Garden show, a man asked at my booth how he could make his space “match”. I kept my professional composure, but internally I wanted to scream “no! That’s not what you want at all! Don’t do it!” Instead though, I told him what he wanted was cohesiveness.

What is Cohesiveness?

Cohesiveness is the feeling that everything in a room belongs. There is flow, harmony, and intention. The resulting design feels calm and thoughtful. And there’s a formula to it. Let’s dive in.

How to Make a Space Feel Cohesive

1. Stop Focusing on "Matching"

In my experience, things that “match” end up feeling rather flat. Instead, focus on having items “relate” to eachother. For example, if you have an open concept space with black shaker cabinets in your kitchen with brass hardware, and across the room in the living room you have wood shaker cabinets with different hardware in the same finish— the finishes and elements relate to one another through colour and lines. Think cousins instead of twins.

2. Repeat Elements to Show Intentionality

My rule is always to have an element repeat at least twice in a room. For example, if you have wood shelves in your space, but the rest of the space has furniture with metal elements— those shelves might feel out of place. But the second you add in something like a wood coffee table, or even a small detail like wood on the legs of your sofa— suddenly things feel intentional and harmonious.

3. Consider Sightlines and Adjoining Spaces

The final (and often overlooked) secret to a cohesive space is thinking beyond the room itself. How does this space relate to the rest of your home? Can you see down a hallway, or into an adjoining space from where you sit in the room? This is especially applicable for open concept spaces.  If you can see multiple rooms from one vantage point, they should feel like they belong in the same family. Using the a set plan for colors, materials, or styles throughout your home creates a natural flow that makes moving from room to room feel seamless and calming.

The Bottom Line

Cohesion isn’t about making everything match—it’s about making things relate to eachother. By having things in your home that have things in common such as materials, colour, or  repeating key elements, they will really feel like they belong. So the next time you’re wondering why your space just doesn’t look right, ask yourself things like: do any of these elements stand alone? How do the materials I’ve chosen relate to each other, if at all? What are the sight lines in this room? And, does this match— or relate? By choosing careful and intentional design choices, your home will flow together effortlessly.

*All photographs credit: Brittany McNab

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