Decorating: It’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll but I Like It…
How to bring Glastonbury back to your living room and create a home fit for a rock star with some fun decorating ideas
Are you the type to play it safe or are you just dying to unleash your eccentric inner rock star?
Rock star style is about pushing the boundaries with an abundance of eye-catching and unusual curios. Although your home may not come with its own private beach, recording studio, nightclub and shooting range, you can still add a few adventurous rock star touches, from iconography and gig posters to musical instruments used as art.
Rock star style is about pushing the boundaries with an abundance of eye-catching and unusual curios. Although your home may not come with its own private beach, recording studio, nightclub and shooting range, you can still add a few adventurous rock star touches, from iconography and gig posters to musical instruments used as art.
Display memorabilia
Get nostalgic and dig out those old tour posters, tickets and photos from your first gigs – all of which can be recycled into a personalised wall of music memorabilia. And if you’re not the collecting type, there’s always eBay or car-boot sales. Black frames will tie the look together for a cohesive feel.
Get nostalgic and dig out those old tour posters, tickets and photos from your first gigs – all of which can be recycled into a personalised wall of music memorabilia. And if you’re not the collecting type, there’s always eBay or car-boot sales. Black frames will tie the look together for a cohesive feel.
Introduce black elements
If all-over dark colour is too much for you, try weaving black into a room on a lesser scale. Keep the walls white, but add black via furniture and accessories, and go dark underfoot. A dark carpet would work, or you could add a black or grey rug to existing flooring. Team this with a black or white door rather than natural wood, which would spoil the monochrome look.
See more ideas for decorating with dark colours
If all-over dark colour is too much for you, try weaving black into a room on a lesser scale. Keep the walls white, but add black via furniture and accessories, and go dark underfoot. A dark carpet would work, or you could add a black or grey rug to existing flooring. Team this with a black or white door rather than natural wood, which would spoil the monochrome look.
See more ideas for decorating with dark colours
Spell it out
Rock ’n’ roll isn’t subtle, and neither are these giant 3D letters. Coordinate the colours with your room scheme or go for a design with even more bling. There are some fantastic metal letter lights on the high street, featuring LED bulbs, so you can choose to see your own name in lights, or maybe the name of your favourite band.
Check out more ways to use typography
Rock ’n’ roll isn’t subtle, and neither are these giant 3D letters. Coordinate the colours with your room scheme or go for a design with even more bling. There are some fantastic metal letter lights on the high street, featuring LED bulbs, so you can choose to see your own name in lights, or maybe the name of your favourite band.
Check out more ways to use typography
Work in some skulls
You may not be able to afford Damien Hirst’s platinum skull studded with diamonds, but plenty of homeware is emblazoned with skull designs that will bring an edgy vibe to your home. Track down 3D artwork inspired by animal skulls in everything from plastic, metal, fabric and cardboard to bejewelled designs for extra bling. Or you could go for a print in an ornate frame. Alternatively, hang skull wallpaper – look at Barbara Hulanicki’s Skulls flock wallpaper or Meg Mathews’ Skulls design for Liberty.
You may not be able to afford Damien Hirst’s platinum skull studded with diamonds, but plenty of homeware is emblazoned with skull designs that will bring an edgy vibe to your home. Track down 3D artwork inspired by animal skulls in everything from plastic, metal, fabric and cardboard to bejewelled designs for extra bling. Or you could go for a print in an ornate frame. Alternatively, hang skull wallpaper – look at Barbara Hulanicki’s Skulls flock wallpaper or Meg Mathews’ Skulls design for Liberty.
Turn musical instruments into art
Cymbals can be picked up pretty cheaply online and in second-hand music shops – especially entry-level makes or battered, split and dented ones that don’t sound too great. The sound doesn’t matter when you plan to mount them on your wall rather than play them! And if you bag a bargain vintage drum kit, you can always turn the bass drum into a coffee table and the floor tom into a side table. Guitars make great wall art, too.
Cymbals can be picked up pretty cheaply online and in second-hand music shops – especially entry-level makes or battered, split and dented ones that don’t sound too great. The sound doesn’t matter when you plan to mount them on your wall rather than play them! And if you bag a bargain vintage drum kit, you can always turn the bass drum into a coffee table and the floor tom into a side table. Guitars make great wall art, too.
Bling up the bedroom
A rock star’s bedroom is all about luxury and indulgence. Mix up materials and textures to the max – like this padded leather headboard, faux-fur throw and hide rug – alongside glittering lighting. The bed should be the star of the show, so keep wardrobes and storage elsewhere if you can, or choose mirrored pieces to reflect the room and add extra shine.
Tour glamorous bedrooms with movie star quality
A rock star’s bedroom is all about luxury and indulgence. Mix up materials and textures to the max – like this padded leather headboard, faux-fur throw and hide rug – alongside glittering lighting. The bed should be the star of the show, so keep wardrobes and storage elsewhere if you can, or choose mirrored pieces to reflect the room and add extra shine.
Tour glamorous bedrooms with movie star quality
Despite this being the era of digital downloads, LPs have been making a massive comeback, with record stores reopening around the country. Get back in touch with the slow ritual of picking and playing records, reading the sleeve notes over a glass of wine and maybe even dancing around the room! You could even frame your favourite covers in your new vinyl den.