It seems like every type of picture gets posted to social media these days. Whether it’s the succulent meal at the newest trendy bistro, the influencer next door showing off her most recent clothing purchase, or your cute kitty’s latest foibles, everything's fair game to wind up online! So why should home interiors be any different?

Maybe your living room has appeared on Instagram. Perhaps it was a backdrop to a selfie with a friend. Possibly you were pleased with the way the sunlight streamed through the window and you wanted others to see it too.

If you’ve perused online images, you’ve noticed that people are getting more deliberate about how their home interiors look in their posts. Maybe they have something for sale and want to showcase their product with an appealing background. Perhaps they aspire to be influencers or at least become part of a community that exchanges ideas. Maybe they just want their images to look better to their friends.

The best Instagram interiors aren’t accidental! There’s a method to maximizing a home’s online appeal.

Your Unique Home

Sometimes the room itself is the star of the picture, and other times it’s a backdrop. Either is a valid way to use a photogenic room. There’s no reason it can’t be one today and the other tomorrow!

Whichever you do, make it yours! It’s fine to look at others’ images for inspiration, but don’t copy them too closely. What is it about your home that highlights your personality and style? Find it, and your images will stand out from the crowd!

Remember that you’re posting images of a room, not a museum! If there’s a plate of cookies, a cup of coffee or perhaps a book open on a side table, it serves notice that somebody lives here. Bonus points if your cat is posed on the sofa!

The Bright Look

Every photographer knows that light is magical! Different lighting patterns set off the subject in different ways. Experiment not only with natural light at various times of day but also with light sources from multiple parts of the room. Indirect light from table and floor lamps is softer and more nuanced than a single overhead light! Multiple light sources, including chandeliers and creative pendants, help vary the effect.

Don’t forget what mirrors and metallics can add! Mirrors can multiply light and make a room appear larger. A uniquely shaped mirror is an eye-catching element all on its own!

Be aware of colors! “Cold” colors such as blues may draw more likes than “hots” such as reds, although aggressive colors are fine for accents. In general, lighter pictures will show better than darker ones. Also, rooms with an airy character get preferred over cluttered ones!

The Natural Look

The most obvious way to add nature to your room is with greenery! Plants are easy and versatile. You can readily move them around even when they’re in floor pots. High quality faux plants are just fine!

Other natural elements such as wicker and rattan are showing up in liked and shared posts. Some of the best images have just one or two of these as an accent. Another key to the natural look is texture. Example: a fringed pillow or a throw blanket on a leather sofa.

Change Is Good

You probably don’t want to show the same room arrangement in image after image, and you don’t have to! While your sofa and your heaviest chair might be a hassle to move, there are plenty of elements that can come and go as you please. You can move pillows around or have a few spares in the closet for a different color scheme. Occasional chairs, interesting tables and ottomans can be in the rotation. The round pedestal table is an excellent choice for a small space.

Of course, you can change decor as often as you want, and surface decor changes location more easily than wall art. Open shelving units are camera friendly; they can move around the room and showcase a new assortment of decor wherever they find themselves.

Consider having a “signature piece” that consistently makes an appearance. That could be wall art that stays where it is no matter how much anything else changes. It could be an unusual pillow or a stuffed animal that moves Waldo-like around the room from photo to photo.

Winning Walls

A distinctive wall brings an entire new slant to your camera-ready room. You don’t have to include it in every picture, but when you do, it showcases your style like few features can!

If you attend virtual meetings, a special wall makes a great backdrop! This sort of “Zoom wall” is often a large bookcase because if its versatility. In styling a bookshelf, you can fill the shelves with anything you want and change it from week to week. After all, there’s more than one way how to style a bookshelf! Books might be upright, stacked flat or open. Houseplants add color in key positions. Plants with trailers can droop across the shelves below. Small sculptures could move from shelf to shelf or step aside to make way for others. If you still have vinyl records, album covers make for a noteworthy display.

Learn more about creating the perfect video call background wall in our Zoom Spotlight blog post.

Another choice is the gallery wall or collage wall. The collection can cover the entire wall or just part of it. The wall can have a theme such as abstract art or nature prints. It can be more personal, for example, needlework, travel photos or images that display hobbies and interests.

Learn how to set up your own Gallery Wall.

Why Stop with One Room?

Don’t downplay the appeal of a well-lit bedroom with highlight pillows and an attractive comforter. Or a kitchen, perhaps with a few decorous items on a photo-ready countertop.

Most of us post pictures at times, and many of these are taken at home. With these tips, you can make sure your home is always video-call and camera ready!