The house of your dreams is your own house and perhaps you don’t know. Sometimes, we need very little to make domestic environments even more beautiful… or at east, make them look trendier! Magic? No, something even better: photography. Arrange furniture, objects, interior design items in the right way and take a photo. You’ll be surprised by the result.

Just one moment though. Before unleashing the photographer in you, imagine and visualise the effect you want to obtain. Bright, welcoming, minimalist: how would you like your home to appear in the eyes of the unaware Instagram and Pinterest follower? (Because this where you will then share the photos, while you wait to gather as many likes as the network will grant you…).

But back to us: how can you photograph the rooms in your home and achieve a result that is the perfect mix of photos like those from furniture magazines and unexpected snapshots, between perfection and shabby chic? Easy. Just follow a few simple basic rules, put yourself in the frame of mind that everything becomes more beautiful if filtered with the right lens and that’s it.

Having a truly Instagram-proof home is possible and it’s easier than you think!

You don’t need to be a professional photographer, nor do you necessarily need photo studio equipment. You just need to have a smartphone handy, a bit of attention to the light sources (natural, artificial, hot, cold and so on) and the filters will do the rest! Let’s not forget that photography can really do wonders: with a good starting point and some small tricks, the house turns into a photographic studio that can provide great, huge satisfaction. With all due respect to the glossy magazines that photograph princely residences and manors.

Feeling disappointed after photographing a corner of the house is part of the game: it happened and it will happen. The important thing is not to lose your patience, read these simple tips and arm yourself with a smartphone. The shots will be beautiful and able to capture the attention of the beholder. Ready? Start.

The first rule to have a truly instagrammable house (to use a somewhat geeky term, since we are on the subject) is to consider the direction of light and its quality. Where does it come from? Is it warm and diffused or sharp and projects shadows? We need a neutral light that gently envelops rooms. What do you have to do to get it? Sometimes it’s simply a matter of time: for example, the light coming from the windows is not the same at noon or five in the afternoon. The sun moves and the room changes. Try it.

A piece of advice: pay attention to the curtains. The curtains are one of the best allies to tame light or create interesting drapes to include in the shot.

Second rule: order and perspective. OK, there are two rules, true, but they go hand in hand and so count as one. In practice, when you decide to photograph the house and then share the shots on social media hoping to be successful, everything must be tidy. Or in a masterly mess. Example: absolutely no to leftovers from lunch scattered here and there, but a definite yes to a pen and a notebook, sunglasses on the table, with lenses facing down to avoid changing the light. The layout must be studied down to the smallest detail, so that the final result is impressive: this is what the people of IG expect!

Our advice: in photography, lines and perspective are fundamental. Keep your smartphone at right angles in relation to the room: it’s the detail that makes the difference.

The Editor