I love open spaces. My large balcony and wide window spaces are a reflection of that. Almost every object in my home has a story; each of them is a conversation starter. It’s like the old shoe box filled with shirt buttons, broken collectibles, trinkets and random photographs. I am sure many of us have it saved somewhere at the back of our closets; I certainly do.
I like to think of it as a box of memories of a childhood filled with little adventures and road trips along the coast of California during college.
My friends and family are a huge part of the memories I made. The memories are in the form of an old postcard from a forgotten trip, a collage of black-and-white photographs and vivid memories, an antique vase that my mother gave me as a present, and my children’s first sloppy attempt at painting, among others.
How do you find the right place for things so beautiful and precious to you?
When I moved into my home for the first time, the first few days were about arranging and finding a fitting spot for all my things. My shelves were and always have been a space that I struggle to make the best of, although they are amongst the first things people see when they walk into my house. I had to find a place to keep my old Polaroid and my slightly worn-out favourite book.
What if I could use shelves as my bigger box of memories instead of a pointless spot where I pile things I don’t need? The next time you find that vintage piece of jewellery, don’t just stuff it back into your drawers. Put it on your shelf along with antique miniature furniture. Assign a theme to each of these shelves. Create symmetry by stacking your most cherished books next to a few photo frames. Keep everything that falls within the same colour family on the same shelf. Lastly, be sure to add a range of balanced heights, layered textures, and groupings of objects when styling this section. Watch your shelves evolve from being impersonal spaces to those brimming with fond memories. The next time someone walks up to them, they’ll do so with genuine curiosity. And this time, you’ll have a beautiful story to tell them and reminisce, instead of an excuse for an empty or cluttered shelf.
The author is a celebrity interior designer and style editor at The Label Life
