Need expert advice to style your home but can’t afford to hire a top interior designer? Fear not for we have decoded the code of 11 top designers and stylists for simple tips that will elevate your home from good to great!
1 Let your home
tell a story
Nate Berkus: “I believe your home tells a story about who you are and who you aspire to be. We represent ourselves through the things we own. I don't believe in trends. I believe in collecting things that you connect with. We should surround ourselves with things we care about, that have meaning.”
2 Go from the
ground up
Meg Caswell: “Always start with the rug when designing a room. You will only have a few rugs that you fall in love with but there will be dozens of paint colours and fabrics you will love.
So start with the rug and then select your paints and fabrics. It makes for a much easier process. You won’t be searching forever for the right rug to fit into the rest of the room and then end up compromising your design because of it.”
3 Style every
vignette and corner
Jonathan Adler: “Think like a photographer. Look at every vignette in your home like it’s being shot for a shelter magazine and style accordingly.”
4 Mix and match to
create character
Kerry Wearstler: “By acquiring all your furniture from different eras and places and getting things that are expensive and inexpensive, it will make your end product have a great spirit.”
5 Be curious
and inquisitive
Bunny Williams: “If you have an intellectual curiosity, you are going to put together a pretty home.”
6 Follow the
Rule of 3
Pippa Jameson: “When designing a scheme, try to stick to a maximum of three colours: Main, complementary and a highlight, this will make your scheme easy on the eye.”
7 Light and easy
Martyn Lawrence-Bullard: “My number one tip is a very easy and totally affordable, yet vital to all spaces. The dimmer switch.”
8 Explore the
vertical dimension
Todd Romano: “Create strong verticals and avoid the horizontal. I adore large mirrors because they add scale to a room. I also keep the furniture low-slung, so the rooms seem taller.”
9 Don’t neglect
the ceiling
Lucy Gough: “Don’t be afraid to paint your ceiling in a colour. As long as the walls are painted in a darker shade, the ceiling will feel light.”
10 Give old things
new meaning
Kishani Perera: “Add unexpected elements to your home by using traditional pieces in a new and interesting way.
For example, turn a vintage cabinet or antique trolley into your new bathroom vanity to bring personality to your space.”
11 Make under
for a makeover
Cristin Bisbee Priest: “Edit, edit, edit. Purge items when rooms get overly cluttered and display only what you love.”
