Whether it’s an inspirational home in a glossy magazine or a celebrity’s well-styled house on social media, they often share one thing - the all-important touch of an interior designer.
Designers bring beauty and taste to homes they work with, creating luxurious, enviable spaces. Achieving that polished designer feel in the home is completely possible - with just 4 simple rules.
Rebecca Snowden, Interior Style Advisor at Furniture And Choice (FurnitureChoice.co.uk), shares 4 rules to follow, to style your home like an interior designer.
1. Start with a clean monochrome palette
A classic monochrome colour palette has an effortlessly elegant quality, with tonal neutrals such as grey and taupe providing a calm, sophisticated feel. The key is to ensure contrast and variety with these tones, creating visual interest and movement.
“Neutrals never go out of style - but to really up the ante, it’s important to have an interplay between light and dark shades to give your home punch and depth,” advises Rebecca.
“Punctuate a monochrome look with black accessories and details - this immediately gives the home a stylish, yet grounded feel, as you see in this living room, with the coffee table legs and decorative tray.”
2. Incorporate glamorous, luxe textures
A go-to interior design trick is to include luxurious textures in different ways and sections of the room. When paired with a monochrome background, this technique creates a curated, thoughtfully designed home.
“Think about the space from top to bottom, and consider how to add textures at every level,” says Rebecca. “This way, you get a cohesive look that also has a sense of understated luxury. In this grey bedroom, we kept it simple when it came to colour but there’s a variety of textures - from the rug on the floor, to the velvet pillows and the gold lamps. Together, they create a rich, lush feel.”
It is also about looking for furniture and accessories with textural details and contrast.
“Velvet is always a good choice for that soft, glamorous look, but having chrome finishing on these dining chairs really takes it to another level. Keep an eye out for moments of detail and contrast, because these small touches can have a big impact.”
3. Style accessories like a designer
Much as the right jewelry can complete an outfit, signature accessories can make a home feel unique, personal and expensive. Designers understand this - and the key to getting a high-end look with accessories is two fold: firstly, go bold when selecting the right accessories for your home and secondly, make a feature of them to create focus and attention.
“Start by considering what you want to highlight and draw attention to,” Rebecca comments. “In this designer dining room, a bold marble mirror offsets an elegant white fireplace mantel, while a stunning orchid centrepiece gives height and drama, pulling your gaze upwards to a statement chandelier. So think about grouping accessories to complement one another, and accentuate your room’s best features.”
“But going bold doesn’t necessarily mean going big,” advises Rebecca. “Often, it’s the small decor touches that will give a more curated, distinct feel. So even when choosing tableware or vases, go for striking finishes and shapes, including textured brass bowls, pebbled ceramic vases and even marble coasters.”
4. Splurge on lighting
Statement lighting is a simple change that will immediately give the home a designer sheen. Lighting the home well will highlight all the details and thought that has gone into it, while adding a stylish touch.
“Designers favour lighting installations that feature strong shapes and silhouettes,” Rebecca says. “A sculptural, eye-catching lighting centrepiece can completely transform the room, and give it depth and height.”
Layer the lighting options, instead of focusing solely on overhead or general lighting.
“Having multiple sources of light is key, and allows you to play with different settings for a variety of looks and moods,” Rebecca advises. “So mix it up - while you can have a beautiful chandelier, don’t forget the importance and power of a mid-century modern sconce, or lovely floor lamp.”
