Styling tips to turn your home into a fabulously photogenic abode worthy of a magazine spread
MAKING your place look like a magazine spread is attainable with these simple styling tips, writes Catherine Nikas-Boulos.
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WOULDN’T it be amazing if your house could be transformed from bland to completely brilliant?
Magazine spreads and homewares catalogues tantalise with the hope that it’s possible to breathe colour, life and pizzazz into your lacklustre living room, dreary dining room or bland bedroom.
But there’s no need to redraw on the home loan to give your place a stunning makeover and adding a little gloss to a room that time has forgotten or you’re just plain bored with.
Even for those with money to spare. knowing what to buy and how to pull it together is a challenge.
Adding new energy and fun into a room requires you to think about introducing seasonal accents.
Bold colours like fuchsia and lime hues might sound scary at first, but teamed with neutral palette, they suggest the homeowner is fashion-forward and brave.
COLOUR YOUR WORLD
When was the last time you saw a monochrome living room celebrated on the inside spread of a luxury homewares magazine?
Vault Interiors’ director, Justine Wilson, says homeowners will often comment on how much they love new season colours, but are reticent to use them in their own home.
While she says it is not realistic for people to re-energise their interiors every season with a complete overhaul, small, budget-conscious changes do make a noticeable difference.
“I tend to tell my clients to take a long term approach to key pieces like sofas, and then introduce accent trends with cushions and artworks,” she says.
“I think it’s always better to buy colourful throw and scatter cushions than to go to the trouble of painting an entire feature wall.”
Justine says your house can still look like it belongs in a photo shoot without necessarily copying a look straight out of the magazine.
“The thing about painting your wall a seasonal colour or putting up wallpaper is that you might get bored of it after some time, so it’s best not to do it in a main area,” she says.
“A powder room or a room you don’t spend too much time in would be ideal for something a little more experimental.
“It still makes an impact and feels fresh, whereas in a living room, you might get sick of it pretty quickly.”
When it comes to adding colour to a room, a slowly, but surely approach is best.
Justine recommends homeowners experiment with colour through layering and working with softer tones.
“Red might be the colour you see in the magazine and you want to recreate it at home, but instead of going for big full-on red pieces, start with cushions and small art works that have red highlights,” she says.
“The colour can pop up in several different smaller pieces rather that one big block piece.
“Then when you’re comfortable with that colour, you can start playing around with something bright like orange. Colour contracting can make a big impact, but it’s often easier to start with one base colour and work your way up from there.”
RELAX, THEY’RE JUST KIDS
Children don’t care that you want your living room to look like style guru Martha Stewart’s, and they’re generally not keen to play within the confines of their bedrooms.
Justine says communal areas can be the hardest to design around to please everyone, but a room should never be just for show.
“Especially where kids are concerned, the space can’t just be styled only for aesthetic purposes,” she says.
You want them to enjoy that space but you want it to be a showcase sometimes, too.”
Justine suggests a coffee table could double as a storage ottoman to pack toys away in a hurry, and if you need somewhere to put your keys (or stray Lego), buy a beautiful bowl.
“You need to combine function with beauty and always have a scented candle in a room and fresh flowers — that always makes a room feel more special.”
Justine, who has worked as a magazine stylist, says arranging your furniture in a certain way also makes a notable difference in how your room presents.
“First impressions count, so you want the first thing that people see when they walk into a room to be the most beautiful.”
LIVING IN STYLE
Coco Republic senior property stylist, Jenny Conroy, says it’s great to have a good looking living room looking for visitors, but it has to be comfortable for the family, too.
“It’s where you do most of your socialising and also where you kick back, so it takes a bit of creativity to get it right,” she says.
“A sofa with two chairs is a more interesting combination and gives you the chance to bring different textures into the room.
“The sofa could be linen and the chairs might be cane and timber to mix things up. If you invest in a good quality sofa, you will have it for a long, long time.”
Jenny says you can start by placing the sofa against the biggest wall and pad out the room with side tables and lamps.
“Side tables are great because you can put the drinks on them, or when you’re not entertaining, stack them with magazines and other accessories to style up the room.”
While drawing inspiration from magazines is a good thing, Jenny says every room should reflect your own personality.
“If you’ve found a quirky piece travelling through Morocco or something like that, make it your centrepiece,” she says. “It’s the sort of thing that will give your room individuality — and that can’t be found in any magazine, anywhere.
She says adding something living or natural to a room, whether it be a plant or sensational flowers, will also make the space more interesting by breaking up the hard surfaces.
“Throw it all together and you’ll usually end up with an interesting result.”
Pictures Bob Barker, Karen Dodd
More Coco Republic, cocorepublic.com.au; Metricon Homes, metricon.com.au; Vault Interiors, vaultinteriors.com.au
BUILDING BLOCKS
INTERIOR design expert and Zanui brand ambassador, James Treble, says magazines are a great starting point for stylish spaces.
“You can use them much like a designer uses a mood board,” says James, who is a regular on Channel 10’s The Living Room.
“I would be looking at placement of objects, starting with large items like the sofa and then where the side tables are positioned in relation to it.
“If you have a neutral, large couch already, you are ready to start layering.“
He suggests using keys pieces like an artwork or a colourful rug as the colour palette of the room.
Adding something a little unexpected piece can go a long way too.
“Sometimes the look can be pulled together with one amazing piece like a glazed peacock, or a timber box,” he says.
More James Treble of Treble Studios, treblestudios.com.au and brand ambassador for Zanui, zanui.com.au
STYING TIPS 101
• Small spaces In a small room don’t choose an oversized sofa. There’s nothing worse than having to skirt around a sofa to get from one end of the room to another.
• Ground your space Think natural foundation pieces and pump up the colour with artworks, lighting, cushions, rugs, vases or even fresh flowers.
• Mix old and new Hold onto your treasures and heirlooms and mix them up with newer pieces to create a truly tailored room that suits your lifestyle.
• Mix and match materials Pair leather with marble, galvanised steel with cowhide, rugged timber with glass. Mix things up to make it your own.
• Invest in classic pieces They offer timeless quality and never go out of style. Keep big-ticket items like beds and sofas in classic colours so they won’t date.
• Have fun with cushions Go with bold colours, punchy patterns and prints. Vintage-style stamps, retro print and wildlife cushions are on-trend.
• Swap it round Use stools as bedside tables, bookcases for a pantry, a dressing table for a hallstand. Have some fun with your furniture.
• Pendant lights They are a great way to add a splash of personality to any room.
Source Freedom, freedom.com.au
Picture Clarendon, clarendon.com.au
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