Part of our goal at The Home Studio is to create spaces that are just as interesting as the people that live in them. In a world of picture perfect rooms and extreme makeovers, we strive to bring a little reality (and affordability) to the design process.
Regardless of where you are in the world, it’s safe to say the majority of us are home; turning living rooms into offices, dance floors and probably your new happy hour spot.
With that in mind, we asked our designers to share their top tips on how to update your home – and no pressure on getting anything done during lockdown. These staple pieces of advice are timeless and suitable for whenever the mood strikes.
Given that people have time on their hands at the moment, what are the simplest projects can they embark on at home, to update their decor?
My firm belief is that at the moment no one should be rushing into any projects or DIY efforts thinking they are going to be quick fixes to anything . Regardless of the scope of the project, and not even taking into account the realities we are facing in the world at the moment, from job losses and financial instability, to the fact that so many people are dying, we know that the planning phase of any project is the most important phase.
So if people are considering decor and home updates, we urge them to use their time wisely to plan for it. Think about what they are hoping to achieve, get online and research similar projects and outcomes. We encourage them to start their own vision / Pinterest boards, so that they can understand what their own style and preferences are. They can research materials, finishes, furniture – you name it. All these resooucse are online and still fully available. So that when the time comes and they are ready to engage with a professional for the help that they need, they have truly thought about what they need and how they want to achieve it.
The most expensive mistake in a design project is having to redo something. Whether it is as basic as having to buy a new coffee table because you didn’t get the measurements right, or its not quite the style you wanted but it was good enough for now. Or whether it went as far as tiling a bathroom only to realise you hate the colour and need to redo the work. The more forward planning you can do, the better equipped you will be handle all the decisions that inevitably arise during any design process.
What is your favourite way to update a space affordably?
Paint! We love to effuse the power of paint, which we have demonstrated time and time again. Whether you are trying to makeover a piece of furniture, create a feature wall or change the feeling in a whole room – paint has the power of change.
Our favourite effect at the moment is painting skirtings, trims, mouldings and doors a darker colour than the wall, for a more refined look. In most cases people paint these elements a plain white. But, for example, if you decide to paint your walls a light grey colour, try painting all these elements one or two shades darker. It creates such a beautiful and warm finish to the space.
What is the most important change to make when updating decor or styling a space?
This is quite a broad question, but when we help our clients with styling their homes we always always tell them to tidy up first, and then we take out all the accessories and objects from the room. Step one is remove, step two is introduce.
You’ll be amazed by how just tidying up general mess and removing excess clutter and pieces from a room will make the room feel more pulled together, and often more spacious!
Typically these pieces can either be restyled together in the same room, or used for styling in other rooms in the home. Some of the most fun we’ve had with our clients is just spending a few hours in their home re-arranging furniture and styling their existing pieces.
What one piece of decor has the biggest impact in a space?
Plants and flowers! Whether potted plants or cut flowers, adding these to a room always make the space feel more alive, more lived in and more welcoming.
There is no rule on what works best, but obviously play towards your strengths. If you are prone to letting your plants die, then perhaps choose low maintenance greenery options such as succulents, fiddle leaf, monsterra, areca lutescens and snake plants.
With the weather becoming a little cooler, how do you make a space feel more cosy?
Cosy is very different from crowded and full! Even in the older months, less is still more when it comes to decor, so don’t feel you need to bring in layers and layers of blankets and cushions to make a space feel cosy. It all comes down to the tactile nature of the pieces, and bringing in different textures that really amp up the cosy factor.
A soft, shag style rug underfoot. Velvet cushions on the sofa. A thick linen quilt. All these different textures work together to create the overall effect. A few selective candles lit in the evenings also helps!
Images via Studio Gabrielle and Ivywood Cottage
