Mixing not matching

Morning thought I might talk about mixing not matching this morning. Matching is easy it’s why everybody is doing it;  mixing is far harder. WHY well because when nothing  matches  its quite a challenge to somehow get a room to feel like it makes perfect sense and that it feels balanced and harmonised when everything in the room is from a different era, or maybe a different material, texture or colour. I love mixing but then I cheat a little bit and mix in pairs. For instance I have two loungy chairs upholstered in the same hue in the TV nook. I have two ostrich tables with two poodles sitting atop each alcove in my studio and my dining chairs are pairs of odd chairs rather than everything being different. The reason for the occasional doubling up is I want all my rooms to feel balanced, harmonious and not crazy, so it’s a good tip. Also you don’t want to overdo it on the pairing up trick otherwise the room will feel boring so no matching furniture sets please or bedside tables and lamps as that is a design crime! You never know when one of my task force will be banging on your door issuing you a ticket for such an offence (gosh I wish I had a design task force, my idea of heaven)!

The other trick when mixing styles as I say probably a trillion times a day is to reign in the colour palette.  Do that and you can mix far more easily if you only have a few hues fighting for attention rather than every single piece because what it does is cancel it out big time. I stick to 3 maybe 4 dominant hues and it works for me.

Big thank you to the Times for putting my blog in the 50 top websites you cannot live without. Thank you guys, very flattered

An image below of the mismatched dining chair look, although some of the chairs are the same, for me at least it feels a little too unbalanced but hey its a personal thing.

And my dining area where some of the chairs are in pairs.

Happy Thursday

A few little tips

I spend alot of time looking at images, images of living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms you name it. Very few stand out- generally they all sort of merge into a haze of nothingness. However some do and one of those houses I return to again and again, either to illustrate a point I’m making in one of my masterclasses or purely for inspiration is the home belonging to Kate and Andy Spade. Its actually quite formally decorated for my taste, so its a little surprising that I am so drawn to it, but I guess its because it feels just so loved. So if you want to know how to create a pretty darn cool interior, a few pointers.

Don’t stop decorating too soon, most people actually do and it shows. Walls are bare, tables are empty, there might be one cushion on a sofa if we’re lucky, possibly a few lights NOT ENOUGH. The more you dress a room, the more intriguing a room becomes. Please don’t ask me about dust, yes you have to dust more but what would you rather a space that you truly long to return to at the end of the day or an empty box. Nor do I believe the line ‘my life is so cluttered and full my house needs to feel spacious and empty’. Rubbish, come on you’ve just not spent any time on softening it up simple as that, and who can feel comfortable, squishy and contented in an empty shell of a room?

Next tip – triple your lights if you think you have enough you don’t. As I write 8 lights in a relatively small room are softly glowing casting the most magical glow in the soft dawn light. Lighting is the second most transformative thing you can do to a space btw after colour that is!

Ditch lining accessories up in rows or leaving negative spaces between objects. Why because it reads as boring. Its the easiest most boring thing you can do to a room, it doesn’t push boundaries, its not intriguing or challenging and you can do it from the age of 2, 3 if you are a slow learner! Instead arrange things in three dimensional little groupings -  mass objects together that vary in height, look at the composition from the side the front the back if its not butting up to a wall. Yes its a little harder but we all know the harder you work at something right the more you get out of it!

I think that is enough to be getting on with for this morning at least. I leave you with an image or a small detail of the Spade’s home. It nails it for me, lived in and loved you don’t quite know where to look, your eye is drawn, tantalised and intrigued all at the same time. GOLD STAR

Decorating with Style

This time next week I will be in Sydney. That is of course once I’ve come to terms with the enormity of the flight and gotten myself on the plane, hate flying but that is my problem and not something I shall bore you with.

I’m the keynote speaker at Decoration and Design this year, which is hugely exciting if anyone wants to come along to the seminar all info is here. I’m launching my book, Decorating with Style at the very same time and book signing after each seminar (it gets published in Oz 6 weeks earlier than the rest of the world). I am so very proud of this book- from the amazing photography to the content it takes you on a kaleidoscopic visual journey with oodles and oodles of tips, tricks and insider knowledge. Forget rules, trends or forecasts this style of decorating is all about filling your pad with stuff you love.

I say this probably a thousand times a day but decorating can be a snooty old business and I’m on a mission to demystify and break down those barriers giving you the confidence to do as I do, create beautiful interiors, that you will never ever won’t to leave.  You don’t  need millions of dollars to create cool interiors but you will need to think a little differently after all this style of decorating isn’t about decorating by numbers, with everything from the same recognisable source. It’s about embracing individuality.  The only rule,  if you don’t 100 per cent love it don’t buy it!

Below a sneak peak of my sister’s pad featured heavily in the book. We have both changed our spaces big time since the first book, we’ve taken more risks, pushed more  boundaries and the result I think is way cooler. With more stuff in each and every room, more focal points and a confidence you only get with age and practice we’re pretty ready to take on the world I reckon!

Photography (beautiful amazing photography) by Graham Atkins Hughes

An experiment

A big thank you to all those who attended the Design School over the weekend, two lovely days of classes so thank you for being such a brilliant group we had such a fab weekend.

I thought I might yabber about one of those interior design rules that you learn in school, but that we ditch and fling out the window here. That is creating easy walkways, so by that I mean not having furniture in the way instead having wide-open spaces in which you can drive the hugest truck should you so wish down the middle of your living room!

This rule is one that probably gets my blood pressure soaring the most and I will tell you why. If a room has very little going on in the middle of it (i.e. no obstacles to manoeuvre around) then it will read to the eye as a very boring space. When you dare, say plonk a chair in the middle of the room or a table that’s when things start to get interesting. You might not be able to walk in a straight line from one end of the room to the other but that is the point.

Why not try the following experiment. Two sceneries,  first up in a room move things into the middle, so I’m talking the odd obstacle in the way. A chair with a side table and a lamp as an example. When you cross the room you have to weave your way around BUT watch what happens.  Subconsciously your senses are activated so it feels a far more exciting room to be in. Scenario number two, have nothing in the way, so I’m talking everything around the perimeter. Now notice any behavioural changes. Are you reaching for the whisky, popping pills, are you’re shoulders slumped you’re head hanging low? OF course the reason -decor deprivation.  There is nothing to make you linger, stay, hang out. You can read the room in a second, you can walk the room in a Nano second and that is my point!

Anthropologie purposely design their stores with things in the way. You can’t go into an Anthro store and see clear lines and paths in front of you like most other stores, no mam you have to chart you own course. You have to weave, you can’t walk in a straight line WHY because it activates the senses, it engages the senses, and you can’t take in everything all at once. The primary reason infact that the linger time in their stores alone averages 90 minutes which is pretty incredible.

Happy Monday

Talking asymmetry

Right then the doors of the Design School are being flung open today and tomorrow and we’re be yabbering all about how to create you very own dream home. The two M’s Maud and Mungy are off to school (with both of us feeling a little poorly felt that it might be easier and kinder on them) as can just about get up the stairs let alone take them to the park. Plus they do this double act when everyone arrives of zooming around and playing up – so school is a good plan and they haven’t been for over a month, way behind on their three R’s!

Although we tend to ditch the rules  in our design classes, you do kind of need to know a little about them in order to do away  with them. For example the idea of symmetry is a popular one, I’m taking bedside tables and lamps exactly the same, mantlepieces and consoles anchored and orderly that kind of thing. Its the easiest way to decorate because you don’t need to think its a bit like painting by numbers,  follow the formula and you will get a pretty OK looking space. OK being the key word. Except OK isn’t good enough for me I want spectacular, jaw on the floor, gasping at the door type interiors where a room is so amazing you have to sit down in order to take it all in. So I’m not the hugest fan of symmetry. In my spaces everything is not a mirror image and although there is balance its an informal balance, far harder to pull off but far more memorable. How to achieve asymmetrical balance you may ask? Well its not hard – you need to have a number of equally interesting things going on in a space for the eye to linger on. If your eye wanders round the room and then always comes back to the same point – NOT GOOD your balance is suspect. If however things are randomly distributed throughout the room then you’ve probably nailed it.

The reason I  am so obsessed with this style of decorating is because there is no formula, no rules, no limits anything goes. It may take a bit of tweaking to get right but once you’ve converted you’ve converted, a bit like crossing over to the dark side there is no going back.

The image below shows a very simple example of asymmetrical balance. The pictures are not all lined up on the wall, the pillows are ad hoc so when you first look at it you can’t quite take it all in in one hit. Cool hey.

Have a lovely weekend

Design Tube

Forgive yesterdays lack of post have spent the last two days sick in bed, which is so boring. However it has given me the chance to think about the business in ways I generally don’t have the time for.  As you may know very soon we are revamping the website, launching an online monthly Style Guide and I also thought we should have a Design Channel. Design tube I’m calling it – little pocket videos about our Design School, tips and tricks on how you can transform your home, little pockets of advice that kind of thing. What do you think?

The logistics are another thing altogether, finding someone to film it, put it to music etc. etc. but as a concept I think it could be fun no?. I’m a big believer that you don’t need to be an A list decorator or head honcho stylist to have a cool pad. All you need is their confidence and the ability to think a little differently when it comes to putting a room together. Many rooms may look like they’ve been just been slung together but often times they’ve been pondered over, sighed over, tweaked, re tweaked. Plus there are tricks, tricks of the trade that all we designers use time and time again.

The more you do it the easier it becomes and the more confidence you get. You don’t need oodles of cash, style as I say a trillion times has nothing to do with money but you will need to take a few gambles. With colour, with scale, with art, with furniture, layering, texture, pattern, lighting (am I scaring you)?

Below a cool vignette I found on the Design Files – and a good example of how it doesn’t take a lot to create a cool space.

One of the most transformative tricks in the decorating book

Morning, today don’t feel so great.  Achy, couldn’t sleep, hot, then cold yadda yadda yadda. Right now I should be at Pilates – but no chance of that, and so little sympathy with anyone else at home. The two M’s have gone off for their play in the park zooming out the door, balls in mouth, tails wagging not so much as a kiss or feel better soon Mummy whisper. Such is life as they say.

When it comes to decorating I push boundaries, not crazy boundaries but ones that I have found over the years are pretty transformative. One of the single most important things you can do to a space any space, big, small, palatial is to paint the ceiling out the same hue as the walls. It’s a simple trick but one that scares clients the most and I kind of don’t get why? Whenever I mention it faces contort (especially if the scheme happens to be dark) and I always get the same answer NO. As a designer you are constantly on the battlefield, trying to convince and coerce clients into trusting you, you walk this fine line between trying wholeheartedly not to cause waves but at the same time pushing gently pushing clients (after all that’s why they hired you right) into trusting you. Sometimes there is fisty cuffs, hair pulling and stamping of feet (rarely thank God) other times it’s a zillion images under the nose or a trip to my pad so they can see in real life just how transformative it is.

Below is one of my convincing images (have a heap of them) that I show clients. When you paint the ceiling out, lines blur the space becomes more sophisticated somehow as the room feels grandeur, btw if it’s a small room even better as its even more transformative. Then what you put in the space immediately pings out at you. It’s such a simple trick, but it’s the biggest obstacle I have time and time again. So now I’m trying it on you guys. Paint your ceiling out the same colour as your walls (no matter what  colour your walls happen to be) and then stand back. Its A M A Z I N G!

What’s going on?

Morning from a very snowy London. Am kind of glad I don’t commute a simple 2-second walk from the bedroom into the studio and wham bam I’m at my desk. So I spent the last few days in Paris, which I hate to say was very disappointing. Not the city itself which is extraordinary but the show I went too. To safe, to boring, every supplier doing the same thing – if I see anymore rustic, country or beachy looking interiors I think I might slit my wrists.

What’s going on?

I mean I know the economy is tough and suppliers desperately want to showcase what sells but dear God just because its the spring summer collection it doesn’t have to be beachy or rustic right? Where were the leaders of the pack pushing boundaries (there were a few, amazing ones) but only a few?  We found things but boy was it tough a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack. On the plus side we found beautiful modern wall lights with the internal part of the shade in gold which cast the most magical light (some of those are coming home), a phenomenal leather sofa, some super cool vases, throws and objects but tough going.

It’s a lesson, as I was saying to Gem (my sister who came with me) I have to get off my ass and design more then I don’t have to worry about not finding stuff simple as that. So baring all that in mind its no wonder that most people’s pads are so conventional because retailers have very little choice when it comes to diversity. Not that that is a good enough excuse for retailers by the way. For us it means I have to go on more buying trips, Morocco, Turkey, France and dig out and find small artisans, but its an expense that many stores don’t want to have in tough trading times. Regrettably if I wouldn’t have it in my home I can’t buy it no matter if it means that the next few months are now crazier than ever pencilling in more trips, no matter if I think some rustic looking pot for 2 euro will sell like hot cakes and buy me a chateau in the Dordogne. Just can’t do it!

Shall I get to the point? I could just sit here all day and yabber to you guys but then I would be putting off the problem and not dealing with it face on and booking more trips. So my point – don’t let the homogenisation of the high street put you off creating a super cool interior. If it means on your part it might take a little more work, a little more digging around to seek out the unusual, so be it, it will pay off. So what if the look is beachy rustic, throw in some Hollywood glamour, some tribal lux, a bit of boho and then magic will happen. The Internet is one big source book; vintage markets and stores another source book. Mass markety things are fine, hell I’ve got lots of Ikea lacquer consoles and shelves all around this place its the odd little bit of stuff that goes on them that takes them to the next level.

A good example of how the odd worn chair or slightly thread bare rug, vintage pieces basically elevate a space.

Enough from me, sure you are bored to death by now. Onwards and upwards as they say!

Brigten Up

Last post of the week from me as am on a 4am wake up call for Paris tomorrow, and hoping the snow forecast for much of the country tomorrow won’t delay things. As its feeling so chilly and wintery I thought ( stay with me anyone living in a hot clim) we should look at something uplifting – ORANGE. I think orange as a colour isn’t used enough and whether you live in a hot country or a cool country it wakes up interiors like no other hue I know.

I’ve dabbled in my head for ages about curtains in the bedroom, thick velvety Rupert Bear in feel type curtains and toss between a dark hue to melt away with the walls or something that stands out, like these amazing curtains below in burnt orange. I love how they have lined them to match the wall colour, plus orange and brown or taupe if you like are a magical combination. If curtains scare you, consider the odd piece in orange – the painting and the little stool in the image below totally and utterly lift the space. Clever, clever colour just when  you think you know every trick in the book, along it comes slaps you round the face like a wet fish (nice) and makes you re-think you’re whole scheme!

Images Petrina Tinslay

A new chair for the studio and going edgy with colour

Thank you for all your birthday wishes yesterday, very kind indeed, was very touched. I had a lovely day all be it a working one.

Yesterday I got the coolest ergonomic chair from Herman Miller for my studio, its called SAYL.  Matched to my specific needs (hours in front of the computer, writing books, designing etc.) I have to say its life changing. Truly life changing!

Now I’ve sat on the oldest, springs in the ass type dining chair for years and have resisted going down the officey route, vainly because I didn’t see it fitting into my scheme. EXCEPT I’m a convert, with a frameless suspension back (that keeps you cool, and was modelled on the San Fran bridge no less)  its elegant, stylish with first class ergonomics, can’t really ask for more than that right! Why I spent so long on an old dining chair is now beyond me. Yesterday I worked into the evening without even noticing it, usually I am groaning and moaning about back pains, hip pains you name it. So thank you Herman Miller I love my new chair.

So this morning, feeling sprightly and inspired I thought I might try and convince those who have not already dabbled that is, to take a few risks with colour. Whether you have a pale interior or a dark interior, going a little off radar with your colour selection is what knocks an interior out of the park. You don’t have to paint the walls pink (although you will see an interior below that has), but you could perhaps fling on the bed a cushion in say Barbie esq paint, or a throw in teal or mustard, or a rug in red – see where I am going?  We’re not talking namby pamby wishy-washy colours here we’re talking ballsy look at me, I’m the king of the castle hues. You can be as daring as you want (generally I shy away from putting brights on walls) but that’s me you certainly don’t need too. But I do love accessorizing with colour, my bedroom which is only half working needs an injection of colour so am planning on upholstering two little tub chairs I’ve got in bright bright catch your breath pink to lift the space. It doesn’t take much, the only thing you need is confidence and you don’t need that if say you’re considering painting out an occasional table or coffee table in an off radar hue. Why. well because that takes a matter of seconds (OK a few hours at the most) so there’s no worries there as it can easily be repainted.

Flowers in amazing hues lift a space, we’ve got peonies, berries, renuculus, hell I’ve put a load of fake pink and red berries in a tub in the garden and they look super cool and catch and tantalise the eye. Talking off flowers cannot wait to show you the Spring collection, due in in a few weeks – ah ma zing (including trees – yikes)!

The red chairs and the odd splash of blue lift this space and take it to a whole other level.

Pink walls anyone, I’m kind of loving?

Have a lovely day

xx