3 Tips for Creating a Stylish Relaxed Home

HOME & DECOR

Feb 21

Part of my job is to style, photograph and write about homes. I spend a lot of time thinking about other people’s homes and in my spare time, I browse homes on Pinterest. Obsession? I prefer to say healthy interest. Recently I have been paying extra attention to what makes some homes feel instantly intriguing - relaxing, pleasant and stylish in a way that leaves an impression - while others feel nice and maybe on some level impressive, but somehow end up feeling a bit lacking.

And it comes down to this - homes that have strived for ‘perfect’ are the ones that are often the least successful from a styling perspective. Now, everyone has a different definition of perfection and for some, living with ‘perfection’ is important for their emotional state. So - each to their own. I am not the all knowing authority on how you want your own home to feel. But for those of you that want insight into how to create a stylish but relaxed home, read on.

Let’s start by defining ‘perfect’

For the purposes of this article, ‘perfect’ is:

Everything matching
A single unifying colour scheme throughout the home with no deviation
One single ‘style’
Surfaces that have been meticulously styled and planned

When I (used to) teach the Styling for the Home workshop we discuss this kind of ‘perfect’ home - and I have it at one end of a linear scale. At the other end are homes that are chaotic and lacking any kind of cohesion. What you want is something in the middle. Not perfect with everything matching / and not chaotic and lacking style direction.

Why Interior Stylists generally create ‘perfect’ homes

Before we get into why I don't think you necessarily want to hire an interior stylist for your home let me say this...

Interior stylists have a really important and useful role to play when it comes to saving time (and money) for their clients. The best ones listen to what their clients want and deliver against that and create layered lovely homes.
Interior stylists are also incredibly helpful for clients who can't get a handle on their style and try as they might either cant, or don't have an interest, in figuring this out so would rather outsource it.

So, this isn’t a beat up on Interior Stylists. But here’s the problem, when you hire an interior stylist their job will often involve buying new items for your home - this might be an entire home worth of furniture and objects, or it might be just one room that needs a total overhaul. In these circumstances, everything will be bought in one go - and in Singapore, from a very limited number of furniture and homeware stores. There really is so little scope within our city state. Before anything is purchased, it is planned out and presented to the client for approval. This sofa, with this armchair. This lamp and these objects. Everything perfectly planned out. And it is this level of detail and planning that creates a situation where the home often ends up feeling very ‘done’. Lovely, stylish but a bit…showroom-y.

3 Tips to Create a Relaxed Stylish Home

So, by all means, use an interior stylist for aspects of your home but give yourself room to add to it yourself to undo some of the perfect. And if you have time, some skills and interest, here are 3 tips that I think make for the best kind of styling:

The 80/20 Rule

I’ve talked about this before and it’s a simple concept to apply.

Start by identifying your primary interior style (coastal? contemporary? modern? traditional?). Most of us have a pull towards one dominant style. It’s the one that has us pinning on Pinterest and it’s the one that we generally feel the most comfortable buying. This is your 80% style. Apply it liberally throughout your home. It is the glue that holds your interior style together. But it is not enough on its own. It needs a friend. The friend is your 20% style choice.
Next, identify a secondary style you like. Hone in on that and style using a small amount of this secondary style (Asian antique? Mid-Century? Boho-chic?) Give yourself the chance to move outside the confines of your primary 80% style choice and have some fun with your 20% secondary style. This style needs to be sprinkled in amongst the 80% - don’t clump it all together - it will look weird.

Get Rid of Matching

I get it, matching is easy peasy. This goes with this goes with this. Job done. But (in general) your cushions shouldn’t all match. They certainly shouldn’t match your rug. And your artwork. And the vase on your sideboard. That just feels weird in an airport hotel room kind of sterile way. Try instead to allow some of your items to clash a little. Be a bit unexpected. Think about how you can combine different

Patterns
Colours
Textures
Materials
Shapes

How much you like to match will depend on your primary 80% interior style. Some styles just naturally lend themselves to things feeling uniformed, but because you’ll have your 20% secondary style in the mix as well, you can use this secondary style to add some interest and clashing elements.

Take Your Time and Spread the Love

Yes I know it’s annoying to walk into your home every day and look around think “I’ve got to get a grip on this space”. But if you can, try and live with things in a state of process rather than completion. Many interior stylists understand the importance of this so much that they rarely look to complete their own homes in one fell swoop. They are far more likely to take their time adding to their homes in stages. Bit by bit. And spread your love around and try and buy from a variety of shops. In Singapore that is tough. There are so few shops. So where it makes sense for smaller items try and source these online from international shops, or find objects to add to your home when you travel or you are back in a home country.