HOW TO STYLE YOUR STUFF
Interior design photos are gorgeous – we can look at them all day, but they are guilty of one naughty thing. They encourage the perception that to have a beautiful home you can’t own lots of ‘stuff’. This is the interiors magazine’s version of airbrushing celebrities – it gives us unrealistic expectations to live up to.
If you really think about it, those with stylish homes who are true connoisseurs of art and design are the most likely to own a lot of eclectic pieces that they have collected over the years. The question is – where do they put it?!
We at Studio Dean love your stuff. We always design with you in mind, and will never erase you or your things from the masterplan of your home. Instead, we make beloved belongings shine and inject love and personality into the space – in the most stylish, showstopping way possible.
We always start with by getting to know our clients, their homes and the way they live with their belongings. We look at their objects as a whole to see what world the client is in. This shows us all the times that they were drawn to things, all the times they let their guard down. People's stuff doesn't all come from a catalogue, it is a collection of what they really love. It tells the story of them and is the key to discovering their core style.
START WITH YOUR STUFF
To do this yourself at home, take time to really look at your things. Observe how your tastes have developed. Notice what you don’t like any more, where you might have made a mistake. With the things that still spark joy, think about what you love about it, what drew you to it, why you still love it – then think how your home can reflect what you see in that painting or object.
By doing this you can also see which colours you are most drawn to and choose a theme to suit your true tastes. By really diving into what you really love and why, you will escape the trend and algorithm-generated ideas of what you think you like.
CONSIDERED DECLUTTERING
You need to have a good clear out before you start. Ask yourself, do you love it, do you use it, is it useful, does it bring you joy? There is no space in life for anything else. Don’t keep things just because you have spent money on it. Be ruthless. Everything needs to serve a purpose. If you never wear heels but you have sentimental heels, they need to go. Vinted is your friend. There’s no such thing as just in case. Also – did you know you only need two or three sets of bedding? If you buy a new set, get rid of an old one.
CURATE YOUR COLLECTION
When displaying your objects, some things need their own world. Other things need to look good together. We always like to take inspiration from how nature does it. Look out of the window and you will see different heights and shapes which all work together naturally. Symmetry isn't natural. Feel free to group your objects asymmetrically, heavier to one side, and with different heights. To pull objects into a group, pop them on a tray to ground them. Prop a picture behind to add height.
Remember to also curate your artwork – we always look at the client’s art and what they love and work it into our design schemes and make it really personal. We recommend you stay neutral with your interior design to let your art stand out.
USE SHELVES WISELY
Say it with me - shelves are for display, cupboards are for storage, Shelves should never be crammed with stuff. If you need to use shelves for storage, baskets are your friend. Get beautiful baskets the right size and illustrate bin labels with chalk pens. These will stay stylish even when full. Make sure to keep the baskets out of eyeline. Think like a supermarket - eye level shelves are full of pretty things. Lower and higher shelves can be filled with baskets.
UTILISE STORAGE SPACE
Really think about the stuff you have. Should you display it or store it? Be realistic. We all have stuff, we have mismatched mugs and strange-looking sentimental objects. If you can’t bear to part with them, you need them hidden away, so allow yourself to have storage. A good interior designer works with your real life, mugs-and-all, and will help plan clever storage solutions into your space.
MAKE CONSIDERED PURCHASES
I had an empty living room wall for five years while I was waiting to find the right art. I knew if I bought a ‘filler’ I would never get round to finding the ‘killer’ piece. Art should be bought through love. Art isn’t a commodity, it is a luxury. I always encourage people to go to art fairs and local galleries, instead of shopping online. You will never find ‘your stuff’ in places like fy! and junique.
Steer clear of generic art and rather go to a local market or affordable art fair. You don’t need to spend loads – make it part of your social life and have fun looking. Art is not just part of interior design, you can curate it over years. Never go out to buy art. Like buying jewellery or finding a partner on demand, it won’t work - you have to love it.
We love pieces by John Phillips and Rebecca Leigh. Studio Dean offers art curation in Newcastle and Northumberland as a separate service, get in touch!
REAL LIFE EXAMPLE
A prime example of how we work with your stuff is this stunning interior design project in Newcastle. The owner is a busy doctor who LOVES her stuff. She is passionate about her eclectic collection of art and objects and attaches a lot of emotion and sentimental value to her things. Her stuff makes her happy and the last thing we want to do is get rid of it. We built areas to group and curate her objects and dedicated places to display them. A lovely example is behind the bed (above), we put up a walnut shelf, on it is a green antique vase that was her great grandma’s. It is very special to her so we made it a feature she can look at and enjoy.
Until next time,
