Use These Designer Styling Tips to Enhance Your Design
Recently I blogged about how to plan ahead for the cost of styling in the planning phase of your design process. You can read How to Budget: Styling to learn more about how to properly budget for the styling process for your next project. In that blog post I suggested reserving between 2-10% of your total budget on your styling efforts. What exactly you can expect to spend will depend on a few things, but in all scenarios I assure you the expense and effort to style your next design project will truly enhance your design, providing opportunity for including more colour, texture pattern and contrast to your space and bringing much needed balance and harmony that your room may be lacking without styling.
Styling is the final step of your design process. Although you may know of certain décor items that you want to use in the space once it is complete there is still going to be some styling decisions that can only be made once the furniture and larger décor is in its place. Once you are able to see the furniture in the finished room you can then identify areas that require further attention. Here are some designer tips to consider when styling:
Use your styling items to correct areas that feel off balance. In the design world we are looking for visual balance, this does not mean every design is perfectly symmetrical. For example an empty wall may require a leaning mirror, a potted plant or a few art pieces to visually balance the dresser on the other side of the same wall or on the opposite wall. Balance can also be required vertically, with lots of low furniture in a space maybe a tall mirror or potted tree is what is needed.
A harmonious design allows your eye to smoothly travel around the room. Repetition of colours, patterns and textures and careful attention to the lines of the room that are created by moulding, décor or furniture can help evoke that harmonious feeling. During the styling stage you may identify areas in your room where your eye stops and the design feels disjointed, or areas of the room that could use some layers of colour, texture or pattern. It is these areas that will need your styling efforts the most.
The styling items may not be the large functional items that were chosen earlier in the process (i.e., furniture, area rug, overhead lighting and drapery) but this does not mean the items used for styling cannot have function. Anything that you will be putting back into the room should be considered as an opportunity to style the finished space. For an example of how to style a kitchen space while maintaining function check out my blog post 5 Designer Tips for Choosing Stylish Kitchen Accessories Without Sacrificing Function. The same concept can be used for other areas of the house. One of the largest tricks being to find stylish storage for items that need to be in your room but will not enhance your design (loose paper, shoes, electrical cords, laundry or your kid’s toys).
Lastly, apply the same design principles that you did to your earlier steps of design to styling. Styling items should support your design story, meaning they should be in line with your design style and colour palette, further enhancing, and not confusing, the design you have worked so hard to create.
Styling is the stage where you can have a little more fun and lean into current trends. The larger design elements in the room are more of an investment and you are likely looking to lean more classic in the selections so you know you will be happy with your purchases for a very long time. Styling pieces are the perfect opportunity to include the latest trends knowing that in a year or two you can update without breaking the bank.
To illustrate the difference between a well designed room and a well designed and styled room I have created two design boards. The first design board I created shows a traditional serene principal bedroom. The cost of the items I selected below comes to roughly $14,600 CAD with tax. The second design board is the same principal bedroom design with the addition of items I could use to style the room. In the second picture I included items that enhance my design by repeating colour, introducing layers of pattern and texture and not only supporting my design story of “traditional and serene principal bedroom” but they lend to the function of the room - providing necessary comfort and storage. The cost of the additional styling items shown in the second picture comes to roughly $1,450 CAD with tax. For the items in the fully designed and styled room the total comes to $16,050. Some applied moudling and fresh paint and you’ve got yourselves a beautiful, brand new, traditional and serene principal bedroom for $20,000. Links to all the items I sourced for this example deign board are provided below.
Chandelier- JD Lighting, Bed-Urban Barn, Nightstands- Crate and Barrel, Area Rug- Rug and Weave, Ottomans- Tonic Living, Sconces- Light House Co., Art- Etsy, Linen Bedding- H&M Home, Pillows and Throw- Tonic Living, Dresser- Crate and Barrel, Mirror and Vase- JD Lighting, Woven basket, Wooden box and jewelry holder- H&M Home, Armchair- Crate and Barrel, End table- Crate and Barrel, Drapery- Amazon.ca, Drapery hardware- Tonic Living.
To avoid creating rooms that feel only partially complete, I urge you to consider the future styling effort in the planning and budgeting phase of your projects. Planning ahead and including the styling stage of the design process enhances your design, leaving a complete, balanced and professional looking space that you can live in and enjoy for a long time.
