I always love a good “how to get the look” so I thought we’d try bringing it to the blog this week! With all the home sitting we’ve been doing, my mind has been ALLL over the place about the different ways I could spruce up our home. It has been fun to find simple ways to refresh it— its mostly looked like bunches of flowers & the many (!) ways i’ve rearranged our rooms (sorry mark!)… but with all the great sales going on right now, i’ve been thinking about a little online ordering, or better yet-using curb side pick up to add a few new items. Most importantly, its a great way to support local & small businesses at this time!
The room below is from a project we completed in Atlanta a few years ago. We love this cottage — its so happy and airy! The younger client wanted the room to feel fresh and youthful while still being rooted in tradition with a couple key, classic pieces that would grow with her over time. We love helping our younger clients start their collection of antiques, artwork, or fabrics. Although sometimes the initial investment of a “nicer piece” can feel a bit overwhelming, I promise you- in the long run, it pays off. And just to be clear, a “nice” piece does NOT have to break the bank. We all have different budgets and priorities so a “nicer” piece for you might look quite different then the price tag of another’s “nice” piece. The investment pieces I made at 23 for my first home were by no means expensive but they were intentional. I took the time to select a couple few things that had value to me & that I knew would stick with me over time, as opposed to rushing out and buying a bunch of low priced items that I wouldn’t want in a year or 2. Quality over quantity folks!! It is all about what works for you and what feels right for your home & your budget.
One of the ways we help clients to identify what has value to them is to prioritize. From the very beginning of a project, we help our clients to identify the items that have meaning/value to them. For example - some of our clients are fabric people - [They love the textures, colors, & patterns. They are interested in the fabric houses & designers.] Other clients are into furniture — [They appreciate the story of a piece. They are interested in the integrity of the materials & the design.] We have clients that care about all lighting, some rugs, and others art. You get the idea! its all about figuring out what is important to you and then prioritizing those things. You can fill in the rest over time or if it is a necessary piece (i.e. I’m in love with this fabric and therefore i’m going to invest in these nice pillows. But I don’t care that much about this side table, but I do really need one for this room to function.) then there are a lot of great treasure hunt stores (I prefer this term over the idea of a flea market) & also some catalog finds out there.
These are a couple things I encourage a client to think about as they prioritize the items for their home
If furniture is important to you (which honestly, it should be! A good quality sofa will definitely earn its keep over the years) invest in the best upholstery you can afford, but make it worry-free — as a clumsy person, I honestly cannot imagine what it would feel like to not be worried about spills on upholstery ( I hear these people exist but they are a rare find!) — But if you’r more like me, then you want to be able to live your life & enjoy your space without feeling anxious about the next wine spill, child shoe, dog rub, etc. Thankfully today, there are so many options for worry-free (or at least worry less!) furniture. There are great solid options of all sorts of textures & patterns. Also, when investing in upholstery, check & double check your spacing as well as the dimensions of sofa. I highly suggest enlisting a designer to help you with this before making an investment. If you buy quality the first time around, it’ll last years & you’ll love how it feels in your space.
If rugs are important to you, but you can’t afford the rug of your dreams today, there are a lot of natural fiber options that come at great price points. we love the safavieh one thru Wayfair & amazon. You can use them alone or layer a smaller, vintage piece for a more collected look. for me, rugs are not a priority right now so i’ve chosen to use lower priced natural fiber rugs that are good with our lifestyle but provide the warmth our rooms need. I also love how a natural fiber rug (sisal, seagrass, woven grasses) provide a base of the organic & natural to a room. They are the perfect backdrop to any colors you want to bring in the space. Another pro- is that they help keep things feeling relaxed & approachable even if the rest of your furniture is your grandmothers brown furniture. The mix of the high & low is just right!
If fabric is your thing, but your budget for it is small— invest in a yard or 2 of something you love— and make some fabulous pillows. you can use a low cost linen on the back and you’ll never know the difference. A great pillow will instantly elevate the rest of your room and every time you see that fabric you’ll be happy about it
If art is your thing, start following artists— see who you really love & support them! That might look like a small print today, but later might look like a bigger piece. Regardless, you will find joy in supporting an artisan and you’ll always treasure it. If you need art for your walls and want that gallery look for less, explore old coffee table books and search treasure hunt stores. There are old pages to be collected or purchased and you can either frame them or buy existing frames.
If lighting is your thing, but you need to do it on a budget — lampshades. invest in a good looking lampshade for a lower budget lamp, and it makes it look like a million bucks!
If wallpaper is your thing, save money by using bamboo blinds or a less $ drapery option
If you want custom looking drapery, but don’t want to break the bank - use a less $ fabric option but invest in trim.
If drapery is important to you, but you need to cut down on cost, consider doing roman shades or cafe curtains. They require less yardage and generally are less expensive to fabricate.
Collect! If you want to add instant style to your space, introduce a collection that is uniquely yours. It can be anything — random blue and white plates found at a treasure store, pretty white bowls, platters, paper weights, boxes — just something that you love & put them on display as a unit in your room. I like to buy a blue and white piece whenever I travel even if its a $3 tiny little bowl. When its put with other items, it looks more important & it always feels special to me because it invokes a memory.
Buy old things- really. Buy items that have some age on them. It’ll give your room instant history and patina. The best rooms have old and new. Again, to get back on my soap box, this can be a really budget friendly way to finish a room. There are so many amazing treasure stores. If you need help locating one, email me! Often the people who run these stores are amazing resources of the history of pieces & will help you find any item you might need.
Include brown furniture— whether its important to you at this point or not — I encourage all my clients to buy brown furniture — maybe its a small side table or a bigger chest. Whatever it might be, it will ground your room and will likely be something you have for years!
Get to know the makers, artists, and artisans out there. As you learn where things come from and how they are made, you will have greater appreciation for your space and more easily be able to prioritize your choices.
This is by no means a comprehensive list, every room & every person is different… thats what makes this job fun! But I hope that these tips and thoughts give you some thinks to ponder. I really love helping people figure out what they like & don’t like about their spaces. Its so rewarding to watch clients & friends (they’re really all the same) find joy in putting together their spaces & fall in love with their rooms. 💛
Below, you’ll see some sourcing ideas to obtain a look like this room — enjoy!!
