5 Tastemakers Share Their Ultimate Interior Design Tricks
Five interior-design experts share their ultimate styling tricks, from juxtaposed textures and unexpected color combinations to the question you always need to ask before a room is finished. By KATIE BERRINGTON
Mimi Shodeinde, founder of Miminat Designs
“I would recommend imagining textures as flavors, mixing and matching them as you would when cooking your favorite dish – and only picking the ingredients you really love. I find the best things come to life when juxtaposing unexpected textures, whether it be soft bouclé wools, supple creamy leathers, rustic woods or rough metals. On that note, don’t be afraid to select things with ‘flaws’ – reframe these imperfections as maker’s marks and revel in how they evolve over time.” Mimi Shodeinde, Miminat Designs
Na Li, co-founder of Holloway Li
“I always like to hold a strong narrative in mind when styling a space, then let this guide the vision… Lean into your creativity, for example when styling a gallery wall, don’t feel limited to 2D artwork, repurpose old pieces of furniture or use your favourite book covers. It’s important to always consider accents of colour and the silhouettes on view, and don’t be afraid to mix textures and colours in unexpected ways. If you’re struggling to decide on a palette, I would recommend leaving it raw and rustic, and introducing polished objects or reflective elements to add depth and contrast.” Na Li, Holloway Li
Linda Boronkay, founder of Linda Boronkay Design Studio
“My signature styling approach revolves around incorporating standout vintage pieces into my rooms. These elements may not always match perfectly, yet they bring a sense of charm and character to the space. The result is a deliberately unintentional aesthetic – effortlessly relaxed, yet cohesive and harmonious in its overall design.” Linda Boronkay, Linda Boronkay Design Studio
Charlotte Buchanan, co-founder of Buchanan Studio
“It’s no secret that we love to use marble at Buchanan Studio – it’s a material we return to again and again for its versatility and instant ability to add elegance, pattern and color to any space or piece of furniture. Not only do we love to use it to add drama to expansive areas such as bathrooms, but also in more conservative touches, which is very easy to achieve for an instant update to the space. For example, it can be used to add detail and interest to the tops of mantlepieces, tables and chests of drawers, instantly elevating a space or item of furniture. We often use salvaged off-cuts from larger slabs for these touches, so that nothing is wasted.” Charlotte Buchanan, Buchanan Studio
Hollie Bowden, founder of Hollie Bowden Interiors
“Something I’m always thinking about is how to make a room balanced but reserve space for the unexpected. A trick to achieve this is to look at the furniture and objects in a room once you’ve got a good handle on the general mood, and think, What is the other thing this room is calling out for? Maybe you have a really minimal furniture scheme, so you add in a very ornamental piece. It could be a sharp material contrast, or a color accent – it’s up to you. But the key thing is to slightly upend the dominant theme in the room, to make sure the design isn’t too rigid or serious.
“It’s important to me to make objects look like they’ve been collected over years or a lifetime, to tell a story, and not look like they arrived last week to be glued in place. I did a project in Ibiza years ago and the house was super minimal with big open plan rooms, so it could take some very bold, sculptural pieces. But what it was lacking was something a bit more sensuous – and human scale – so I used a built-in bookcase in the corner of the living room to display a little collection of erotic objects. There was a quite sexy Japanese woodblock print, a sculpture, a nude bust. It gave such a different scale to the room and added an irreverent, humorous touch that made the space so much richer.” Hollie Bowden, Hollie Bowden Interiors