KE's 10 Commandments of Styling

 

Here are our top ‘Styling Commandments’ to help you within your space……..

1. Function over Form

  • Understand and have the layout, reflect how the space will be used. 

  • For example, two sofas facing each other are pleasantly symmetrical but, if your primary activity when sitting on said sofa is watching the TV, not ideal. 

  • Think about what you’d like to do in the space, what needs to be within arm’s reach



2. Balance is Key

  • Visually counteract a large piece of furniture with two smaller ones or a tall floor lamp with a hanging pendant. 

 

3. Find a Focus

  • Orient your furniture to make the best use of what your home does have. 

  • This might mean keeping the view of an ornate fireplace clear, arranging furniture to take advantage of beautiful views from a window, or keeping furniture low to show off panelling.

 

4. Every Seat Gets A Buddy

  • Wherever you have somewhere comfortable to sit, make sure there’s also a surface on which to rest a cup of tea, a light to read by, or at the very least a buddy chair, so two people can sit and chat together.


5. Allow for Cearance and Flow

  • Map your traffic routes, remember that less is more, and stick to at least 1 metre “walking room” between pieces.

6. Keep the Horizon Clear

  • Keep the eyelines across a room clear.

  • Paying special attention to items placed in front of windows, and directly in front of the traffic path when entering a room. 

7. Create Zones

  • In an open-plan space, you can use your furniture arrangement to create “rooms” and designate areas for specific use. 

  • A rug under a group of chairs makes a conversation zone and simply turning a sofa with its back to the rest of the room says “this is a living room.”


8. Don’t be a Wallflower

  • Don’t push all your furniture up against the walls. Even giving a couch 30cm of breathing room can create the illusion of a larger space.


9. Experiment

  • One of the best things about arranging a room? It’s just furniture. Many of us get stuck into one layout and convince ourselves it’s the only way our home will work. But often moving a chair, shifting a sofa, or re-orienting a bed is enough to give your home a whole new lease on life.


10. Loosen Up

  • Every rule can be broken with some creativity and every home can be beautiful and welcoming with a little care. Experiment with your layout, who knows what might happen?

 
Kylie Espandiar