Visha left corporate life to pursue her passion for design and stylish interiors. She is the founder and designer of The Cinnamon Room an award-winning home decor store offering an eclectic range of contemporary in-house designed modern rugs and unique home decor.
Right now it's so important to be comfortable at home. I’m sharing a few styling tips that will effortlessly help you achieve a happy retreat space.
Achieve Balance with Symmetry
Styling your furniture and home accessories with a sense of symmetry isn’t just aesthetically pleasing, it's instrumental for creating a balanced flow and sense of well being in your home.
Below left: The bed is the focal point, the matching side tables and lamps balance the visual, and the rug and ottoman placed centrally in front of the bed, frame the space. The soft furnishing of the cushions help anchor the design and pull the room's colours together.
Below right: The living area's grand staircase is the central point of the room. By placing the rug as the focal point, I've grounded the space. Adding the furniture symmetrically around the rug balances the room. If your room doesn't feel quite right, try moving things around to achieve symmetry and see how quickly you feel more balanced—and calm.
Mixing It Up
Achieve memorable and effective design by adding little, eclectic details for an element of surprise. Don't be afraid to place contemporary pieces alongside traditional pieces creating interesting stories that reflect your family.
At left: Pairing two mid-century armchairs with a modern marble-topped side table and metallic hide rug melds classic and contemporary styles. I achieve a cohesive theme with the grey colour palette, but the metallic finished copper side table and the silver metallic rug lifts what would otherwise be a bland palette.
Layering different textured silk and velvet cushions on the armchairs adds depth and interest. I created this look by moving existing pieces around my home. Take a look around your home to see how you can make little changes by mixing it up!
Declutter Time
You don't have to go full Marie Kondo, but it really is a great time to declutter. For what you decide to keep, finding good storage solutions is an effective way to create a sense of calm in your home. I love the hand woven Penan Tribe basket as a great catch all for umbrellas, cricket bats, yoga mats, and more, as well as the mother of pearl inlaid storage box for keys and coins.
Let Your Home Reflect You
Style your home to reflect your personality and character so it feels comfortable. Whether you adore colour or prefer a more mellow neutral palette, it's easy to create vastly different looks just by switching up your soft furnishings. Below I've styled the same space, using the same furniture pieces with two different palettes simply by changing the rug.
A vibrant, striped, contemporary rug brings a large space alive, while a neutral rug calms the area creating a chic space. Both looks work and I firmly believe there are no hard and fast rules, apart from being confident in reflecting who you truly are.
Cosy Ambient Lighting
We can't escape to a spa right now, but wouldn't it be great to create a cosy home reminiscent of a resort spa? Instead of relying entirely on overhead lighting which can seem very harsh and overly bright, use ambient light from table or floor lamps and candlelight to create a softer more relaxing feel. Nothing beats the warm glow of simple tea lights or hurricane lanterns for giving you a sense of peace and calm.