Advice
July 26, 2024
By: Zara Sahota | Design Specialist
How to Decorate Your Room Like an Interior Designer
Insider secrets from an expert in the field
Decorating your home can often feel like a daunting task, especially if you're unsure of where to begin. From choosing the right colors and furniture to creating a cohesive design aesthetic, the possibilities can seem endless and overwhelming. That's why we decided to sit down with interior stylist, Rikke Harker, to get her expert advice on how to make your home truly stand out.
Introducing Rikke
Rikke is a Sydney based interior stylist and creative consultant, and the founder of lifestyle brand Rikke's Space - A thoughtfully curated source for all things Styling, Design, Entertaining, Recipes, Gift Guides, and more.
Rikke has positioned herself as an expert in her field, cultivating a community that celebrates the ceremony of setting a table, artfully arranging objects in the home, hosting a gathering, and more.
Rikke has worked with a range of high profile clients across residential and commercial projects, as well as brand partnerships and creative direction. Her expressions of styling are informed by a modern California, with a nod to her Danish and Kiwi heritage.
Personalise
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Rikke believes in starting with what you love and building from there. This could be anything from an object to a paint colour.
“Personally, I LOVE collecting one-of-a-kind treasures to use in my home. I can spend hours scouring online stores, vintage marketplaces, and combing through Pinterest for inspiration.”
This also entails finding décor items on travels that hold sentimental value. These pieces will add character and soul to a space and helps to tell a story.
From there, Rikke gathers ‘wish list’ items into a visual moodboard to see what works together and what doesn’t, ultimately making decisions based on how harmoniously the pieces would go together in a space. Having a visual is a powerful tool, as you can very quickly rule out specific colours or objects that won’t really gel with the overall look and feel.
Add Visual Intrigue
“Don’t be afraid to include a variety of finishes, textures, and materials to create contrast and visual intrigue. Sometimes the pieces we think won’t necessarily work together end up surprising us and something beautiful comes of it! It adds depth to a space (rather than things looking flat with only one tone or texture) and has the ability to carry an eye around the room – much more interesting!”
Experiment with different furniture and decor pieces to find pairings that will elevate your interior, instead of sticking with one palette. For example, dressing a simple beige sofa with patterned cushions and textured throws for winter.
Engage Form and Scale
When it comes to styling any space, Rikke plays around with different heights and shapes to add interest to a space. This could be by way of a rectangular console table up against a wall with a large vessel sitting next to it and round mirror hung above, or a stool next to the entryway with hooks attached to the wall above to hang coats from, or perhaps it’s a pendant light hanging from a ceiling corner with a comfy chair and small side table underneath.
Using a variety of heights and different shaped objects in the space creates a sense of balance and harmony. “There’s no one hard and fast rule here with what to team together – have a play around with placement. You’ll soon know what works by how a space feels!”
Mood Lighting
“This is one of the most important things to focus on. Using lighting well in a space drastically shifts the look and feel of it, and informs mood.”
Rikke loves to use dimmable lights, and stick to floor and table lamps in the evenings to calm a space down with a warmer light bulb. She always has candles lit at home, which offers up such a relaxed and cosy ambience.
Overall, this advice can serve as a valuable guide for anyone looking to elevate their home and navigate the world of interior design with confidence and ease. With these expert tips, you can create a space that is not only beautiful but also reflects your unique style and personality.
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