Chic and Unique Living Spaces

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I've been seriously crushing on the work of photographer Bethany Lynn Nauert.  Every space has a few surprise elements.

I really admire the way she can combine furnishings of all different styles to make a room feel like it was curated slowly over generations.

All work from Bethany Lynn Nauert

How to mix furniture styles like a pro

FREE IMAGES Today I am going to reveal some useful tips on how to mix furniture styles like a pro.  I do not go for matchy matchy - it looks too contrived and does not really let the homeowners personality shine through. Even if a room looks "good" if I can tell every piece is from the same catalog, I'm not really impressed. Everyone prefers a space that looks like it came together overtime but also with style, and that allows the character of the people who live their to shine through. This is easier said then done. Furniture is such an important player in a room, so putting together a meaningful collection of furnishings can be daunting to say the least. Below are some useful tips to successfully mix furniture styles:

An easy place to start might be your walls.  I love the look of traditional furnishings with modern art
via Designerscall.com

Traditional Kitchen by Chicago Kitchen & Bath Designers Rebekah Zaveloff | KitchenLab

Work with the bones of your home.  If your home is a country style abode, work in a few vintage pieces. Make it easy on yourself when you are starting out by choosing styles that pair well together.  Country and Vintage work well.  Victorian, a style that celebrates the ornate, pairs well with French and Asian. Arts and crafts works will with midcentury modern and modern.

Eclectic Living Room by New York Interior Designers & Decorators ABCD Design LLC

Eclectic is undoubtedly a style that lends itself to mixing.  Make it work with surprising details like travel mementos or memorabilia from your past lives. This gives the illusion that every piece has a story behind it or sentimental value.  That way even if the mod couch doesn't have a story behind it, it will look like it does because many other elements in the room do.

Here, a mix of antique style furniture is kept fresh with a modern table lamp and modern art.  Also notice that the furnishings all have a similar visual "weight" to them, which helps keep this space look airy.
via Shelterness

Don't forget your walls.  The abstract painting pairs well with the modern chairs, while the gilt mirror pairs well with the coffee table - but they juxtapose one another.  Creating relationship like this helps the space feel cohesive.

via Lonny

Mix "like" pieces.  By like I mean chairs, or stools, or side tables, etc.  Here two side chairs of very different style really stand out and bring attention to themselves because they are two different styles.

via Pinterest via Elements of Style

Here, the black and gold baroque wallpaper is an unexpected surprise in a room of modern furnishings.
Rue Mag

A home makeover full of glamor and comfort!

FREE IMAGES This home has me hankering for a spa day! The luxuriousness of everything is so delicious, I could spend a whole weekend just going between the bath and the bed!

These spaces were designed by Marie Flanigan interiors, and the most fun part is seeing the HUGE difference between the before and afters! 

Of the project, Principal designer Marie Flanigan states '"this project is unique because we were able to transform their spaces without simply making them larger.  We kept our focus on architectural details, natural light, and creating cozy hideaways”. Functionality was improved, architectural beauty was enriched, and the entire home became a more fitting reflection of the chic couple that lives within. "'

The Master: 

"Adhering to our client’s desire to incorporate pre-existing antiques, many of their personal furniture pieces were preserved. Any new items were selected based on the unique charm they offered to the space. An over-scale antiqued French chandelier hangs at the end of the bed serving as both a distinctive focal point and a dramatic statement. The more contemporary items, such as the white animal hide bench, mirrored coffee table and gilded iron table lamps, offer modern lines that present an attractive contrast against the turn-of-the-century oak bedroom set. "- Marie Flanigan

One stressed out closed before...

One AHHMAZING closet after...

Master bath before:

After:

"Our designers created the impression of increased square footage by opening up the shower, lowering the bath tub and modifying the vanity." -Marie Flanigan

Before:

After:

A guest suite: 

The unique flooring is tricolored limestone mosaic

This guest suite below is my favorite, it's sooo pretty..

This before of this nook left me speechless:

The after (phew!)

Thanks to Marie Flanigan interiors for sharing this beautiful project with me!

Only the real thing? Or reproductions okay? Where do you stand

FREE IMAGES It's a hotly contested subject in most industries, especially fashion and design.  Is it okay to buy reproductions or "inspired by" pieces?  Or is it a no-no?

There are so many fabulous furniture designers that I love, Jacobsen, Saarinen, Knoll, and Gray.  The problem. Budget.  I'm don't yet have the savings that allow me to invest in an authentic piece.  Does this mean that my home should go without a piece that I love?

It is undeniable that designer furnishings, like a classic Chesterfield can make a HUGE impact on your space, even if it's just one piece.

via From The Right Bank

via Houzz

via HGTV

via One Kings Lane


I actually have one of these rocking chairs in white....

but I bought it a long time ago before I knew that it was an imitation of one of the most famous lounge chairs!  I still have it and still like it, but I know a lot of designers would cringe.

So, what are your thoughts?  

If you love a design that isn't accessible to with your budget, are you fine with having a reproduction?  

Do you buy authentic only or go without?

I'm not sure how I feel about it, but I think that until I decide I will try to find beautiful, well designed pieces in consignment and antique shops.  

this post in partnership with Vita Interiors

Make it yours - bring your style into your home!

FREE IMAGES Most of us would probably like to be described as stylish, though not everyone has the same opinion of what is stylish.  All the same, here are some ways to bring out or attain your style in your home.

The Entertainer
 Some people earn the title of a stylish person by throwing unforgettable dinner parties, backyard soirees, etc. We’ve seen in movies or real-life examples how someone hosts guests in their amazingly stylish dining room with such grace, it’s impossible not to admire them.

When we break their skill down into separate elements, we realize their success lies in smart choice of their styling their home, wardrobe, music and conversation. It takes a talent to juggle all that successfully!

via Ariel Yve Design

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It tends to be little details that make an event memorable, like berry and herb infused ice cubes for guests' glasses!

The Bold 

Brave use of bold color is a great way to make your stamp. Vibrant colors can detract from what might otherwise be considered a shabby (and not the good shabby) piece of furniture.  Painting a distressed chair or dresser in a bold shade is a great way to express your fabulous eye for color and your bold style!

via Accent on Design

An otherwise okay console table make stylish with coral paint. via Picklee

Likewise, if you don’t have the means to redecorate your home to look like it fell out of a fancy home decoration magazine, you can paint your walls with bold colors can make them fun, cheerful and attention-grabbing.

The Creative

Sometimes your creativity dictates how stylish you are. Consider yourself worldly, cultured, or a connoisseur of something? Why not decorate your home to reflect that fabulous brain? Your space, after all,  should reflect your personality and your imagination.

via Apartment Therapy

via Zar Studio

Create a gallery wall of your favorite paintings, or paintings you've seen in person.  Can't forget your trip to Morocco?  Bring Moroccan tile and woodwork into your bathroom...you're sure to get compliments!

The Modern Vintage

Since vintage has become fairly popular and trendy as of late, make sure that if it's your aesthetic, that you carefully edit your choices so your home doesn't look haphazard. Since a lot of people are decorating their homes in this way, maybe you want to to stand out as the expert "vintage" eye that you are.

via Glo

via Adore Home


Instead of having whole sets of vintage furniture, you can have one charming vintage detail to draw attention to itself. Check sites like Shop 4 Furniture for elegant furniture collection.



Feel good in your home

Remember that being stylish is not only about the appearances, but about feeling good in your own skin and your own home. There is no point in impressing others if you are not comfortable with what you have. You should decorate your home with what impresses you! There is nothing like returning home from work, to a warm place that is both beautiful and gives us a sense of belonging.

This post is in partnership with Shop4furniture.net