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The decorating principles behind the most stylish homes
Effortless interiors are usually anything but; even those fabulously eclectic rooms that look stylishly thrown together are the sum of many tried-and-tested decorating principles. Interior designers have a toolkit full of them, and use them in ways so understated, that you register the impact without necessarily understanding the source.
These trade secrets aren't always expensive to implement – most in fact are achievable within any budget or space – and don't require massive upheaval. Think of them more as small gestures – a wall light in the right spot, a paint treatment you might not have considered, or new way of looking at size and scale.
Here, we look at 30 of those interior design principles that are the secret to so many stylish homes...
Pitched ceilings are a fabulous thing to have in a home, but they are often painted white, which can diminish their impact. Make like interior designer Jodie Hazlewood and wallpaper yours in something eye-catching like this Enchanted Woodland by Minnie Kemp x MINDTHEGAP to better highlight the interesting angle.
Internal windows and Crittall doors improve the flow of natural light and offer an enticing peek between rooms. 'Removing walls is no longer the only option when it comes to reworking our living spaces,' says Gisela Lancaster, head of sales at Sofololgy. 'Internal Crittall doors and look-throughs into other spaces are a clever way to create cosy areas.'
Pictured: Victorian Style Porcelain Finchley Terracotta Tiles at Ca'Pietra
A kitchen or bedroom requires a good amount of floor space for manoeuvring around, but in a living room, empty floor space can go to waste. Go as big as you can with your choice of sofa with a generous L or U-shape for added feet-up comfort.
Pictured: House Beautiful Ada Sofa at DFS
Stylist and author Emily Henson nabbed the bargain of the century with her green sink and blue bath combo costing just £100 for the pair. 'I bought the sink for £100 at a local salvage yard a few years ago, long before I even knew what I’d do to the bathroom. And the bath was free! It was originally going for £100 on Facebook Marketplace, but I couldn’t collect it on time, and the seller lost patience and ended up leaving it in his front garden. He said I could have it if it was still there, and it was!'
A kitchen composed of individual elements feels so much more personal and lived-in. Vintage dressers and standalone islands can be collected one piece at a time – a far more budget-friendly approach to designing a kitchen – and rearranged on a whim.
The transformative power of painting woodwork cannot be overstated. Take what is ordinarily white and glossy – doors, window frames, skirting boards – and paint them either to match your walls as Melanie Lissack has done here, to or contrast vividly against them.
Wall lights are so often overlooked in favour of floor or table lamps, but they offer the same soft and romantic glow without robbing you of valuable surface space. Designs run the gamut from sleek, mid-century articulated lamps to fluted brass sconces and frilly lampshades. Their affordability means you can buy them in pairs to flank beds and sofas.
Pictured: Bea Lamp Tali Roth x Mitzi
A spare room is often turned into a guest bedroom, even if it gets little to no use. An alternative is to create a dedicated dressing space. It might feel indulgent at first, but a well-designed dressing area quickly proves its worth — offering generous storage and a quiet sanctuary to start and finish each day with intention.
Pictured: Country Living Morocco Carpet at Tapi
The most engaging homes mix the pedigree of traditional design with the playfulness of modern accents. Pairing an elaborate ceiling rose with a contemporary pendant or a classic bed with punchy upholstery creates the kind of sophisticated friction that makes rooms feel interesting and eclectic.
Pictured: Bed upholstered in Marble by Henry Holland x Harlequin
In this fabulous DIY kitchen makeover, model and photographer Trix Breuls created a renter-friendly faux tiled wall with paint using Lick's Red HTK 57 and White 03.
Greenery is a fabulous decorating tool, but a meek potted plant won't make much impact at all. Go as big as your space will allow, and consider an indoor tree if you can keep it alive long enough to enjoy it...
You're less likely to tire of features and furniture with sentimental value or personal connection. Interior designer Christie Ward of Ward + Gray says, 'While we were working on the project, the couple got engaged in Rome, so we wanted to find a way to make a subtle nod to that story. We designed this marble-patterned floor tile that was inspired by a floor we once saw in a Roman church.'
Peninsulas give you all the benefits of a kitchen island without taking up as much floor space. Interior designer Danielle Tanner added a peninsula to her own kitchen renovation: 'It gave us extra seating and eating space without compromising on storage and I'm glad we have somewhere for friends to perch when I'm cooking in the kitchen.'
This liquorice-coloured kitchen and dining space belonging to model and writer Charli Howard is a great example of doing black really, really well. The wash of clay-pink across the walls and up onto the ceiling feels bright and expansive, tempering for the richer tones of her cabinets, which in turn are lifted with a light-reflecting gloss finish.
An interior designer will look at a home from every angle, and consider the views and transitions between rooms as much as they consider each room in isolation. The uniform flooring here naturally draws the eye forward – and how anti-climactic would it be if there was nothing to look at?
An interior designer would never leave plumbing, pipes or unsightly white goods on show – it's one of the reasons why homes always look so brilliant in magazines. There are a myriad ways to hide the eyesores in your home, but a curtain is up there as the easiest, cheapest and most impactful.
Pictured: Bathroom designed by Barlow & Barlow
Writer Katherine Ormerod cut and applied 420 vinyl stickers by hand in the bathroom of her rented Victorian home in Chiswick. 'It's probably one of the most beautiful rooms in the whole house,' she says.
Find more of Katherine's renter-friendly tips in her book, Your Not Forever Home, and watch her full house tour.
We are unanimous in our belief that a home without art is unfinished, but the good stuff can be prohibitively expensive. Instead, get a bit creative with what you frame – silk scarves and wallpaper samples can be just as impactful, quilts can hang unframed, so too can vintage robes.
In awkward corners like this you are more likely to find a picture hung at eye level or a skinny floor lamp muscled into place. Melanie Lissack’s cleverly positioned picture shelves offer something altogether more interesting – and these pieces can be swapped out on a whim.
As a cool colour, blue naturally recedes, making it especially easy to pair. It sits opposite orange on the colour wheel, which means it pairs beautifully with earthy, sun-baked shades, and at the same time, it's a reliable partner for other cool tones and neutrals.
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